Garlic can be — to put it mildly — a little strong. There’s a reason that it’s used to ward off vampires.
And if you ask Caitlin, garlic seems to have a particular staying power with me. I can come home around 9:00, some eight hours after having eaten lunch, and Caitlin will come up to me, and draw back, before demanding, “What did you eat that had garlic in it?”
To avoid those moments of recoil, …
Sometimes the simplest dinners are the ones that shine and surprise.
This dinner was not inspired or born of a late-night epiphany. Instead, its origins were pedestrian and utilitarian. It was a question of practicality over originality. There was no high math.
It was Saturday morning and I was taking inventory in the refrigerator. I was checking expiration dates, volume levels, and the state of the fruit and vegetable drawers. Milk was running low and the sour cream was running bad. There was plenty of fruit, but not enough vegetables. The cheese still looked strong, but the herbs were getting soft. …
When Caitlin is out of town, I find myself thinking of fun things to make for her, to welcome her back. These are, more often than not, sweets. This time, I wanted to do something different.
Early in our relationship, I had flown up to Washington, D.C. to spend the July 4th holiday with Caitlin. We had gone to the National Mall for the concert, featuring Barry Manilow, Aretha Franklin, and a host of other performers. We had gone to a Nationals game…
One of the great things about making the candied ginger was the ginger syrup. As part of the process of making candied ginger, the ginger is steeped in a simply syrup for about an hour. The result is a sweet, intensely ginger syrup. Intrigued, I mixed this syrup with seltzer…
Every so often, I’ll catch myself, and realize that it’s been a few days since I’ve had a good, solid, salad. I may have had some vegetables – I certainly love my sweet potatoes and butternut squash – but for some reason, a head of lettuce is not one of my staple purchases. So, whenever I come to this realization, I go for a Greek Salad.
I think there’s something about the saltiness in the feta that drives my love for the Greek Salad. Or maybe the soft taste of the sliced red onions, given a pickled quality by the vinegar. Or maybe the sharp taste…
When Caitlin comes to Cincinnati, she often takes a flight right after work, which puts her into CVG around 8:40 P.M. That means she’s hungry for dinner. And since I’ve also been waiting until then to have my dinner, it’s imperative that I arrive at the airport with a strategy in hand. I can be very slightly grumpy when I’m hungry.
One of the problems, though, is finding a fun place that is not winding down at that hour. In a city like New York, Chicago, or the like, it’s certainly not a problem. But in a smaller city like Cincinnati, a lot of restaurants are closing shop by 10:00 P.M.
One afternoon, as Caitlin was readying to leave, I spent a few minutes on Yelp, and found my answer. The Senate Restaurant was open until 11:00 P.M. Better yet, it was downtown, a convenient location coming from the airport. And finally, scanning the menu, I knew it had something I would love. After I sent the menu to Caitlin, she also agreed that it looked good. We had a plan.
When we arrived at the Senate,…
Whenever I opened a variety box of Pepperidge Farm cookies, I always reached for the same cookie first. Among the Milanos, the Chessman, the Bordeaux, and the Brussels, I made my bee-line for the cigarettes. I loved the crunchy, yet sweet delicateness in each bite. I loved the color and texture. But, more than anything else, I think I just loved the fun shape. For some inexplicable reason, I loved the idea of a tube cookie!
These cigarettes and the Pepperidge Farm variety share a common ancestry, but these lack some of the crunchiness…
This powder can be found in many European cookies. As a result, you may want to make it in a large batch. It can easily be stored for up to one month in an airtight container at room …
On Saturday, January 28th, 2012, Caitlin and I got engaged. I proposed as we sat in adjoining arm chairs, as we watched the sun slowly setting over the Chesapeake Bay. Later that night, we had dinner in the town of Easton to celebrate the occasion.
The next day, after a warm breakfast with our innkeepers, we strolled about the towns of St. Michael’s, Easton, and Annapolis, hands in tow. Later that evening, we shared the news with our friends and family. And then, on Monday, I got ready for work, and Caitlin boarded a plane for Europe, for what has become an all-too-regular business trip. I haven’t seen her since.
It’s been over two weeks since we got engaged. But in that sixteen-day span, only two have we spent together. And with the time-difference and our own demanding schedules, even the passing phone call has become a challenge. This past weekend, …
I need my breakfast. Absolutely need it. Without my morning meal, I’m listless and unthinkably slow – both on my feet and in reflection.
Fortunately, this oatmeal hits the spot. The regular oats can be a bit worn and thin. Not as sustaining as I might need. The steel-cut variety, available in any grocery store, comes packed …