Xin Xu hails from Edmonton, Alberta. But before settling in, she lived in Shanghai for the first 7 years of her life. That’s where she grew up and got her taste of the vibrant food culture. Since moving to Edmonton, she has fallen in love with international cuisine. If there’s a new restaurant in town, she would be the first to line up outside the door. At home, you can find her experimenting with recipes around the world. She hopes to share these experiences with all who care to listen.
In her spare time, Xin cares for 6 rescue budgies. Many of which she found stranded in parks or her backyard. On weekends, she drives out to Banff or Jasper where she can be found hiking new trails. She’s thankful Athabasca University has allowed her to work full-time as a researcher while taking courses that interest her such as abnormal psychology.
There’s been a lot of fear and panic surrounding the worldwide pandemic taking place. While AU students are not unfamiliar to online classroom’s and learning indoors, students still may face challenges when obtaining groceries. Specifically, grocery shopping is turning into a headache for myself as I take many careful precautions before shopping for the ingredients… Read more »
Recently with the public health precautions taking place worldwide with the outbreak of COVID-19, I’ve been living a life not unlike that of a hermit. Some of you may have already shopped for a month’s worth of food items and non-perishables, but others may have not. For the latter half of the audience, I’ve compiled… Read more »
There is something deeply therapeutic about picking your own fruits and vegetables. Arguably, there is even a greater sense of gratitude and humbleness when you grow the fruit or vegetables yourself and harvest them at the very end. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit a public fruit garden on the outskirts of Los Angeles…. Read more »
While steak may seem outside of the student budget, there is still a lot of opportunity for students to celebrate in lieu of taking a vacation. Afterall a steak dinner is still much more affordable than flying abroad. During Christmas break, I had the chance to perfect my steak recipe and wanted to share my… Read more »
Over the years, I’ve grown quite attached to my kitchen. It’s where I’ve spent hours baking for the holidays or learning a new recipe. The more that I have come to work in this space, the more I have been efficient in improving the workflow of the area. I wanted to introduce this sacred space… Read more »
Recently during midterm season, I’ve discovered some new snacks that have kept my energy and motivation levels high. While not all my recent snacking habits have been healthy, they have introduced me to new ethnic snacks that are refreshing and delicious. Coconut water Coconut water is not only a healthy, hydrating drink but it is… Read more »
There is something special about the flavor that a bite of pickled veggies adds to a meal. Even for the blandest lunches, a bite into a piece of pickled carrot can instantly add flavor and crunch to the meal. After years of purchasing my dill pickles and pickled onions from supermarkets, I decided that I… Read more »
Having lived with a Nepalese roommate who was an exceptional cook, I learned a few recipes that are unparalleled by any dish you’ve had in a restaurant. I didn’t realize how simple it was to create the perfect curry without using any packaged curry sauces. While I’m not an expert in South Asian Cooking, the… Read more »
Despite my efforts to trim down the “dining out” nights each week, I still find that, more times than not, eating out is inevitable. Particularly, when many of our relationships are cultivated over food; whether it is a first dinner date or brunch with the pals. For the financially savvy AU student, what are some… Read more »
Since researching for my trip to Japan, one of my bucket-list activities included living in a capsule hotel. The capsule hotel is exactly as it sounds – visitors sleep in a bed contained in a space capsule. Even before going, I’ve heard various mixed reviews about the living environment. While some visitors feel claustrophobic, others… Read more »