Q: I live in Uganda, where we have plenty of bananas. I am interested in making wine, and wonder if I can make fruit wine with ripe bananas. Any ideas for how I could do this?

Sent by Godfrey

Has this ever happened to you? You're walking through the grocery store pre-road trip and delicious-looking things keep jumping into your cart. Maybe it's the chocolate bar that would later melt in the car seat, or those crackers that made a horrible crumbly mess, or possibly the garlic bagels that made your car interior smell like an old Italian kitchen (great in Italy, not so much anywhere else). Do you have a road trip food mishap? Share your disaster and hear my own below! 

Crisp and a touch lemony, fizzy with bubbles and chilled to ice-cold: this is the kind of beer that hits the spot after a day spent romping in the garden or lounging on the porch. When the summer's seasonal beers start showing up in stores, that's when I know that summer has really started. Here are five to look out for as we head into the long days of sun and heat — what's your favorite?

Now that we're into vacation season, it's time to start thinking about how to take food on the road. So we're wondering: what products do you rely on to help you pack and keep food for a trip? 

Q: I've been trying to figure out how to recreate gyro meat at home. Most recipes seem to bake it like a meatloaf, but it doesn't have the right texture. So my question is: How can you make gyro meat at home?

Sent by Veronica

"Business or pleasure?" The first question a travel agent asks generally sets the tone for the type of food you'll be either tolerating or enjoying on your trip. Weekend conference with lots of panels? Hello, veggie sandwich and potato chips. Ten day trip to France for your honeymoon? Bonjour, to just about everything in the history of amazing! One common denominator for me for just about any type of travel though, is peanut butter — the P to the B. Here's how it gets me through travel, whether it's business, pleasure, or just an hours-long drive on the highway.

Q: Can All-Clad cookware be resurfaced? my mom's set had lost the non-stick "clad" on the inside but nothing else will cook on her cooktop.

Sent by Joan

Potstickers may be my go-to meal for a long day of travel, but if I have to get out of the house before dawn to catch an early flight or hit the road, only one breakfast will do: avocado toast. 

Last weekend while strolling the farmers market I somehow ended up bringing home a big bag of kettle corn. We actually had strawberries and cherries available for the first time that week, and what did I ultimately end up buying? Sweet and salty popcorn. A few days later, I stumbled across this recipe inspired by a favorite Girl Scout cookie and figured it was a sign: homemade deluxe popcorn was in my future. 

Many cookbooks have come and gone from my bookshelves over the years, but a handful or two have managed to hang around, surviving my many moves and purges due to their ability to deliver great, inspiring recipes, and occasionally, their good looks.  One such book is The Zuni Cafe Cookbook, a large volume of recipes, stories and excellent cooking advice from the chef and owner of another old favorite:  Zuni Cafe in San Francisco.