Studio b -- Image: studiobthebeach.com

I love it when I happen upon something that combines my favorite things: learning something new and my insatiable wanderlust. You can imagine the size of my pupils when I happened upon the article "A Taste of Morocco" in this month's Coastal Living. On assignment, food editor, Julia Rutland, attended a Moroccan cooking class at Studio b in Alys Beach, Florida (located between Pensacola and Panama City).

I'm in Sonoma, California, this week and olive oil is everywhere. Olive trees fill the hillsides and front yards, and the deep yellow oil appears on restaurant tables as a dipping sauce, in main courses, and even ice cream. One of my favorite spots is The Olive Press, an olive oil company with two tasting rooms in wine country (one in Sonoma, one in Napa). Founders Ed Stolman and Deborah Rodgers were the first to open an olive mill in Sonoma County in 1995, and they produce a wide variety of olive oils using 12 to 15 different types of olives: three types of pure extra-virgin oil (delicate, medium, and robust) as well as citrus oils like Meyer Lemon, Blood Orange, Clementine, and Lime that have the essence of citrus (and are amazing drizzled over fish or over steamed vegetables). If you're visiting wine country, don't miss a visit to one of their tasting rooms - the Sonoma tasting room offers a view of the olive pressing facility - but in the meantime try this moist, delicate Citrus Olive Oil Cake (I like to serve it with a dollop of fresh whipped cream). See the recipe.

When I spent a few months in Greece, my friends and I discovered one of the most surprisingly delicious new foods the country had to offer: giant beans. Yep, giant beans (a.k.a. beans as big as your thumb). They're so filling that they are the meal, yet they look so simple that they leave you wondering: what is their secret?

In technical bean terms, they're called gigantes (pronounced "YE-gone-tays"), and in fancy Greek writing, they're γιγαντες. But in any language, they're downright divine. You could order them in almost any restaurant in Greece, but back in the U.S., they're nearly impossible to find (so far, my only luck has been one neighborhood deli in New York City).

So naturally, I was ecstatic when I discovered this Cooking Light recipe for Baked Gigantes in Tomato Sauce, and I practically fainted when I learned I that Nabeel's Mediterranean market here in Birmingham imports dried gigantes.

I decided to try out the recipe a few weeks ago, and it was a huge success! The ingredients are basic vegetables and seasoning, and it doesn't require any fancy kitchen gadgets. It is somewhat time-consuming, but it's really easy -- and completely worth it. I made several friends try a bite or two, and their responses have been a unanimous "YUM!" I've even convinced fellow intern Georgia to try her hand at the recipe later this week!

Ok come on, I can tell you're skeptical, but trust me, you'll love them. 

Click here to try the recipe now.

Barbecue. Barbeque. BBQ. Bar-B-Q. Bar-B-Que. We may not be able to agree on its spelling, but really, who doesn't love a good pulled pork sandwich? I've always considered myself a big barbecue fan, but since moving to Alabama, I've learned that there's a lot more to this Southern cooking style than this Kentucky girl even realized. 

Here's what has surprised me most so far:

1. The existence of "white barbecue sauce." I've lived my entire life in the geographic south, but never, had I ever, heard of "white" barbecue sauce until moving to Birmingham. If you've never heard of it either, don't worry; we're not alone. White barbecue sauce is a Northern Alabama specialty. It's mayonnaise-based and usually served with chicken. The sauce is tangy and creamy -- and definitely worth a try.

Here's a recipe for the standard White Barbecue Sauce, and to work it into your next meal, try:

• Grilled Herb Chicken Drumettes with White Barbecue Sauce
• Alabama Pulled Pork Sandwiches with White Barbecue Sauce, or
• Grilled Chicken with White Barbecue Sauce.

2. Pulled pork isn't just for sandwiches. Last weekend, a friend visited me in Birmingham, and I decided to take her to Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q for a taste of one of the area's favorite barbecue restaurants. Never having eaten slow-smoked pork on top of a salad before, I decided to try it by ordering the Pig in the Garden Salad. The verdict: delicious. Who would have thought?

3. Barbecue is serious business in Birmingham. As soon as I moved here, it didn't take long to discover that barbecue is practically its own food group in this town. Ask someone for a lunch or dinner recommendation, and half of their suggestions will be barbecue joints. Just look around, and you'll find barbecue establishments everywhere. Southernbbqtrail.com says that over 500 barbecue restaurants have opened in Birmingham since 1920, and maxshores.com claims that there are more barbecue restaurants per capita in Birmingham, AL than in most other cities. Wow. Pretty impressive, B'ham.

