The month is off to a good start here in Lake Wobegon South. I’ve found several nice recipes to share with you over the next few weeks. The only issue is, it’s Really Cold here in Texas! (How cold is it?) It’s so cold:

Hitchhikers are using signs of thumbs.
The 911 exchange has a recorded message [...] Read more »

Morocco is an exotic place, a land of unique peoples, cultures and dishes. Their spices, and the way they use them, are part of the mystique. Anyone who has learned a bit about Moroccan food knows something of the spice blend called Ras el Hanout. However, what most folks don’t know (at least not here [...] Read more »

If you watch Emeril Live (and who doesn’t?) you’ve probably seen him make this dish. As a naturalized Cajun, Emeril knows how to make this stuff well! And I learned how from him. After all, we’re bestest buds now that I stood in line for seven hours to get one of his books autographed at [...] Read more »

Nowadays it’s easy to get fresh herbs most any time of the year. Most supermarkets keep a nice variety on hand, it seems; as do specialty grocers. Parsley (flat and curly), cilantro, leeks (yes, I think of these as an herb); sometimes the less often used ones, like dill and fennel. Still, there are times [...] Read more »

It’s late summertime, and your garden is in full-blown “let’s get busy burying these guys in produce” mode. Especially the tomatoes. You’re tired of canning them, you’ve eaten so many you have acid blisters on the inside of your lips, and your family is threatening revolt if you make One More Tomato Salad for dinner [...] Read more »

Pizza may have come from almost anywhere in the Old World, it appears. Many cultures have had flat breads for centuries, and putting other food on a flat, edible surface is a natural step to take. The first documented pizza seems to be from about 1889, although it was made in a place called Antica [...] Read more »

Somehow, Italian food’s gotten a bad rap in most American kitchens. I guess I can see where some of that’s come from. After all, who doesn’t like pasta with a red sauce? Or a creamy Alfredo? And lasagna, with lots of cheese and meat sauce. Okay, I’ll even give you pizza, although that’s decidedly not [...] Read more »

Stan and I were done with our planned site visits, but not with the paperwork. Yes, even in tropical China, there’s always paperwork. So we ate a hearty breakfast, knowing full well that even the condemned get to eat something. The buffet was well stocked, and I tried out more of the Chinese goodies this [...] Read more »