"how-to video" news and stories

Eggplants. They just hang out in the farmer's market like they own the joint. Big, fat, smug and kingly purple.

And we can't resist them. In an attempt to partake of their charms without heating the heck out of muggy apartments, we were pleased to stumble upon this recipe for Tortang Talong, a traditional Filipino recipe that brings egg and pork into the eggplantian universe.

Yup, egg. No big surprise to see it sneak into the equation, since it's had cross-cultural starring roles in pork-vegetable dishes from Japanese ramen to Korean bibimbap. But watching this video somehow still floored us: "Tortang Talong!" Who doesn't want to brag to her friends that she's whipping that up for dinner? Check it out and let us know if you give it a go.

[Via Howcast]

After many years abiding to the rule that I would never eat what I couldn't look at in its real form, I succumbed to temptation and had a delicious bowl of Conch Chowder at the Nicola Seafood Restaurant at the Hyatt in Key West (a dish that is, sadly, no longer on the menu). While the conch might look all gooey out of the shell, it's ridiculously delicious and a must-eat when heading south.

And if you're lucky enough to live down south, or find yourself in a kitchen somewhere that conch is available, you've got to check out the quick video above. Bahama Breeze Chef Vern Thomas whips up a really easy Conch Chowder recipe. It's got all the basics -- onions, carrots, potatoes, plus a great tip about putting whole Scotch bonnet peppers into the mix -- to give the chowder flavor without the tear-inducing heat. If you want to learn more about conch as well, they've got a how-to here.