Xouba: The Little Galician Sardine Finding A Home In American Kitchens
Meeting Xouba: A Tiny Sardine With A Big Story Xouba is the Galician word for a very small sardine. In Galicia, on Spain’s Atlantic coast, the word xouba usually means young European pilchard, the species Sardina pilchardus in the herring family. These fish are slim, silver, and blue-green on top. They live in big schools…
Xacuti: A Cozy Goan Curry You Can Bring Home
The first spoonful of xacuti feels like a warm blanket made of spice and coconut. The sauce is thick, deep orange, and full of roasted flavor. The meat is tender and rich. The whole dish tastes bold, but still calm and balanced. It is the kind of curry that makes a kitchen smell like a…
From Backyard Vine To Asian Kitchen: Fun Ways We Can Use Every Part Of Xigua
Xigua (pronounced shee-gwah) is simply the Mandarin Chinese word for watermelon—the same juicy summer favorite most of us slice into at cookouts across the United States. Here’s a quick, USA-focused rundown you can build on for gardening or food content: What Is Xigua? In everyday U.S. grocery stores, what you see labeled watermelon would still…
Vermiculite: The Flaky Mineral That Makes Our Plants Happier
If you’ve ever opened a bag of potting mix and seen tiny gold-brown flakes that look a bit like crushed mica, you’ve probably met vermiculite. A lot of us use it without really thinking about what it is, why it works, or when it’s actually the best choice. Let’s walk through it together in plain…
How to Get Rid of Ants in Your Kitchen: A Calm, Clear Guide for Everyday Life
Why Ants Find Their Way Into Kitchens Ants walk into the kitchen like tiny explorers searching for hidden treasure. They follow trails so small that we barely see them. They move with purpose. They move with confidence. And they move with the kind of teamwork that feels almost impressive until they show up on your…
Coconut Coir 101
Coconut coir is the brown, fibrous material that sits between the hard coconut shell and the soft white flesh. It is a byproduct of the coconut industry, pressed into blocks, loose bags, or mixed into potting soil. For many of us in the United States, coir shows up as dry “bricks” on a garden center…
The Best Soil for Potted Plants: A Simple Guide to Potting Mixes and More
Breathing Life Into a Pot of Soil There is a small moment that happens when you press your fingers into good potting mix. The soil feels springy, not sticky. It smells fresh, not sour. It breaks apart, but it does not fall into dust. That feel tells you a lot about how your potted plants…
Foods That Start With X: A Deep Exploration of Rare and Remarkable Flavors
Why Foods That Start With X Feel So Special You don’t see many foods that start with X. The letter feels quiet. It waits in the back of the alphabet like a patient guest who speaks only when needed. But when you look closer, you discover that X foods are full of character. They carry…
Friends from Alabama: The Story of Wright’s Nursery and Greenhouse
I’ve met many new friends through my travels and writing. And here I’d like to share some of their stories. I’m going to begin with Alabama and one of the most inspiring life stories I’ve ever heard. Wright’s Nursery and Greenhouse in Plantersville, Alabama. They have a ecommerce dedicated website, Wright Gardens. Where Roots Run…
How to Cook Cicadas (Yes, You Can Eat Them!)
A New Way to Look at an Old Ingredient There’s a quiet moment when you lift a warm pan and hear the soft crackle of something toasting gently inside. That sound tells you the heat is right. It also sets the tone for a recipe that feels older than we are. Cooking cicadas might sound…