A Savory Moment by Life At The Table

Whether it’s the sip of wine, the whiff of a favorite dish, or the laughter of a cherished relative, we all retain special memories of times together in the kitchen and at the table. Let’s look at some of the ways that no experience in life equals cooking and the satisfaction of engaging all your senses in that special experience. Remembering The Aroma Of Dinner I still remember the aroma of my mo...

If you want to enjoy a dessert that boasts the sweet and warming flavors of fall, pumpkin cake is just the treat for you!   The Popularity and Prevalence of Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin is the star of the show in the fall. Everywhere you go something is flavored with pumpkin spice, or something pumpkin or other. The name “pumpkin spice” might seem misleading – are they really using pumpkin in all th...

Jackets aren’t your only defense against the chilly autumn air – seasonal foods and beverages can also offer warmth and comfort. Familiar scents can evoke strong feelings. The part of our brain that processes smells, also stores memories and emotions . The scent and taste of fall spices can help you feel connected to past seasons, people, and events that you cherish. Here are the Top F...

It’s been said you are what you eat. And what you eat, how you eat, where, and with whom speaks volumes about your life. Establish the culture of your family at the table.   Food and Culture Have Always Been Connected Throughout history and around the world, food and culture have been connected. For example, Mediterranean cultures brought us diets rich in healthy oils, lean proteins, whole gr...

Don’t let the name wild rice fool you – you can certainly tame this delicious grain and use it to create dishes your family will love, such as wild rice with butternut squash and leeks!   Embracing a North American Grain Staple Wild rice is actually a semi-acquatic grass, one of two commonly eaten grains that are native to North America. The other is corn. Most wild rice consumed in the...

Ready for some fascinating facts about pigs? Behold the pig, the common swine, the barnyard hog. A most amazing animal. When we think of pigs, we usually think of bacon, ham, and pork chops. Lots of other images come to mind, too: Pork y and Peppa from cartoons, Wilbur from Charlotte’s Web, and, of course, Miss Piggy from the muppets.   What do we really know about pigs? Yet what do we reall...

As Homer Simpson’s daughter Lisa confirmed and Homer discovered, bacon, ham, and pork chops do indeed come from the same animal, a magical, wonderful animal. The pig!   European Explorers Brought Pork To The Americas You can draw a curly line from the pigs brought to our shores by the Europeans. Explorers to your latest backyard barbeque. Christopher Columbus took eight pigs as far as Cuba in...

Both crooners, Tony Bennett and Dean Martin sang “Just In Time” a hot tune that filled the airwaves in the late 50s and early 60s. With a song on our lips, a rumble in our tummies and with the workday behind us, we ask ourselves, “what’s for dinner?” For most, too often the answer is eat out, take out, or drive through. Let’s talk about “just in time cooking.”   What do you...

The potato isn’t just an afterthought of what to serve with roast beef! Thankfully, however, the humble potato is getting recognition for the magnificent role it has played in the history of civilization.   The Humble Beginnings Slicing their way through the jungles of South America, Spanish explorers came to the Andes Mountains , the longest mountain range in the world. It was there th...

So, you want to have some friends over and do something a little different and a lot of fun. Put on the song, “Mashed Potato Time” by DeeDee Sharp  or “(Do The) Mashed Potato by James Brown and dance your way to a potato party.   What’s a potato party? It’s one of two things. It’s an easy customizable weeknight meal where everyone gets their potato exactly the way they want it, or it’s an eas...

Eyes front and center! It’s time to talk about tubers and that all-time favorite, the baked potato. It’s a classic and a great side dish to countless main courses. It can even be the main course itself! Let’s learn how to bake a potato like a pro.   The Ideal Baking Potato Potatoes are the world’s fourth largest food  crop. The were cultivated first in Peru, then made a round trip acros...

As the saying goes, “You have to break a few eggs to make a good omelet”. And it usually involves more than just eggs. While French is the origin of its name, the egg concoction that we know as an omelet has a history that’s as  cloudy as the whites of a very fresh egg .  (Yes, cloudy egg whites means an egg is as fresh as you can get it.)   The Legend Legend says that Napoleon Bonapart...

How To Buy Eggs   Well, which came first? The chicken or the egg? It’s an age-old question, and once you decide, there’s still much more to ponder. The biggest question you might be asking is how to buy eggs at the grocery store? Is there anything that you need to know about these essential cooking items? First, let’s talk about chickens. Chickens First Crossed The Ocean The Egyptians a...