If you're already a barbecue lover, then good for you. Keep it up. If you're not, or if you're looking to expand your collection of barbecue knowledge and experience, then plan a little trip to Alabama. This state certainly has plenty to teach you about barbecue, barbeque, BBQ, Bar-B-Q, and Bar-B-Que.

The ballots are in and the winner is clear! The Farmers Market in Williamsburg, VA has been voted America's favorite medium-sized (between 31 and 55 vendors) farmers market!

In its contest this summer, the American Farmland Trust received 30,000 votes and listed almost 900 participating farmers markets from across the U.S., and Williamsburg was a winner!

I was super excited when I saw this! I attended college in Williamsburg, and the Farmers Market was one of my favorite 'burg events. Williamsburg's Famers Market is located in Merchants Square on Duke of Gloucester Street, and it couldn't be more in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg.

The market is held weekly (Saturdays) from May through October and also opens for special holiday and winter weekends. 

For four years, I bought delicious vegetables, fresh flowers, and my favorite Greek foods (you've got to try the baklava from the Greek food stand) from the Farmers Market, as well as pumpkins every October to use for jack-o-lantern carving.

So next time you're in America's Historic Triangle (that's local lingo for the Williamsburg-Jamestown-Yorktown area of Virginia), be sure to check out the Williamsburg Famers Market. With a national prize now to its name, you've just got to.

For more information about the Williamsburg Farmers Market, click here.

Sebastopol, California, is apple country. Located about 60 miles north of San Francisco, apple lovers flock here every summer for an apple fair to celebrate the local Gravenstein apple, which ripens in late July/early August. (Green and red Gravensteins are originally from Denmark but in the U.S. are found primarily in Sonoma County.)

The fair itself is right out of a movie set, with farm animals, horse-drawn wagon rides, pie-eating contests, hay bales, and, of course, apples. We spent yesterday stuffing ourselves with all things apple: apple fritters, apple pie, apple butter, apple juice, apple cider, caramel apples, apple cake - all made with sweet and juicy Gravensteins. Moist apple cake, hot, crisp apple fritters, sweet apple juice were our favorites, and I left with bags of apples and couldn't wait to get in the kitchen to try this recipe from Carol Kozlowski of Kozlowski Farms in Sonoma County. Carol's family started the farm in 1949, so they know a thing or two about apples. Be sure to stop by this organic farm if you're in the area; all of their homemade jams, salad dressings, and pies are to die for. You can also order online.) Looking for more info on Gravenstein apples? Check out the site.

GRAVENSTEIN APPLE COBBLER CAKE

6 cups peeled and sliced apples, 1/4-inch slices (5 to 6 medium apples)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup apple cider

1 lemon

2 cups sugar, divided

1 stick butter (8 tablespoons)

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For the fruit: combine the apples, cinnamon, 1 cup sugar, juice of the lemon, and apple cider in a saucepan. Mix well, coating apples in the sugar base. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Prepare baking dish: melt butter in a glass 9x13 baking dish (melt the butter on the stove or in the microwave and pour it into the dish).

For the cake: whisk the remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk together slowly to prevent clumping. Gently pour flour mixture over the baking dish. Spoon apples over the batter. Batter will start to rise up between the apples to the top. Pour remaining syrup over top of cobbler cake.

Bake for about 45 minutes until top is crisp and golden brown.

Serves 12; recipe courtesy Carol Kozlowski

For recent college graduates like myself, figuring out how to navigate this place you all call the real world can be pretty tricky sometimes. So when it comes to feeding myself, I am absolutely a "less is more" girl.

Right now, my favorite "less is more" meal is the traditional Greek salad. Last spring I spent four amazing months living in Athens, Greece, and I'm not exaggerating when I say I probably ate at least one Greek salad per day while there. Trust me -- when I say I've mastered the traditional Greek salad, I'm not kidding around. 

The traditional Greek salad is good for your health, filling (in Greece the salad is the meal, not a starter),  works as lunch or dinner, and you can make it in 5 minutes. For recent grads (and busy parents!) around the world, that's music to our ears.

