When I was a kid, I hated onions. My mother, like most, was probably ready to throttle me. She would put the onions into her mixer and “sneak” them into recipes attempting to fool me. I was on to her. As I said at the time, “It’s not their shape I don’t like, mom. It’s the whole idea!” I was a special child. In any case, now, many millennium later I’ve discovered the beauty of her thinking. And gone one step further.

I do a lot of cooking for one and spontaneous meals for more, then stop for days at a time and eat elsewhere. So keeping ingredients fresh isn’t always easy. Continue Reading ->

Rosemary is my downfall. I would put it on ice cream if I could, and I can. And I might. I’ve got plans to infuse some gin with it, seriously. I make a killer turkey meatloaf with it. I’d smoke it if it weren’t so unhealthy. There’s nothing this fabulous green can’t do for me. However, it’s a little much when I buy a loaf of Rosemary Bread and there’s a big ole stick of it poking out. Not the best way to get flavor if you ask me. And not a pleasant experience.

In fact, fresh herbs are one of the best things Continue Reading ->

The sun is out at last, and the countryside beckons. After we caravaned to the very brink of the estate, Bradley took my arm and led me along the shoreline path. Meanwhile, the hampers were removed from the boot. A table set up under a gauze awning strung from tree-to-tree. The silver strawberry dish sprinkled with sugar and champagne put to ice. Perfectly timed, the staff was out of sight upon our return, save the musicians who began a gentle serenade from beyond the wall of curtains. Continue Reading ->

Ok, I was swept away by the spoon you can rest on the lip of the pot. Seriously, why use clips when the utensil does the job for you? But I admit, these are versatile. There are tiles when the same wooden spoon does not do all, and then what? And ew, I hate it when you have a spoon rest with more than one item/dish. I haven’t given these up yet. Continue Reading ->

When I grew up we were pretty down-to earth with kitchen tools. We had a potato peeler - but nobody ever used it. Point-of-pride within the family was peeling with a paring knife and wasting as little as possible. Of course, my father was a carpenter and he wouldn’t even sharpen a pencil with the proper utensil - why look for one when you already have a knife? Years later, Continue Reading ->