Guess what I am doing this Columbus Day weekend?! Yippee! Ahhhhhh……. A sea of cookbooks just waiting for me!
Archive | Uncategorized RSS feed for this section
Still the World’s Best Bread Baker
Bakers of the world know that bread and Bernard Clayton, Jr. go hand-in-hand. Bernard’s first cookbook, “The Complete Book of Breads” is a classic. This one was his second book and no less amazing. Home bakers wrote to Bernard after the first publication asking for more French-style breads, and this book was born. Bernard and his […]
A Piece of American History – and the Best Cornmeal!
Instead of a cookbook today, I want to tell you about an amazing place from the Chicago area that has what many consider to be the best stoneground cornmeal and whole wheat flour in the country. This is Graue Mill in Oak Brook, Illinois, not far from Chicago. If you are ever in the Chicago […]
Wednesday Winner: Onion Lover’s Twist – Pillsbury Bake-Off # 21
Nan Robb of Huachucha City, Arizona, mother of a 4-year-old son, and wife of a civilian worker at the army post of Fort Huachucha, liked to make a special bread for the family’s Sunday barbecues. This bread turned out to be special indeed as it won Nan the $25,000 grand prize of the 21st Bake-Off […]
The Ancient Elixir
It wasn’t so terribly long ago that true balsamic vinegar, or aceto balsamico tradizionale as it is called in Italian, was an artisanal product relatively unknown outside of Italy, even though it has been made in the small towns of Modena and Reggio for nearly a thousand years. It was never sold for commercial use, but […]
Cooking (and other ideas) with Pumpkins
It’s that time of year! The minute October starts, my mind turns to everything fall-related, including pumpkins. Of course that’s not hard to do since I happen to live in the state that produces 80% of the world’s canned pumpkin. I already have a big pumpkin decorating the front porch, and made fresh pumpkin puree over the […]
A Blast From the Past Giveaway for This Week!
This cookbook is a real jewel. I first wrote about the fabulous Dinah Shore and her cookbook on one of my early blogs from last year. You can read about it here. Dinah had a fascinating life and career – and the woman could cook! I have never seen this book again anywhere, so you […]
How about a Sunday Ham for a Crowd?
You will love the aroma of this ham baking! It’s sweet, full of herbs and spices, and basted in beer. Cajun Beer-Basted Smoked Ham 1 smoked ham (about 10-12 pounds)5 Bay leaves1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves1 cinnamon stick (about 3 inches)1 large onion studded with 3 clovesWhole cloves1/2 cup packed light brown sugar1/4 cup dry mustard1/4 […]
