The approach of summer in Florida has telltale signs including afternoon rains, high humidity levels and pesky little Lovebugs that fly into our hair, stick to the grills of our cars, and generate exclamations of ‘Yuck, it’s Lovebug season already?!?’ Those little pests are also harbingers for fishermen who know that when they show up,…
Odds & Ends
Family Time
I married into a big, fun, loud and wonderful family, and my husband and I love to have them visit us in Florida. During this chilly Spring Break week, we’re hosting loved ones from Manhattan and Chicago, laughing a lot, and enjoying big family dinners, like this one. Still can’t believe we squeezed twelve people…
Tips on Cooking Fish
I’m often asked about the best way to cook fish at home. . .it seems that folks have had bad experiences doing so, with horror stories including overcooked fillets, dry edges with raw centers, fish stuck to the pan, and that ever-popular one about lingering smells of ‘fishiness’ in the house. While I’m no expert,…
Star Fruit, Ginger & Lemon Tea
I was planning to post something this week using more of those in-season strawberries, maybe something a little different, like strawberry gazpacho. Sounds good, right? Well, I tossed that aside as chilly temps enveloped Florida and I found myself not only digging through storage boxes for my warm clothes, but also, turning the thermostat to…
New Year’s Grapes
We’re already on the verge of a new year! How did that happen?!? This time of year makes me reflect on what I’ve done over the last twelve months, as well as, the possibilities for the next twelve months which, for me, includes all the delicious food I’ll taste, learn about, cook and share 🙂…
A Time of Thanks
It’s the time of year when we spend a little extra time telling people in our lives what they mean to us and, for me, that list includes not only my family and friends, but also, everyone who follows my blog 🙂 It’s also a time to identify the things for which we’re grateful, and…
Homemade Pumpkin Butter
Halloween has come and gone, and the two sugar pumpkins (a.k.a. pie pumpkins) I bought for decoration have been sitting in my kitchen since then. I like to buy the small pumpkins instead of the big ones (perfect for carving) because they’re decorative AND edible — their flesh is sweet and firm, not stringy like…
Fall is in the Air!
I’m on a Field Trip in Massachusetts for my college’s homecoming and sorority reunion, while catching up with dear friends and family. Along the way I’ll be tasting my favorite pizza, licking something cold at my favorite ice cream spot, visiting a working cranberry bog, stopping into farmers markets and roadside stands filled with pumpkins…
Filling the Creative Well
I’m taking a break from blogging this week, folks. Time to get away from my kitchen, recharge my batteries, gain new inspiration and have a change of scenery. I highly recommend it, if you can do it! This is a solo road trip, making my way through Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, visiting friends and…
3 Uses for Chives
Years ago I read a wonderful book by Julia Cameron called The Artist’s Way, a self-paced workshop of sorts, with lots of thoughtful exercises and writing assignments, all designed to unlock inner creativity. Julia’s theory is that once you do that, you can apply creative thinking to all facets of your life. I live with a…
Sustainable Seafood!
In honor of World Oceans Day (June 8), I thought I’d write about some lesser known fish that carry a big punch. Some call them ‘trash fish’ but I prefer to call them ‘under-loved’ — species like Amberjack, Jack Crevalle, Mullet, Porgy, Sheepshead and Spanish Mackerel are just a few that may not necessarily be…
A Batch of Red Sauce
I’m not Italian, but I adore Italian food, and my obsession started as a kid. My family’s old farmhouse had a big yard with a field that backed up to our Italian neighbors. I was friends with their granddaughter, who lived there with her brother, mother and grandparents, and it was my first exposure to…