We've reached almost another month. While I have looked forward to spring, I wish Mother Nature would put the brakes on it a bit - time is moving too fast. I seem to remember as a child and in my early teens, time moved ever so slowly. Is this what happens as we age?  Along with aging, there is another reminder of something we used to take for granted - and with excitement, the United States Mail. Growing up, our mailbox was out on the road in front of our house so we had to take a trek. During the school months when we were let off by the school bus, we would grab the mail on our way int ..read more

A few days before an afternoon spring gathering I opened the cupboard below the kitchen island where I keep my baking pans. My first thought was to bake a batch of cookies, but on top of the cookie sheets, the pretty shiny madeleine pans were calling out to me.  It's been fun baking the soft, tender little cake-like pastry. This time I thought for the afternoon gathering, maybe I should experiment with making a savory madeleine instead of my usual trusty sweet madeleine recipe After looking at several recipes and leafing through Patricia Well's recipes from The Provence Cookbook, I switch ..read more

Yeah, I know. Broccoli salad is so passe and it's been around since the 1980s. At least that's when I started making this recipe for family gatherings and picnics. But riddle me this Batman, how can something that tastes so good and is good for you be "outdated?" Through the years my broccoli salad has evolved. When I first received the recipe it had dark raisins in the ingredients. Now, don't get me wrong. I love raisins. I love them in breakfast pastries like cinnamon rolls, and I love them in oatmeal cookies. But, I dunno... the dark raisins in the broccoli salad looked like flies, so I ch ..read more

If you live in Walla Walla County, you know that anything can happen when it comes to our spring weather. It could snow after you mow your lawn for an outdoor Easter gathering. It's kind of like if you want it to rain, go wash your car. So far this month we've had glimpses of a warm sun, wind, hail, snow, and some angry clouds pounding rain on my rooftop that sounded like I was under attack by buckets of marbles being dropped from the sky.  The older I get, I've noticed memories keep popping up that I haven't thought about in years. Perhaps this is something that happens with aging. For t ..read more

When it comes to condiments, there is often the argument of catsup or mustard? Me? Mustard all the way. Mustard on my kosher hotdogs, mustard on my soft pretzels, and mustard on my turkey sandwiches. Catsup? Only when it is blended with mayonnaise. While in Paris I went in search of mustard at the neighborhood Monoprix. Monoprix, you ask? Think Target, but with "cool French stuff." It was downstairs at the grocery area of Monoprix when I discovered my favorite French mustard that is imported into the States and the plus side it was in a pretty little jar that resembled a little crystal g ..read more

Through the years there have been times we are shamed or feel shame for enjoying and especially cooking those tried and true family recipes we grew up with during the 1950s - 1960s. These recipes were simple and often from the Betty Crocker cookbook made with ingredients such as canned cream soup or packaged dry soup. You know the recipes I am referring to such as a package of Lipton's Onion Soup Mix comes in handy when adding flavor to a pot roast, meatloaf, or dip, or used as a base to add your own addition of sauteed onions for French onion soup.  The New York Times Cooking e ..read more

It's not only Friday, it's the first of the month! Hello March! Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit! ("And if you go chasing rabbits ... Go ask Alice, I think she'll know" - Jefferson Airplane) This time of the year brings out the mixed emotions about our weather. I am anxious for the sun and the flowers to pop open. However, I also start feeling melancholy missing the quiet times of January and February when we're relaxing after a busy season of fall and winter holidays. Those quiet afternoons and evenings give me time to reflect and plan ahead and during the dark winter afternoons, I can nap withou ..read more

The New York Times asks, "Do you have Bookshelf Wealth?" Needless to say this article from January 15th caught my attention as I was in the middle of making an aesthetically pleasing stack of books. So, what is "Bookshelf Wealth?" The author of this article, Madison Malone Kirchner interviews those who are following this new trend of  "bookshelf wealth" as well as the critics of this trend. Then there are those, like myself, who have had bookshelf wealth since I was a child. I just didn't know there was a name attached to it. Using bookshelf wealth as decor is nothing new to me. Si ..read more

Let's face it, the origins of Valentine's Day are pretty dark. The origins are so dark, that I won't even describe them, but you can read them for yourself. Through the centuries Valentine's Day evolved into a time for love, with Chaucer and Shakespeare romanticizing the day in their writings. The day gained popularity throughout Britain and the rest of Europe. Handmade paper cards became the tokens in the Middle Ages. Then entered Hallmark and American Greeting cards in the early 1900s.  The other day on one of my favorite YouTube channels which features cooking, antiquing, and gar ..read more

Yes. I know. I don't write as much about wine as I used to in my former blog, Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman. The truth? I don't drink much alcohol. I am retired from the wine industry, so I don't go to many wine events like I used to. Also, I don't like to drink alone. For me, when I drink a glass of wine (or two), the fun part is being with other wine nerds and geeking out about the wine from the nose to the flavor notes to food pairing. And frankly when and if I do have a glass of wine or any alcohol (my last glass was Thanksgiving), the wine especially needs to stand out and grab my attention ..read more