I had a great time visiting Chef Vache at Cracked Pepper Bistro and tasting the goods! Vache’s paklava cups are easy to make, and they pair perfectly with his “Midnight Oil” dark roast coffee from Sanctuary Roasting. A simple muffin tin, some phyllo dough, and a...
My obsession with Armenian food stems from my Aunt Mary and Uncle Jack Sherijian’s restaurant, The Peach Tree. I loved going there as a child and (like to many Fresnans at the time) always started with the lentil soup. Mary passed away in December of 2021. During our...
These are often marketed as pinwheels or caravan sandwiches; Armenians call them Aram sandwiches. And here in Fresno, we refer to them as Hye Rollers. Made with softened lahvosh bread and your choice of fillings, these spiral sandwiches are a real treat, savory or...
I was intimidated by phyllo dough until I got a tutorial from my friend Laura Folland (née Karabian). This recipe was inspired by Laura’s aunt Carol, who was my dad’s BFF growing up. Laura substitutes vanilla for the lemon juice, which pairs really nicely with the...
Like his grandmother before him, my friend Geoff loves to preserve the yearly olive haul that can be found throughout Fresno each November. A viticulture researcher and instructor at Fresno State, Geoff’s got street creds when it comes to this stuff, but even so, he...
Armenian coffee affogato? Absolutely! It’s a delicious dessert that comes together quickly and never fails to impress. Simply brew a pot of Armenian coffee (soorj), in lieu of espresso. I’ve named this recipe Edna’s Affogato to honor one of my favorite brands, Edna’s...
Perhaps you know renowned oud player Richard Hagopian from his days as a member of the Kef Time Band, but Central Valley friends know him as a real Renaissance man — restauranteur, farmer and even historian, as well as musical virtuoso. Richard and my dad were raised...
