tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91471589496497102912012-01-09T17:01:46.594-08:00Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.comBlogger531100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-39924228262067525182012-01-09T16:33:00.000-08:002012-01-09T17:01:46.608-08:00

BeginningsBlogging always seems like a good idea when you start doing it. Yet. eventually the reality of having to keep it up hits and then it becomes a sort of chore, like having a job. For those of you who actually have real jobs that probably doesn’t seem like a big deal. But for me, who left the daily grind by the wayside a while back, it’s a little more than I bargained for.Still I do

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-68297294486218909662011-08-16T17:30:00.000-07:002011-08-16T17:35:59.674-07:00

LET US EAT PIEAs much as I like my routines and the familiar, every so often I feel a need to challenge myself. In life, this can be taking on a new responsibility like a new volunteer gig; or as simple as working to see something from another person’s point of view that is totally different than mine.With food it means trying a recipe different than what I normally would try. Recently I had

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-66967327378196070862011-06-24T13:20:00.000-07:002011-07-07T18:06:27.296-07:00

In Praise of the OrdinaryI found this recipe somewhere recently and it called out to me since I had been seeing carrots at many of the stands at the Farmers Market recently. When I see that with any fruit or veg it indicates to me that they are in prime season. I have to admit carrots are not a particularly interesting vegetable, at least to me. They don't have the exotic quality of say,

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-84081365614145357892011-03-23T16:00:00.000-07:002011-03-23T16:09:58.908-07:00

Doldrums A period of stagnation or slump. A period of depression or unhappy listlessness So says the dictionary.This time of year seems to have this atmosphere. Although I am aware that in some parts of the country January, February and March have more exciting weather than we do. In southern California mostly it is pretty blah. When we have what I call “real weather” it is not a good thing.

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-68736938724440426372011-01-02T14:50:00.000-08:002011-01-02T14:51:16.260-08:00

Greeting 2011 and Clearing ChristmasI have always loved the holidays. Thanksgiving is a lead-in for Christmas and lots of good food so what’s not to like? Christmas brings lots of things; festive décor, lighted houses and trees, cheery music and various sorts of traditions according to each person’s background. And, of course, food. We have lunches, dinners and other get-togethers specifically

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-39038653818302464402010-12-18T15:22:00.000-08:002010-12-18T15:22:49.309-08:00

TIS THE SEASONIt’s that time of year again. In November we give thanks for what we have. What we know. Part of that process is remembering to appreciate anew those that are present in our lives, and missing those that no longer are. Maybe we can be grateful for things too in addition to the people who add to our lives. An amazing sunset, a beautiful flower or piece of art or music can go a long

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-70328365549609915752010-10-17T16:08:00.000-07:002010-10-17T19:09:52.324-07:00

CAPIROTADAI have had a lifelong love affair with bread. So it should be no surprise that bread pudding is one of my favorite foods. Actually, there is no real need to explain loving bread pudding. It’s got to be the ultimate comfort food; chunks of bread combined with milk and eggs and sugar. It can be leftover plain bread, French bread, coffee cake, croissants; any type of leftover bread will

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-24165234255815001462010-10-03T16:05:00.000-07:002010-10-04T06:58:54.635-07:00

ROOTSThe invitation said “please come and join us in our annual celebration of Luzarica”. This is the event which Steve’s relatives refer to as Gospalazoria. Whatever the correct name, what I found out is the rough translation is Rosary or Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary which is typically observed on October 7th or the first Sunday in October. That was two years ago and it would be our fifth

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-53785159032876488202010-09-07T16:18:00.000-07:002010-09-07T16:30:35.067-07:00

LIFE IS BEAUTY FULLAnd right now fruit full. I am grateful to see some signs of summer. The weather here by the beach has been dismal in all senses of the word – it is a record cool summer. However, it is late summer and very warm in the places where fruits and vegetables are grown here in California, so there are lots of beautiful choices at the farmer’s markets. It seems that more farmers

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-4780408467422126792010-08-05T16:09:00.000-07:002010-08-05T16:20:00.554-07:00

The Kids are All RightLast month we traveled up to see Daughter in the Bay area. I highly recommend having your children go away to school someplace interesting that you might want to visit over the years, since frequently they seem to remain there even after graduation. It’s a good return on investment. In her case it was Berkeley. Berkeley is, as we who love food understand, the center of

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-41641307014287432372010-07-30T06:45:00.000-07:002010-07-30T06:45:00.265-07:00

