As we head into fall and the light shifts to a beautiful golden slant, the air takes on a heady and romantic quality, and the leaves on the trees begin to rattle toward looseness, I think of turning over a new leaf. And as I think of that, naturally, I […]
“If you’re going to try, go all the way./otherwise, don’t even start.†The words – from Charles Bukowski’s thrilling poem, “Roll the Dice†— cut sharp and deep and they loom, and if you have things you want to do, keep the words in mind to set a fire lapping […]
Lest you all begin to sniff that writing about a cherry pie in August (that was actually made in late July) is a tad off-season (and I can hear you sniffing, so don’t pretend you are not), let me tell you a little of how the Siouan peoples described a […]
Time was – and maybe for some still is, making homemade ice cream was a near daylong feat of strength. This ordeal involved a huge contraption with a hand crank; a 50-pound bag of something called rock salt, a clear to grayish gravel that had the diametrical abilities to both […]
I’ve become quite fond of mini desserts. Diminishing the size of a sweet also reduces the guilt, and there is actually ample satisfaction in just one bite. Plus, a mini donut, cake or pie is just so darn cute. I believe this has something to do with the recent cupcake […]
I know my way around an egg. I’m not saying this to brag – it’s merely a fact. As an explanation, you must know that I grew up with eggs and chickens (still not sure which came first), so I am at home with both creatures. I grew up gathering […]
[T]here are those who hug and there are those who bake. I hate to divide us into all-or-nothing camps (this may be a Virgo tendency). I’m sure there are huggers and kissers out there who also express their affection through baking. But as a lady who grew up without all […]
Let me begin by saying that gooseberries – would you believe – are hard to come by. In my quest to find this rare fruit, I heard tell that fresh gooseberries are actually available in season in the Bay Area at the produce market called the Berkeley Bowl, but that […]
There is talk aplenty of comfort foods in the cold winter months, and among the constants (like mac and cheese and mashed potatoes) on the lists of fare that warm the heart and the belly, you will usually find chicken pot pie. I have been a pot pie fan since […]
Way back in late November, when I was writing about my pie-baking apprehension (I guess it wasn’t that long ago, but it seems as if years have passed since then), I suggested a challenge to myself aloud (for me, typing is as aloud as speaking — sometimes louder) for 2011: […]