Want to improve your health with a food that can keep you young and taste good, too? Let me introduce you to one of my favorite fresh herbs, basil. Besides being very aromatic, the flavors of this tasty herb that’s also a member of the mint family can range from clove to citrus.   The King of Herbs Known as the “King of Herbs”,  ancient Egyptians used it for embalming their mummies...

  Pesto: The Pride of Genoa Basil pesto. A pride courses through the soil of the northern Italian region of Liguria and specifically the city of Genoa. Do you know why? It’s the region that gave birth to that wonderfully homey sauce most of us know simply as pesto.     Traditional Pesto Made Is Made With a Mortar and Pestle The word pesto comes from the Italian verb “ pestare...

How to choose a quality olive oil. What items do you keep in your pantry as a must have to help you answer the most important question you ask everyday, “What’s for dinner?”? One pantry staple I recommend is olive oil.   Olive Oil is an Ancient Oil With Growing Demand It’s ancient oil that has been used for centuries in cuisine and medicine, and for health benefits. Th...

Sweet Summer Corn The next time you’re in a car driving down the middle-of-a-nowhere-road, surrounded by beautiful corn fields, allow yourself to daydream about running through those tall stalks. With a hypnotic affect, corn fields spark imagination like in the movie Field of Dreams when Shoeless Joe Jackson and his old pals called to Kevin Costner’s character, “build it and they will come”. Wrapp...

My parent’s home is a hop, skip, and a jump away from me which has always been convenient when I was hungry. My dad loved it when I stopped in and I loved it when they had leftovers. Lest you think I am a total mooch, I didn’t always forage for food when I visited their home. But I loved it when I found some creamed corn!   Leftovers Rock, Especially The Creamed Corn Once following...

If summertime is a bookshelf, we reach the second bookend on Labor Day. President Grover Cleveland signed the legislation that declared Labor Day a national holiday in 1894. Its purpose was to take a break from work and to celebrate those who labor. And work we do. Which is why, this Labor Day, I invite you to spend time doing nothing, which is really something!   We Are A Nation of Overworke...

Health Benefits of Cantaloupe   Health benefits of cantaloupe. Have you heard the expression “your body is a temple?” There’s a lot of truth to this. Think about it. Treating your body, mind, and spirit well help you to feel better, look better, age better and do better. It all starts with the food you put into your body. Mix up your daily fruit intake with cantaloupe.  It contains vitamins t...

Cantaloupe Parfait     Cantaloupe parfait. Summertime will soon be over and there’s one thing I’m really going to miss, and that’s cantaloupe ! Made up of 90 percent water, the best cantaloupes in the U.S. can be found between June and August. Now is the time to load up on these cool, refreshing, vitamin-packed fruits. Head to the kitchen to stir up some creative, culinary fun and good t...

Sustainable Seafood   Sustainable seafood. A bounty of food is available to most of us at any time.  But what if that food disappeared? Or what if that food was of questionable quality? Most things are available to us whenever we want them. Turn on the tap for fresh water. Flip a switch for lights. Got to the store or walk to the fridge and have fresh food right there.   Know The Source...

Savor the Sear: Pan-Seared Scallops Pan-seared scallops meet their perfect match in this vibrant rice noodle salad. With a golden crust on the outside and tender center inside, the scallops bring elegant simplicity to the plate. Paired with a refreshing tangle of rice noodles tossed in a bright, aromatic dressing of ginger, lime, and fresh herbs, this dish is light yet satisfying—perfect for a wee...

Scallops   The ocean is one of nature’s greatest gift givers. Shades of blue and green waters so vast, it’s a world that fuels our weather to nourish our planet and provides us food to nourish our bodies. Scallops are one of the most common types of seafood consumed.     What are Scallops? They are shellfish, a little bigger than an oyster, and their meat is tender, creamy, and rich...

Shish Kebabs   Shish kebabs. Sharing a meal with family and friends feeds the soul. But when we cook a meal together, well, our cup overfloweth. Part of my mission is to get people back to sharing life around the table.  Communing with one another and slowing down from our busy days. With the world turned off and unplugged – no distractions.   Easy, Tasty, and Personal Cooking and...