Brief interlude
Four days ago I wrote the following: Dear Friends- Some of you know I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. This charming malady causes lax connective tissue and a host of other problems. In my case, EDS expresses itself most strongly as overuse syndromes: tendinitis, bursitis, arthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome. At…
Olive-Oil braised Celery with Potatoes and Carrots
With the holidays approaching, it is never the bird, the cranberries, or even the stuffing (roast in the bird or out?) that gives me pause. It’s not the sides, or whether or not to prepare brussels sprouts, which invariably go uneaten. Friends, it’s the celery. (We’re just talking food….
Polenta
Before diving into the excitement that is polenta, a few photographs from the Scottish Rite Center. Looking out on to Lake Merritt. It was extremely hot. The windows face east. Gauze curtains cut some of the sunlight. The Scottish Rite Center is in Oakland, California, on Lake Merritt. (Pictured above)…
Back on the air
Hello all- Sorry to be off the air. I would be lying if I said I knew what happened beyond a server issue. Thanks to the tech at Bluehost, who restored the blog in minutes. A new post will be up shortly. I know the past week has been extremely…
Zucchini & Tomato Baked Pasta
Zucchini and tomato baked pasta is one of those recipes that reads long and complicated but is neither. It’s also vegetarian and easily made vegan, should the need arise. Still not sold? Zucchini and tomato baked pasta improves with keeping, meaning it may be prepared ahead of time. The dish…
Halvah Muffins
Welcome new readers and thank you for being here. I know some people signed up for the mailing list. Please bear with me while I ensure that runs smoothly. — As part of my ongoing campaign to help my husband put on weight, I bought a box of pistachio halvah…
It’s been a while….
The truth is, I haven’t had the heart to write. Or cook. I realize people aren’t reading this blog for political content–likely you come here to escape that–but I can’t pretend to be untouched by recent events. No matter how you feel about what’s happening in the United States,…
Peppers and Onions
Constant readers may find this recipe similar to a post from last September. While the recipes are comparable, there is no point in posting the same recipe twice. This only irritates you, my readers, while using up valuable time and energy better spent on fresh material. With that, on with…
Laurie Colwin’s Buttermilk Cocoa Cake
Let’s get to the point: buttermilk cocoa cake requires no eggs. Not, mind you, that the eggs, or lack therof, were my motivation for baking buttermilk cocoa cake. What sent me paging through my ragged copy of More Home Cooking was a quart of buttermilk, bought with the best…
Butter-Poached Radishes
Very honestly, I am struggling with the importance of radishes at this moment. I know. Everyone needs a break from ugliness of reality. But offering that break without acknowledging the reality is troubling, to say the least. Friends, we are in serious trouble. And now, on with the show. —…