I grew up under the perpetually sunny skies of California. I did not have the concept of the air cooling and becoming crisp, of the leaves changing and covering the streets in red and gold, and of the need for spice and warmth, making you want to bake. This fall … Continue reading
I don’t remember the first time I heard of lei cha – a pounded or ground tea also known as Hakka pestle cereal. I do remember my surprise when my mom, a Taiwanese Hakka very proud of her heritage and knowledgeable in many aspects of the Hakka culture, revealed her … Continue reading
My best friend is retired and likes to cut out articles from various newspapers that he thinks I would be interested in. He recently gave me an article from the Wall Street Journal titled “When Food and Pills Clash.” The article includes a wheel showing a variety of foods/beverages on … Continue reading
For years, the thought of climbing on an airplane made me break out in a cold sweat. Knowing that I was not alone in my discomfort with flying didn’t help. Getting on planes for the short flight from Los Angeles to Tucson, where our son went to college, did. It … Continue reading
According to the Global Economic Cost of Cancer Report released by the American Cancer Society (ACS) this past summer, cancer’s price tag last year was $895 billion, a sum that represents 1.5% of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP). This is its cost in terms of disability and productive years … Continue reading
Does India have a tea culture? Is there more to Indian tea than Masala Chai, or Milk Tea, as they call it? Of course there is! I am in India right now to find out. I am also here because I was invited to speak at the first-ever Indian Tea … Continue reading