Try it out. I only use 5 ingredients:

1. Cucumber
2. Tomato
3. Feta cheese (chunk, not crumbled -- I never once saw crumbled feta in Greece)
4. Olive oil (rule of the Greeks: the greener, the better)
5. Dried oregano

(Right away you'll notice that there's no lettuce in this salad. Fun fact: real Greek salads have no lettuce in them.)

Cut up as much cucumber and tomato as you'd like (for a lunch salad, I use between 1/3 and 1/2 of a medium-sized cucumber and about 1/3 of a small tomato, but that's just me), and toss it all in a bowl. Cut off a slice of feta and place on top. Drizzle olive oil for dressing, and sprinkle with oregano. Ta-da! That's it!

What's great about this Greek salad is that you can design it around your tastes. I'm not a big olive, onion or pepper fan (yes, some might call me picky), but the traditional Greek salad can also include Kalamata olives, red onion, and green bell pepper, so feel free to throw those in too!

Lastly, to really play the part while enjoying your traditional Greek salad, call it by its Greek name, Χοριατικι, pronounced "hor-ee-AH-tee-kee." Enjoy!

For more great Greek recipes, look here.

I just returned from a long, relaxing weekend in the Napa Valley area and I’m still trying to sort through all the wonderful information I found while visiting numerous vineyards and cellars. My family and I stayed in Yountville, a quaint town with fantastic culinary cuisine located in the middle of wine country. I wanted to share a few basic tips I discovered in Wine 101.

Five Wine Tips for Dummies… like myself

1.  When you have a freshly poured glass of wine in front of you don’t start swirling a swishing it around. Let it sit for a second then take a little whiff around the middle of the glass. Swirl it a bit and smell again.  The aromas are completely different.  It’s quite unique.  

Have you ever longed for food that connects you with a momentous experience? Lately I’ve been craving tastes of the Middle East, a mouthwatering cuisine consisting of simple ingredients with a whimsical collaboration of bold spices.

A couple of years ago I backpacked through Egypt with a few close friends. We explored the pyramids in Cairo, traveled to Dahab, and hiked Mt. Sinai where Moses wrote the Ten Commandments, went scuba diving in the Red Sea and trekked to the Lighthouse of Alexandria, all in seven days. Yes, my active agenda worked up a huge appetite and my taste buds were overly compliant

The Egyptian people were warm with hospitality and the food is never to be forgotten. I keep a colorful Egyptian tapestry in my cubicle to brighten up my drab khaki walls, but also to remember how the food was served, shared and experienced. It’s very humbling when a complete stranger serves you food, and it’s a pleasure when you can leave a dinner table with a full belly and new friend.

Since I'm a newbie in this specific regional cooking, I have started with the bare basics. Learning a new cuisine is almost like learning a new language. Get the basic phrases down then expand from that.  My first phase is executing one Middle Eastern dinner successfully.

Here's my simple starter meal that won't break the bank when shopping for new ingredients (Many of these spices are very common cupboard items):

Baba Ghanoush

Traditional Hummus

I cheated and went with store bought pita bread to dip.

Spicy Kofte

Tabbouleh

For more inspiration check out our collection of Middles Eastern Recipes.

A few weekends ago my boyfriend and I packed up and headed off on an adventure for our anniversary. Let’s just call it a team-building excursion. Our destination wasn’t a quant romantic bed and breakfast tucked away in the mountains like I had envisioned. 

We opted for a 20-mile Smoky Mountain back-country hike and 7 miles of this trip was calf-burning, steep incline. We'd  never done something like this, and I will say that it was worth the labor. The view from the top of Gregory Bald was breathtaking and we saw some amazing wildlife like a black bear climbing a tree  (pictured right)! 

Of course I was chosen to get the camp food together for this venturesome weekend. Keep in mind I was going for light on packing the lbs but still satisfying. The best meal was planned for our first day. 

Red Beans and Rice Camp Chow 

1 box of Tony's Red Beans and Rice 

Kielbasa (I froze it the night before so it would thaw but not go bad)

1 Corn on the cob

Tortillas 

Hot sauce (a mini bottle optional) 

1. Cook the beans and rice according to the package instructions. 

2. Mix in sliced kielbasa and let it simmer while you cut the corn off the cob. Then mix in the corn. 

3. Wrap a few tortillas in aluminum foil and toast them at the edge of the camp fire. Scoop your beans and rice combo into a warm toasty tortilla and chow down. 

It was delicious and easy cleanup! We brought a couple of mini bottles of champagne to toast our success. 

What are some of your favorite camping foods?