Entrees, Fall, Food

Five Great Grilled Cheese Recipes

I can’t help but think of September as the beginning of the new year, because the start of school is such a significant event for students and parents.  Between childhood and parenthood, our lives can revolve around school schedules for decades, and it becomes difficult to let go of the pattern.  I prefer to embrace it and remain a perpetual student.  Today I’m studying how to make the ubiquitous grilled cheese sandwich more memorable, and the process has been both […]

Travel

California, Continued

There are things to do in LA besides eat, and I don’t mean to neglect another very special part of California life.  With Mother Nature lavishly producing twelve months of warm weather a year, glorious blooming plants and flowers are bursting out of every possible green space.  There are lots of shops that are intriguing hybrids of nurseries, florists, and home décor items, such as Rolling Greens, and we never leave without an armload of plants, candles, potted bamboo and […]

Summer, Travel

California

Last week and three pounds ago I spent a week in Los Angeles.  If you care about food, it’s about the best place there is to see what’s coming to America’s tables.  The cutting edge of food is like a blunt instrument, compared to what’s cooking in LA – and I barely scratched the surface in a week’s time.  Vegan Mexican, Asian fusion, Korean BBQ, the farmer’s markets – it’s total sensory overload. I want to focus on the clever, […]

Appetizers, Food, Summer

Lobster Salad on Fried Green Tomatoes Hors d’oeuvres

Cocktail parties are the most versatile party to give.  You can pack together a group of people – as many as you like, and they don’t need to know each other at all (in fact it’s more fun if they don’t).  It ‘s a graceful way to make matches for business or romance without the pressure of guests having to spend an entire meal together.  When a party gets buzzy and laughter rolls around the room, it’s magical.  Guests have […]