By Noma Faingold (Updated October 2, 2025)
Chef Melissa King was not like the other kids growing up in Whittier, a small city in Los Angeles County. While her peers watched Saturday morning cartoons, she was glued to Julie Child shows, Martin Yan’s “Yan Can Cook” and other television cooking programs.
“I was always very interested in food and I liked to eat,” King said.
Recipes by Erica Perez and John Beaver unless otherwise noted.
Curated and adapted by Gary Meyer
(updated August 30, 2025)
Spices from the Oaktown Spice Shop can take a very good dish to new levels.
C.J. Hirschfield wrote about Oaktown as they have adapted during the pandemic to provide their goods to home chefs around the world. EatDrinkFilms has chosen some recipes and comments from their website (plus one of our own) to get you started.
There is a full meal starting with Bloody Mary cocktails, a zucchini salad, strawberry spaghetti, and chewy molasses cookies for dessert; plus great popcorn idea to eat while watching an after-dinner movie.
Curated by Gary Meyer (May 16, 2025)
As a child in London Charles Chaplin had a life of poverty and hardship. He was sent to a workhouse twice before he was nine years old. He got little to eat and there is speculation that is why there are so many food scenes in his movies.
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Steve Sando founder and chef at Rancho Gordo has developed a special Marcella Bean and offers two recipes from The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans, from the Rancho Gordo Kitchen by Steve Sando with Julia Newberry. Continue reading
Recipes by Joan Nathan
(updated January 28, 2025))
My Life in Recipes is new cookbook from the James Beard Award–winning, beloved author that uses recipes to look back at her life, her family history, and her personal journey discovering Jewish cuisine from around the world.
Joan is appearing with book signings across the U.S.
Joan will be speaking on Thursday, January 30, 2025, 6-8pm at Clio’s in Oakland, CA about My Life in Recipes: Food, Family and Memories and A Sweet Year: Jewish Celebrations and Festive Recipes for Kids and Their Families: A Cookbook, and how making food with friends and family is now more than ever a delight and a requisite. Tickets and more info here.
Check more appearances by Joan here.
by Dianne Boate
(Updated November 23, 2024)
Several years ago, I watched apprehensively as eleven people took forks in hand to try their first bite of my new Pecan Pie. Then, silence. Not one word. Color was coming and going on my face as they sat silently, chewing. My brain was bursting with all the arguments against making pie in the first place, and wishing fervently I could disappear on the spot. Continue reading
Compiled by Gary Meyer (updated November 21, 2024)
The Internet can be a dangerous place to find the good, the bad and the ugly. Thanksgiving as a search subject is especially rewarding. We present a sampling, mostly from the past. We found vintage greeting cards, Hollywood stars, ads for disgusting sounding foods, awkward family photos and all around nostalgia. You won’t believe what turkeys have been put through but we hope you will laugh and be astonished.
By Gary Meyer
(updated from the archives November 15, 2024)
This is a dessert cake!
Are you ready for candy that offers the flavors of the traditional American Thanksgiving dinner spread: Roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, green beans, ginger glazed carrots, and, for dessert, sweet potato pie?
From the depths of Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s laboratory comes 50 culinary concoctions to titillate the taste buds of Rocky Horror fans, in this lip-smacking officially licensed cookbook based on the cult classic stage musical.
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In connection with Gerald Peary’s interview with Mel Brooks we offer some tasty bites from the comedian.
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By Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger
(March 20, 2024)
One of the most popular dishes at Border Grill, Mary Sue and Susan’s favorite pollo dish puts a spiced-up spin on grilled chicken marinated in a blend of spices and seared to perfection with a flavorful cilantro sauce and a tangy pickled tomato salsa for a burst of flavor.
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