A fried catfish restaurant in Memphis where I was taken by Paul and Angela Knipple and their son Patric

As you know, I travel a lot but it is not often that I go to places I haven’t been before except for this month when I visited  two new countries (Thailand and Australia — posts about both to come) and one new region (the American south). I loved them all. Thailand because of my wonderful friend, Vippy and her fabulous hospitality and because everything there is so exotic. Australia because it reminded me both of Lebanon and England and because it was great being part of the World Chef Showcase, seeing old friends and making new ones. And the American south because of the landscape, the architecture (I dream of owning a house with a wrap around porch) and the incredible warmth of its people, as well as the lovely Lebanese/Americans emigrés who were interviewed by Amy Street Evans for her wonderful oral history project.

Read more >