Montreal Miscellany
We flew back to Chicago from Montreal on a Sunday, but we had a few hours to enjoy the city before heading to the airport.
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Notes from a wildlife-friendly cottage garden
Bees Love Borage
In the Herb/Cutting Bed, we’re growing Borage (Borago officinalis) for the first time. I decided to give it a try for the little blue flowers (I love blue flowers), but also because I’ve heard that it’s a great plant for bees. This is one of those plants that is covered in little hairs. The hairs …
Eating in Istanbul
We really enjoyed the food in Istanbul. Sometimes on the heavy side, it was always tasty and frequently addictive. Pide is referred to as Turkish pizza, which is not an entirely apt description. I think of it more as a Turkish pasty, filled with some combination of peppers, tomatoes, cheese, eggs, and/or ground meat. Usually …
What We Had for Christmas Dinner
When we take our family Christmas trips, we try to cook a Christmas dinner that reflects to some degree the region we are visiting. Since we rent a house, it’s no problem to cook for ourselves. We do a little research to figure out the menu. In the case of Los Angeles, we decided on …
A Turkey Soup with a Difference
After Thanksgiving, after all the turkey meat that can be sliced or snitched has been eaten, is it really necessary to boil the turkey carcass into submission? The answer in our house, apparently, is yes. And so it was that Judy put three quarts of meaty turkey stock into the freezer, a freezer already fit …
Early Fall Color and Other Scenes From Wisconsin
We stayed at a cabin on Loon Lake owned by our friends Bob and Wendy. There was a wonderful small dock jutting into the water, It was perfect for gazing at reflections in the water … Not to mention reading, stargazing, and listening to the loons. Judy really enjoyed hanging out on the dock. You …
The Best Food in New York City
Sure, you can talk about Delmonico’s and Le Cirque, but the best food in New York is at Katz’s Delicatessen on Houston Street. Judy just got back from a trip to New York. For her job she gets to travel to places like New York and Los Angeles, while I get to travel to places …
I Am Thankful For Sweet Potato Pancakes
So, how was your Thanksgiving? Mine was very enjoyable. Both boys were there, plus my brother-in-law and his wife. They were in charge of the wine, and brought an excellent and generous selection. Judy is very good at preparing all the traditional Thanksgiving dishes – turkey, stuffing, cranberries. She also has a powerful need to …
Don’t Sigh, Eat Pie
Calvin Trillin, one of my favorite writers, credited his father with this excellent four word poem. And I agree with the sentiment, especially as it is applied to apple pie. Apple pie has been, since childhood, my favorite desert. So much so that I have always wanted a birthday apple pie, rather than a birthday …
Pierogi Fest!
If you go to Chicago, you can visit the Art Institute, or attend one of the music festivals in Grant Park. However, this will introduce you only to the Chicago of the beautiful downtown lakefront. That’s fine, as far as it goes. But to really know the city, you have to get away from downtown …
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