This dish reminds me of many trips to the region of Ticino, in the south of Switzerland. I’d get on the car from Germany and make the three-hour drive just to enjoy lazy days by Lago Maggiore.

This dish is literally me going through every nook and cranny of my fridge, trying to find something to make for dinner. It’s a loose interpretation of a Coq au Vin, but with normal people ingredients (for one, I don’t know where I can buy a rooster) and very lazy cooking techniques.

For many Filipinos, nothing brings people together than a shared dinner with plentiful portions of food.

Chicken Tikka Masala is said to have been invented in a British kitchen—the chef mixing tomato soup, spices typical of Indian cooking, with some cooked chicken pieces. Those who ate the dish loved it, and the rest is history.

Who knew the simplest dishes to prepare can be the most satisfying? Cold buckwheat noodles with a sweet-salty dipping sauce (tsuketsuyu) hit just the right spots. Although it’s best enjoyed in Japan, you can make them at home and let the taste transport you to the Land of the Rising Sun.

At all of the Airbnbs and VRBOs that I’ve been to, I always make sure to buy a few eggs, the local bacon (guanciale, pancetta, or just plain rashers), Pecorino Romano, and spaghetti. Whenever I feel like not eating out, I whip up a dish of Carbonara—and all is well.