Life Goes OnIn the last week or so I have been occupied by attending a funeral, and by cooking for friends. These two concepts are not as unrelated as you might think. The death of an extended relative was, as they say, expected. Nonetheless, it was sad, but seemingly part of the cycle of life. Somehow I seem to have reached a point in life where I am seeing more of these types of occurrences

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-19891993401582056342010-05-31T06:00:00.000-07:002010-05-31T06:00:04.539-07:00

Memorial Day musingsand Mothers' Day pastAnd I am a mother. I am a mother of the type who could do without the holiday, viewing it as a Hallmark- invented day. My children (or as someone once said, “I don’t have children, I have adults”) are located a distance away so the day is not really significant for me. That said, I have fond memories of, as an adult, spending the day with my mother in

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-35404735886370731302010-04-30T07:00:00.000-07:002010-04-30T12:52:27.782-07:00

Food fights backOr something like that. Perhaps it’s the body that fights back, or so it has seemed lately. Food used to be one of my best friends, but not anymore. It’s not by chance that I have been writing this blog which is about food and family and friends. The premise of so much of food writing from Elizabeth David to MFK Fisher to Julia Child is that food is inextricably linked to us, to

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-66641978788248842582010-03-26T16:01:00.000-07:002010-03-26T16:10:13.290-07:00

Easting OutI love to eat “out”. Eating out in a restaurant makes life seem nicer somehow. Even a casual place, for pizza or Chinese somehow adds a glow to the process of eating to me. That’s the idea that they promote of course, selling us on the idea of having that certain feeling when we’re there. And each restaurant promotes their own particular brand of feeling or ambiance. The name sometimes

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-59053304172312410942010-02-18T15:45:00.000-08:002010-02-18T16:04:30.012-08:00

Soup!As the saying goes, everyone talks (or complains) about the weather but no one does anything about it. Weather talk does make a handy conversation starter. Where I live it’s somewhat less of an issue than some places – but even in the absence of extreme snowstorms, tornadoes and earthquakes, we can find something to complain about. The last few weeks have had more than our share of rain,

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-29302270444065380512010-02-07T17:05:00.000-08:002010-02-07T17:24:53.188-08:00

Fish TacosI will admit to being, shall I say, a trifle obsessive. That is, when I get interested or focused on a particular item, I will pursue it completely. This can occur with clothing, home decor, or more to the point here, with food.Right now and for the last few months it’s been fish tacos. Fish tacos are just another type of taco, but as their own category really were virtually unheard of

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-59358081467256942272010-01-24T14:25:00.000-08:002010-01-25T16:45:52.379-08:00

Make Someone Happy!It’s January and I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that we have winter weather. Even with that understanding the weather the last week or so here has been unusual. We have had tornados, lots of rain, hail, high surf, lots of wind, thunder and lightning and otherwise inclement weather. Climate change if not global warming. We haven’t actually had every one of those occurrences

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-63319117527202761672009-12-21T17:36:00.000-08:002009-12-21T17:58:02.777-08:00

Happy HolidaysIt’s that time of the year; the annual blessing/chore of gifts. One of the things I have given out to friends and neighbors for many years are home baked goodies. And, like so many gifts, there is a lot of meaning and sentiment tied up in the package. So I agonize each year, trying to come up with something different and really,really wonderful. Of course I usually wait until

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-44929772141566027662009-12-09T17:32:00.000-08:002009-12-13T15:49:50.735-08:00

My birthdayI had a birthday a week or so ago. I try not to think about the age associated with my birthdays, telling myself, as others also say, diplomatically, “it’s just a number” which sounds good but really, who are we kidding? It is more than just a number, it represents, better or worse, a whole lot of living. One of the few good things about getting older is that you do start putting

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-51502338170941219672009-09-29T18:27:00.000-07:002009-10-03T11:34:37.312-07:00

Cooking for Friends - In MemoriumIt’s the middle of the week and I get a phone call from Robin. Robin is a friend of 20-something years. We first met when we both briefly worked together and instantly connected. We have remained good friends over the years and the changes time brings. I love being around her; she is the type of person who has a great enthusiasm for life that attracts friends

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-12004770931650061522009-09-26T16:25:00.000-07:002009-09-27T17:33:29.312-07:00

Work and FunRecently, I took another small step forward in regaining my life after the brain aneurism and its aftereffects. I returned to my volunteer position at the Crystal Cove visitor center. Information at crystalcovebeachcottages.org/ This basically entails showing up for a four hour shift and sitting at a desk most of the time. Visitors stop in from time to time and occasionally have

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-38414613912543028982009-08-17T16:37:00.000-07:002009-08-18T10:58:24.601-07:00

