Unless you’ve been living in a cave or your internet connection has been down for the past month, you’ve no doubt seen or heard that one of the heralds of the fall season is the return of that obligatory flavor of autumn, pumpkin spice. Ohhhh, and it’s not just in flavored coffee at Starbucks. No, some overzealous salesman at the spice factory has managed to ensure that this seasonal spice blend has found its way into way too many products,…
I can’t tell you how much I’ve been looking forward to September 22, 2021 (precisely at 3:20 PM, to be exact). For those of you not in the know, that was the date and time of the annual Autumnal Equinox, better known as the first day of fall. Sure, others may have their favorites. I know folks who can’t get enough of summer. Some folks love the long cold, winter – while others love the rebirth of spring. For me,…
September is almost upon us, ushering in the last bit of summer and hopefully giving us a glimpse of cooler temperatures and a glorious autumn season. The kids are back in school, weekend harvest festivals will be in full swing – and what better way to celebrate than to check out some local wines! Luckily, Washington County has plenty of wineries to choose from. From sweet to dry, there’s certainly a bottle of locally–produced goodness for everyone to enjoy –…
Yes, because we don’t have enough days to recognize various aspects of life, this coming Thursday, June 10th is “officially” recognized as “Iced Tea Day”. I doubt if there will be any parades. There won’t be a special doughnut at your favorite shop or commemorative attire offered at your local department store, but some ambitious marketing intern has somehow convinced the powers-that-be that THIS is what America was missing. A day to celebrate iced tea. So be it. So the…
This year for Valentine’s Day, my wife and I had a small dinner party (calm down, COVID enthusiasts, there were only six of us, and we’ve all recently been tested). Three couples, a nice dinner in our home, and some after-dinner games and conversation – all very simple, yet we had a marvelous time. I was thinking today that this used to be a common thing (and I mean decades ago, not merely since the pandemic made everyone a prisoner…
For home cooks all over the country, the most important meal of the year is just three weeks away. Sure, Mom, Dad, or Grandma can occasionally burn a pizza, undercook some vegetables, or even hammer that fish in the oven from time to time and all will be quickly forgotten – but screw up the Thanksgiving Day turkey? The family will talk about and remember that indiscretion for years to come. That’s a lot of pressure on the host, and…
Food trends come and go (remember when everyone was excited about fondue?) and 2020 is no exception – even with all of the stress involved with the pandemic. There have been a lot of new food trends this year, so it’s time to take a look at them (and of course, give my totally biased opinion about each one). Flexitarians You had your meat eaters, you had your omnivores. There were vegetarians, pescatarians, and vegans. Now comes the “flexitarian” –…
I’ve had the good fortune recently to be able to reconnect with my younger brother and his wife (who live on the West Coast). He and I have shared some good conversations, and one of the topics that has come up is future plans and what we think the next five, ten, or even twenty years will bring to our lives. We’re both at the age where friends in both of our personal circles have unfortunately started to pass away,…
I love to eat “seasonally”, which means enjoying the fruits and vegetables that are in their prime growing and harvesting months. In today’s society, we’ve become so accustomed to having everything available to us at all times of the year that we often miss out on enjoying nature’s bounty when its rewards are at their most fragrant, flavorful, and in most cases, economical. For example, let’s talk tomatoes (which are in their prime as we speak). Sure, you can buy…
If you’re a frequent reader of this blog, you may recall that I switched to a plant-based diet back in November of 2019. To be clear, I did this for my own personal health reasons, as the data I’ve looked at shows that a meatless/dairy-free diet has some significant health benefits. I don’t go around shaming other meat-eaters, waving signs, or attending PETA rallies. I’ll also still eat meat from time to time (if it’s the only option available or…