One Day to Winter Solstice 2014! Approaching the Tipping Point! :) I have learned a lot of things so far in 2014 - "let me count the ways", as penned by the immortal Elizabeth Barrett Browning circa 1850. Two of them have been especially awakening for me. The first one I noticed and fully absorbed into my psyche happened in Venice in September. That was the realization that taking beautiful pictures was much more fun than shopping. I … [Read more...]
Special Occasion – A Return to ICE with Nick Malgieri as Visions of Upside Down Panettones Dance in My Head
masterwork chorus What would get me into NYC on a rainy mid-December Tuesday night until 10:30pm? Not much - except, the prospect of taking a class with Nick Malgieri at ICE on Italian Christmas Baking! And so my friend, Maria and I trekked in, both equally awash in a heady nostalgia for our Mother's and Grandmother's Italian Christmas kitchens and the chance to walk down a very special memory lane. (my Grandmother's and Aunt Madeline's … [Read more...]
Julia and Marion Conspire Happily in a Haze of Flour Dust – Raspberry-Cinnamon Streusel Buttermilk Scones
in this particular case, I like the unbaked photo over the baked There are a few iconic episodes of Baking with Julia which will forever be burned into my brain. Among them are the episodes with Gale Gand, Nancy Silverton, Nick Malgieri, Martha Stewart (the double wedding-cake episode) and the one with Marion Cunningham. I love how Julia plays the novice foil against these featured bakers, cleverly pretending that she's never seen nor done … [Read more...]
Pumpkin Frame of Mind – Pumpkin Spice Scones with Pears
Just because we have turned the page to December, doesn't mean we still can't be in pumpkin mode, right? Here in our house we still are - as there are so many great recipes that are warmed by the essence of pumpkin and spice to be threaded right through the end of the year. Here is a little treat for the day today which combines my earlier pear scones with pumpkin - for Johnny Mac - dedicated pumpkin lover. Today we're celebrating Hanley … [Read more...]
Running With Camera – A Retrospective 2014
You all know where I borrowed this line of thinking from - Running With Scissors, which is a good reminder of how I feel once in awhile. Sometimes when I am in an impulsive mood with the camera, I do indeed get carried away. But, today I got to thinking that I did snap some good shots this year. I thought I'd scroll through and pick some of the ones I liked the most. Granted, the year is not through yet, but here goes. Some of my favorite … [Read more...]
My Own “Issue”- Something Irreplaceable – What We Can All Learn from the Loss of Gourmet Magazine
December, time of great nostalgia. Can we all agree that sometimes we need to exaggerate a point to make a point? This is somewhat akin to my thesis that the greatest pioneers often reach for the stars when setting out, knowing that they will have to take a few steps back in the process, perhaps then settling precisely upon their intended objective. https://kitchen-inspirational.com/2014/09/22/food-markets-florence-2/ When is overreaching … [Read more...]
The Night Before – Shrimp in a Spicy Tomato Sauce with Angel Hair a la Ryan
just 15 minutes to delicious! What do you serve on the night before Thanksgiving? It can be a challenge. For many, you have already been in the kitchen all day making plans and beginning some dishes and maybe baking your pies. When dinnertime comes around, you might be tired and, honestly a little uninspired, no? You'd like to sit down and enjoy your family and friends and relax? And truly, you don't want anything that will resemble or … [Read more...]
Last Minute Wonders – Feeling Soufflé-y Today
Not knocking the star of the show here, but, I went to bed last night dreaming of soufflés! (photo courtesy Rambling Tart) Ok so, I just came in from shoveling snow. Really? Ok, I'm not going to go on about the weather today - I'm being festive - enjoying my last few quiet moments of cooking and baking alone before everyone comes home. So, you say - don't make me crazy - not now! You don't want to be tempted with even more recipe … [Read more...]
Hanging onto Dear Life, A Sad Pruning of Hydrangea, and the Saving Grace of Ovens
photo courtesy artisinalbreadinfive.com Wait, shouldn't I be writing a Turkey post? This is a story of complete and total idiocy. It is one that I sadly repeat year after year - and somehow I can't help myself from doing it. As I write this admittance, I re-confirm the complete and total folly in my ways - and the identification with the idiom that a person who repeats his mistakes is indeed ignorant. However, at this age there is some … [Read more...]
Let’s Talk Turkey – The Moral of the Story: To Get the Cream of the Crop at a Decent Price, Must Be Market Savvy
Let's Talk Turkey - there's a lot of subtle manipulation out there ………..Or have lots and lots of time and energy - and a conscience! I got into the shower this morning and I realized how complicated my story had become. I felt I needed to re-focus. This all began several weeks back when I realized that Kings didn't have any Cabot's butter. I asked the man in the dairy aisle and he told me they weren't carrying it any longer - their … [Read more...]
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