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TasteFood: Add a little bling to grilled eggplant

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

Eggplant on the grill is a summer favorite. A brush of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and the fire of the grill are all that’s needed to transform firm, spongy eggplant wedges and planks into crispy-squidgy versions of themselves. But why stop there?Take it up a notch with a recipe inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi, the Israel-born British chef and cookbook author. In his recipe, he roasts wedges of eggplant doused in a chermoula-infused oil heady with North African spice, and then tops it with an herby bulgur salad and creamy yogurt for a beautiful and substantial vegetarian dish.The recipe below is a lighter, simplified adaptation. It focuses exclusively on the eggplant and garnishes it with an herbaceous gremolata studded with bits of preserved lemon. It’s bright and fresh, a lovely side dish that can be served warm or at room temperature.Ideally, choose long, narrow eggplants and cut them into narrow wedges. Alternatively, cut thick slices lengthwise from globe eggplants. ...

Wish You Were Here: A trek through Portugal

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

In recent months, our readers have been circling the globe, museum hopping in the Netherlands, exploring Uganda’s Impenetrable Forest  and sightseeing in Croatia. And they’ve been sharing charming photos and practical tips along the way.Today, a San Jose dad and his daughter are sharing their experiences in Portugal and the Azores.Wish You Were HerePORTUGAL: M. R. Pamidi of San José and his daughter, Meera, of San Leandro recently spent 10 days exploring Portugal and the Azores and visiting sites in Lisbon, including the Torre de Belem (pictured), as well as Sintra, Coimbra and Porto.M. R. Pamidi of San José and his daughter, Meera, of San Leandro recently visited the Torre de Belem in London. (Courtesy of the Pamidi family) “Compared to France, Germany, Spain and other EU countries, Portugal seems to be a well-kept secret and one of the most inexpensive countries in the European Union,” M.R. says. “It’s a beautiful country rich in history going ba...

HyperX releases the versatile wireless Cirro Buds gaming earbuds

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

Gaming earbuds have become more popular as more players see their smartphones as a gaming device. Companies have been jumping on the trend with HyperX being the latest to join the fray with its Cirro Buds Pro earbuds.The $79.99 device, which launches today, is comparable to the Apple Airpods. It features up to 35 hours of battery life when combined with the power from the charging case. The earbuds themselves are rated to last up to 7 hours. That actually outlasts other competitors.The Cirro features 8mm dynamic drivers and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity. Beyond the home, players can use it on the go because of it has IPX4 water-resistant rating. One of the bigger features is that it has hybrid active noise cancelling technology, so that users can focus on the sound from the 8mm dynamic drivers.HyperX Cirro Buds Pro can be used for gaming on mobile or as a casual headset for music. (HyperX) Related ArticlesEntertainment | Preview: ‘Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown&...

Travel Troubleshooter: American Airlines changed my flight. Can I get my money back?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: We are taking a cruise next month from Miami. I booked an 11:30 a.m. return flight from Miami to Chicago on American Airlines.A few months before our cruise, American Airlines canceled our 11:30 a.m. flight and moved us to a 9 a.m. flight. We will still be on the ship at 9 a.m.Christopher Elliott, the Travel Troubleshooter I called the airline and asked for a flight later in the afternoon. An agent advised me that all flights were full and they could not move my party to any other flights, even out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.I waited a few weeks and called again, hoping availability would open up, but it did not. An agent told me to cancel my tickets and that I would get a refund. So I did.I have had an email conversation spanning weeks with American Airlines. They only process refunds via email and give no phone option. They keep denying my refund. So, I asked for an extension on my ticket credit. American Airlines denied that, too. Can you help?&#...

Lost Livermore cat is having a hard time back home

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

DEAR JOAN: A year ago my husband and I befriended a cat during our late evening walks. He looked well fed, and we thought he was from the neighborhood, but still felt we would like to know to whom he belongs. We left notes at several homes, posted on Nextdoor and finally found the owners.He had been missing for two years. They live five miles away and thought he had died, since his collar was found in a street.I bonded immediately with him and was quite tearful when they picked him up. The family kept in touch with us, so we could visit him whenever we wanted to. Initially we were told he was still shy and in a box under their bed. They have two other cats that he has not made peace with yet, and he has fought viciously with both a few times.I told her we would gladly take him if things do not work out. That was 10 months ago. The cat has been to the vet for medication for anxiety, but it has had no effect. I suggested all he probably needed was freedom and exercise.When we visited ...