Rustic Tomato TartGetting back into good health is its own journey. I walk every day. Those first days out of the hospital were slow and short walks, more of a shuffle than a walk, difficult for someone who is used to striding. Still, it’s a walk, outside in beautiful summer weather, an independent action; something I have learned to value after those weeks of hospitalization and

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-2929206479150437612009-08-05T18:00:00.000-07:002009-08-06T10:46:36.421-07:00

Machengo Stuffed Pears with ProsciuttoIllness takes its toll in unexpected ways. There are the obvious things of course, depending on the specific illness. But what was a surprise for me after getting better from my surgery and getting home was the loss of muscle tone for one thing, along with weight loss. I am amazed at how quickly my muscle tone and strength deteriorated after a month in the

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-91353886148159764592009-07-22T12:17:00.000-07:002009-07-23T11:19:05.826-07:00

ChocolateI was a dedicated chocolate lover years and years ago. Not so much of late. In adulthood I got away from that sort of self-indulgence.This was even in spite of all the surveys and analysis that noted the health benefits of (good) chocolate. and red wine.I limited my eating to...oh, mostly bread and white wine, with the occasional chocolate croissant thrown in.But when you start

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-78205755599531038872009-07-11T09:51:00.000-07:002009-07-11T09:56:17.151-07:00

Food as FuelThose of you who know me or have been reading this blog for any amount of time will no doubt be surprised to read that headline. I typically have not regarded food as fuel. To enjoy, yes, to appreciate for its beauty, fabulous fragrance, composition, yes, all that. Strictly as fuel, no.A recent health event caused me to understand that sometimes it is necessary to approach the

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-30125684702770420802009-05-31T12:25:00.000-07:002009-05-31T12:39:06.816-07:00

Apricot LoveIt’s apricot season once again. It seems to me it came early this year but I’m not complaining. I saw them for the first time last week at the farmers market and restrained myself from buying, since when fruit like that is first available it isn’t always the best. I try to wait at least another week to confirm that the availability is not an aberration but in fact signals the onset of

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-32866357101705971072009-05-21T06:33:00.000-07:002009-05-23T18:11:28.126-07:00

I like BreadLast weekend we went north to celebrate Nicole’s graduation from Mills College in Oakland. She now has a Masters degree in Public Policy and I have no doubt she will be one of the new “masters” of the universe. She's an exceptional young woman with a bright future ahead. We’re very proud of her.Of course, as always, visiting an area is an opportunity to either revisit favorite

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-24256674620692153452009-05-12T16:51:00.000-07:002009-05-12T17:08:16.986-07:00

In and out of the Kitchen There are lots of things going on these days, politically, economically and sociologically. Many things are changing, and we will find out soon enough if it’s for better or for worse, I suppose. All points of view are available in various media and I have nothing to add to that.I do have an opinion on a recent phenomenon that can’t change fast enough for me. The “bigger

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-30794785400291640012009-04-30T11:45:00.000-07:002009-04-30T11:46:35.722-07:00

WitnessIf it’s true, as has been noted, that we marry in order to have someone bear witness to our lives, what Steve and I have witnessed is a whole lot of food, to say nothing of food talk, between ourselves and our friends. It should have been apparent from the beginning that we would be about food. We met on the beach in an area of Long Beach called Belmont Shore which is a city neighborhood

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-22741116794550073692009-04-07T18:00:00.000-07:002009-04-07T19:43:28.294-07:00

Favorite FoodsSteve has a story he likes to tell about his birthdays when he was a kid. He grew up in the 1950’s when, in his opinion, kids weren’t coddled and catered-to as they now are, he says. And as the oldest in a family with five kids, in those pre-credit card years he knew money was carefully allocated for necessities. So on his birthday, there weren’t parties or dinners out. Instead his

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-63545965205024630912009-03-23T09:30:00.000-07:002009-03-23T18:09:42.584-07:00

MY YEAR OF PROUST What most people know of Proust, if they know anything at all, probably has do with his now much-publicized reference to that wonderful rich cake-like cookie called a Madeleine. Proust is Marcel Proust of course, a French literary figure of the early 20th century who is known for writing autobiographical novels about his youth and his observations of the aristocratic

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-19940366066690439962009-03-14T15:36:00.000-07:002009-03-15T06:38:22.207-07:00

Simple GiftsI have a recipe for memories. At least for my memories. You probably have one for yours. Mine is one I found a while back that seemed close to something I remember my mother making, though not from any recipe. She just called it fideo and this recipe calls it fideo soup. Fideo is a thin noodle and calling it soup sounded different, but the preparation seemed similar so I made a copy

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-10957404589883174082009-03-07T17:05:00.000-08:002009-03-07T17:32:28.888-08:00

Life, the Universe and so onLife has a way of slapping you every so often. I was going to say slapping you down but that’s not really true, in most cases. It’s more like “attention must be paid.” It can be relationships problems, family issues, money, car problems or any other type of thing that gets in the way of living the life that you think you should. In my case, right now, it’s health.

