An enduring hobby of mine has been bakery hopping and, even more so, cafes that make tempting baked goods. My friend and I unexpectedly stumbled upon such a place in Christchurch, a stone's throw from the Cathedral. A Pear Chocolate Cinnamon Muffin covered with a dark chocolate frosting sat atop the service counter at our lunch spot. It was the texture that had eluded me. The generous baker gave me the recipe on a hand-written piece of paper, which became the base for the muf

My sixth sense suggested we should get our affairs in order. I thought the dangerous hiking trails would be the reason for worry in the Tusheti National Park on the border of Russia republic’s Chechnya and Dagestan. I was to find out it was due to altogether different circumstances.

SEE SUBSTACK HOME OF SBM WITH ALL NEWSLETTERS HERE Lying in bed under the skylight in a vaulted cream shiplap room of a converted 1800s...

No stove or oven to cook food? We learned all you need is a fire and a comal to make the famous cuisine of Oaxaca. La Casa Azul (The...