Nearly extinct, rare kangaroo rat found in Santa Clara County

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

For decades, an imperiled rodent was thought to exist only in a tiny pocket of sandhills in Henry Cowell State Park in Santa Cruz County – and nowhere else on Earth.But scientists have spotted new populations of the rare Santa Cruz kangaroo rat about 25 miles away in the rugged and arid mountains of Santa Clara County, raising hopes for the long-term survival of a unique creature that seemed destined for extinction.The discovery shows that the furry and nocturnal pipsqueaks, who are more closely related to chipmunks than rats, are still hanging on — and are benefiting from habitat conservation.“I was shocked when I found these animals. It was unbelievable,” said Ken Hickman, who detected the elusive subspecies in Sierra Azul Midpeninsula Open Space Preserve, above Los Gatos, using trail cameras. “People have been looking for them for years,”His 2019 discovery, confirmed in April when a team of Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District biologists trapped four live a...

Authorities: 1 person killed, nearly 2 dozen injured after tornadoes touch down in Mississippi

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Authorities: 1 person killed, nearly 2 dozen injured after tornadoes touch down in Mississippi.Source

Antony Blinken cataloga su visita a China como “un paso positivo”, aunque no haya solución inmediata

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

PEKÍN – El secretario de Estado de EEUU, Antony Blinken, consideró este lunes que su visita a China ha sido “un paso positivo” en el objetivo de gestionar “de forma responsable” la relación bilateral, aunque “ni mucho menos” ha solucionado de golpe los problemas y desacuerdos entre las dos potencias.“Estaba claro que la relación se encontraba en un punto de inestabilidad y ambas partes reconocíamos que había que estabilizarla”, señaló el jefe de la diplomacia estadounidense en una rueda de prensa en Pekín al término de su viaje de dos días.Blinken confió en que, en adelante, exista mejor comunicación entre Pekín y Washington: “Esto no va a solucionar de golpe todos los problemas o desacuerdos que existen entre nosotros, pero ambos coincidimos en que es crítico gestionar la relación con responsabilidad”, afirmó. EEUU inicia reuniones en China para relajar tensiones entre ambos países ...

¿En qué estados de EE.UU. es feriado por el Juneteenth, el Día de la Emancipación?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

(CNN Español) — Juneteenth, una combinación de las palabras June (junio) y nineteenth (diecinueve), es el feriado más antiguo de Estados Unidos que conmemora el fin de la esclavitud. Es el Día de la Emancipación.Y este año será la segunda vez que Juneteenth, el 19 de junio, se celebra como feriado federal dando inicio a una semana de festividades que conmemoran el fin de la esclavitud en EE.UU. y la lucha constante por la equidad y la justicia.El feriado a nivel federalAunque Juneteenth ha sido celebrado por muchas comunidades negras en EE.UU desde hace muchos años, fue hasta el junio de 2021 que se convirtió en feriado federal.Discriminación racial, odio y extremismo: los fenómenos que alimentan masacres en EE.UU. y hacen que las minorías vivan con miedo“Lamento que mis nietos no estén aquí, porque este es un momento muy, muy, muy importante en nuestra historia. Al hacer del 19 de junio un feriado federal, todos los estadounidenses pueden sentir el poder de este día y a...

Why Nando’s picked DC for its first US locations (and what’s a Peri-Peri?)

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

South African grilled chicken restaurant Nando’s Peri Peri opened its first location in Johannesburg in 1987. Despite growing to locations in 24 countries around the globe, you won’t find a Nando’s in the U.S. outside of the D.C. area and the Chicago area.The first U.S. Nando’s location opened in D.C.’s Chinatown in 2008. Why did the company pick D.C. to enter the U.S. market?“We picked D.C. because of the international mix here, and the exposure that residents have to International flavors and foods. It was a great place for us to land,” said John Fisher, Nando’s North America CEO.The company has 50 locations in the D.C. and Chicago regions, and is now slowly expanding elsewhere. Its next markets will be in Texas, with locations planned for Houston and Dallas.The first Nando’s Peri-Peri opened in D.C. in 2008. (Courtesy Nando’s Per-Peri)The Peri-Peri in Nando’s name is reference to a key ingredient that is used to both marinate its chicken and to serve as hot sauc...