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-40860693699324418702009-02-20T06:12:00.000-08:002009-02-20T17:23:42.584-08:00

Just Good Food Well, Valentine’s Day has passed and also our celebration. Funny how we all feel compelled to note the date somehow. A few years ago Steve and I started including Steve’s mom and sister along on our VD dinners out. We have many opportunities for just the two of us and, if the occasion is about people you love, it seemed appropriate to share it with his mom, who is widowed and

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-77543504906688353762009-02-14T06:57:00.000-08:002009-02-14T07:11:14.603-08:00

Valentines DayValentine’s Day invariably brings out thoughts of romance and love. These ideas of romance and love are sometimes associated with luscious foods, like chocolate which is thought to have aphrodisiacal qualities. Oysters are sometimes mentioned too, but less so and I suspect the reason is that most people don’t find them as attractive in concept. Local restaurants will suddenly

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-16883738245907587752009-02-02T16:00:00.000-08:002009-02-03T06:52:32.422-08:00

Fueling PhilosophyThe other day I read in my local paper about an enterprising woman who has started a cottage industry with bottled water. Knowing that huge corporations pretty much have that market segment sewed up you wouldn’t think anyone would venture into it on a small scale but apparently this isn’t actually just water - this is inspiration!The idea is that inspiring words like joy, peace

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-90177197156835342512009-01-26T06:45:00.000-08:002009-01-26T06:45:25.975-08:00

THE BOOK CLUBA few years ago we were in the midst of the paperwork for our move to Santa Barbara which necessitated a trip there. After taking care of housing details, we stopped in at a Peets coffee shop for a caffeine renewal before we had to get back on the freeway for the 100 mile drive home southward through LA. We were sitting back discussing the day and enjoying the good coffee and the

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-76017820495663666852009-01-18T11:40:00.000-08:002009-01-21T15:08:58.964-08:00

Fusilli with ArtichokesI was lucky enough at one point in my life to live in Santa Barbara, a city sometimes referred to as the American Riviera. We spent two years in that idyllic spot before moving back to the hustle and bustle that comprises Orange County, or as it has recently been referred to, “the OC”. While I am happy to be back, I hasten to say Santa Barbara is a place that totally lives

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-13607029765494173502009-01-10T09:00:00.000-08:002009-01-10T17:46:56.123-08:00

WeatherJanuary has weather. I live in Southern California so when I say weather, I mean bad weather. Good weather, what we usually have, needs no explanation. It’s just a pleasant backdrop to normal activities. So weather, in this case means fog, or rain, or just plain cold. Or, worse yet, a combination of all. But I have learned to adapt, at least for the short term. Luckily, I like to read,

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-75724918502026600132009-01-03T09:00:00.000-08:002009-01-04T06:45:36.077-08:00

JanuaryIt’s a new year, and with that of course, New Year’s resolutions. And always, always, there’s the weight issue. It affects us all. Even when you weren’t overweight on November 1st by the time January rolls around its almost guaranteed that you will need to lose a few pounds. Or think you do, after indulging for the last couple of months.So we try to leave fudge and cookies, dips and hors

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-17804811852778336072008-12-31T13:00:00.000-08:002008-12-31T13:00:00.853-08:00

Corn PuddingChristmas is behind me for the year so I am reflecting on the BIG change I made to my routine. On Christmas Eve, as is our tradition, we go to Steve’s mother’s house for the annual holiday get-together and dinner. Steve is the oldest of five, with four of them being guys and one girl. Only one of the brothers has children, or more significantly, grandchildren. We have gone most years

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-65806694899234394172008-12-25T00:01:00.000-08:002008-12-25T00:01:00.850-08:00

Just DessertMy sister-in-law Therese has assigned me dessert as my contribution for this years’ family Christmas Eve dinner. Actually I suppose I volunteered, mainly because I was tired of making my usual corn pudding, which is a whole other story.I do like making and especially eating desserts but as I (we) have gotten older I tend to stay away from them because then I always have leftovers. How

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-23835099582447772732008-12-12T16:58:00.000-08:002008-12-17T15:50:47.591-08:00

I have to admit, I am not a big fan of tamales. For most of you that’s probably not a real problem. Maybe many of you have never even seen or eaten a tamale. But many of us have a cultural background that mostly seems to be either about annual celebrations or about food and frequently both. So even though not a major part of my life, tamales have always been present. Over the years I’ve consumed

