Today is my daughter, Christin's 24th birthday. It is a very special day because it represents the culmination of 7 1/2 months of staying in bed and 24 years hence! Two early events should perhaps have been taken more seriously as a harbinger of things to come: Firstly, on this day 24 years ago, Christin attempted to enter this world in a position tantamount to a 90 degree angle - that is, for all you novices, called "frank breech" (heiney … [Read more...]
Archives for March 2013
Consolation Prize, “Friends” with Benefits: Traveling Via Facebook
SCANDAL!!!! I have "Friends" with Benefits!!!!!!! "So this is where I spend my days and years" William Thacker in Notting Hill.............. It is no secret that I am envious of my son, Ryan who is living in London for the semester. He went there, ostensibly because his major, International Business, required him to "study" abroad for one semester. Ha! I know why he went ----- because he knew he could get to numerous venues of … [Read more...]
Fickle Is as Fickle Does; Coconut, Bananas, Chocolate, Pecans……
Toasted Pecans - using two ways today.... I awoke this morning to one of Mother Nature's (that fickle little old lady - somehow I envision her like Sophia Petrillo) little jokes - as far as the tilt of the earth is concerned, it IS indeed Spring and, lo and behold - overnight the little fairies snuck in with snow swirls and left a sound, albeit light, blanket of white, yet again upon the ground. I am afraid to go and look at my little … [Read more...]
Wild Rice With Dried Cherries, Orange and Pecans
Take A Walk on the Wild Side – Wild Rice with Dried Cherries, Orange and Pecans Posted on November 15th, by marianne in Blog. No Comments Just so you know, Lou Reed had a song entitled, “Take a Walk on the Wild Side” in 1972, the year I graduated from high school – just in case you wondered whether there was a significance to my title. But, most of my pastry school friends weren’t even born then, and making this short story … [Read more...]
Heureux Printemps, Felice Primavera, Happy Spring! The Cinnamon-Honey Scone
Happy First Day of Spring! Hoorah, Hip Hip Hoorah!!!!!!! I am officially in celebratory mode!!!!!!! Nothing makes me feel better about the emerging season than the arrival of color! The gray and dead tones that exist from November until around now are just such a downer! One thing I so look forward to is the emergence of the color of flowers and plants. (Just in case you didn't know that.) It will be just a few weeks till the Forsythia … [Read more...]
My Irish Soda Buns, The Irish Soul – Haunting and Happy
Miracle found in the yard this morning! So I awoke this morning craving a piece of perfect 12 grain toast with the best Bitter Orange Marmalade! Instead, I became compelled to do the obvious - invest in Irish Soda Bread. In Florida earlier this week, as I was typically devouring the stories in the NYT Dining Section, I became intrigued with Melissa Clark's recipe for "Sugar Added, Fairies Optional, Soda Bread Buns". Today, I made the … [Read more...]
The Wearin O’ the Green – and Ryan Eats Pizza in Dublin
I am just back from several days in Florida - relaxing and learning about Miami and its environs for the first time. More about this to come. In the meantime: St. Patrick's Day heralds many messages to many different people - there are the literals, the honorary Irish, the "it's just another day to "partake"-ers, the makers of green foods, beverages, and sweets, the makers of the real Irish specialties and traditional foods and people like … [Read more...]
Scene of the Crime; and Cake
I have a problem: We have, what I have to admit, is a gorgeous red fox which travels through our yard often - probably every day and I just don't see him/her every day. Yesterday, I was in the kitchen, speaking to a friend and our contractor, and it came running onto the patio. Here's the problem, and I have the evidence: This fox visits my yard daily to attack and eat the birds who come to feed at my feeders. I have seen it's successful … [Read more...]
The Great Madeleine Kamman; Episodic Wonder on my Palate and Plate
Ok, well, Tuesday I got just a little excited about a whiff and half teaspoonful of honey on my palate and just had to carry on about it all day. That night as I pondered the day and thought about the weather forecast I'd just seen on the Weather Channel (which was 8-12" for us; later being revised to two days of just plain Classic March Ugliness), I got to thinking about where these impulses had been for the earlier (40 or so) years of my … [Read more...]
Just the Bees, Heather and Wales – Nirvana – My Gift to Christin from London
(that's $10 for 8oz.) When I was in London in January and visiting Fortnum and Mason, I texted Christin and asked her what she wanted me to bring her. She said, "I don't know, some honey?" So, for those of you who read my blog on a regular basis, you know that I spent a good deal of time wandering through the store, almost every day while I was there. Their honey collection was quite amazing and, because of carrying issues, I only … [Read more...]