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-7566846250136765942008-12-11T17:08:00.000-08:002008-12-11T17:15:34.207-08:00

Magical Honey CakeBeing a creature of habit and also of tradition, this time of year I typically bake some small thing to give to neighbors and friends. It has varied from year to year, but usually ends up being the types of goodies like cookies or breads you might expect. Quick breads taste good but also are popular gifts for a reason. They’re easy and relatively inexpensive, having not too many

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-69320842110240632432008-12-03T07:14:00.000-08:002008-12-08T15:58:16.394-08:00

Bonnie’s Birthday dinnerToday is daughter Bonnie’s birthday and it got me thinking and reminiscing. There are as many different ways of celebrating birthdays as there are, well, birthdays. If we are fortunate and are indulged as children, we imagine that everyone has birthday parties. We expect them regularly and assume they’re always fun. It’s only as adults that we discover that childhood had

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-25691654229744203432008-11-27T00:01:00.000-08:002008-11-26T19:38:18.626-08:00

ThanksgivingFamily meals in concept and in reality invariably have some significance to everyone. Ideally the notion of family meals evokes all sorts of pleasant feelings. Although I have no doubt that some would argue that, having had unhappy or at least, less agreeable experiences. That wouldn’t be surprising since either subject viewed alone, food or family, has great power.Food gathers my

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-40898274588585692932008-11-22T14:16:00.000-08:002008-11-26T06:38:43.602-08:00

Gastro-musingsIt's the weekend before Thanksgiving and this time of the year, perhaps not surprisingly, every casual conversation seems to turn to the dinner preparation. I’ve noticed that men more than women frequently have some sort of special way they prepare the turkey. It seems for many, their once-in-the-year time to show off their culinary prowess. Or maybe it’s more of an unconscious

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-56829620365986257412008-11-20T08:15:00.000-08:002008-11-26T06:37:29.383-08:00

Julia Child and MeI need to make one thing clear. I am not a groupie by nature. I am not now nor have I ever been a member of a fan club. I will admit to writing an admiring or appreciative letter or two over the years; always to different people and never more than once. And on those occasions only because I believe that if someone is doing something you believe in you should let them know.But,

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-71403912072742815692008-11-16T06:38:00.000-08:002008-11-16T06:44:22.588-08:00

Brownie PointsWe take our usual morning walk and run into neighbors Yvonne and Mark, who are with friends visiting from out of town. After the usual idle weather chat, they mention that after dinner last night they went in search of the perfect brownie. This is the type of thing you do when on vacation, or perhaps after drinking a little too much.That is my own thought of course, what I actually

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-51113249255205247422008-11-13T16:40:00.000-08:002008-11-13T16:43:36.613-08:00

Morning MuffinsLike many mothers do, I suppose, I have certain and sometimes fond, memories of my kids’ growing up years. What I have discovered, as they have gotten older, moved away and formed their own households and lives, is that my memories don’t always correspond with theirs.Over the years I have concluded that this could actually be a good thing. Some parts of life are not worth

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-3117618670910067072008-11-11T09:41:00.000-08:002008-11-11T09:42:54.862-08:00

SamplesI enter a store, Trader Joe’s, Peet’s Coffee, Bristol Farms. Maybe it’s after breakfast, or lunch, so I’m not hungry. And, if I was hungry the food I would probably choose isn’t necessarily what is being offered as a sample. And yet, if there are samples I make a beeline to them. Why is that?When you ask anyone or almost anyone if they like food samples, most people will say yes. For some

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-38757442664038088342008-11-10T10:15:00.000-08:002008-11-13T17:11:01.864-08:00

I dream of food. More correctly stated, I dream of food situations. Does everyone do this? I am in a strange city, traveling with husband Steve, my daughter Bonnie and unknown others. It is morning and as is my natural habit, I am up before they are. As with most peoples’ dreams, this is not clearly stated, it just seems to be. I get up and head out into the day, looking for good coffee and good

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9147158949649710291.post-14084649057421839472008-11-09T15:07:00.000-08:002008-11-18T17:33:57.288-08:00

I have a lot to say - were blogs invented just for people like me? What fun! It's scary and wonderful at the same time.Food. I love food. Oh sure, everyone loves food, or at least likes it somewhat. Like Sara Lee, nobody doesn't like food, do they?Anyway it's more than sustenance. In fact if that's what it was about, for me I would starve. I like a lot of things that aren't particularly "healthy"

Tasting...http://www.blogger.com/profile/02428447404989677785noreply@blogger.com0