I am a Weather Geek. And that weather geek is twin to my inner menu-planner. Last Thursday I got really excited after checking the weather forecast – 100% chance of rain all weekend! We had a really, really, really mild winter in Southern California this year. And for someone who cooks/bakes according to season and
Tag: recipes
Avocado Capital of the World
San Diego County produces 60% of California’s avocados and I’m lucky enough to live in the avocado capital of the world. Really. During harvest season, (March-May), you can actually drive down the road plucking avocados from the trees without even leaving the car – they’re that plentiful. And cheap. (No, I don’t get all of
Who Knew Rice Was So Versatile?
Yes, I know. It really was a rhetorical question. Most people know, rice is the most important staple food for a large part of the world’s human population, especially in East and South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the West Indies. And I think I’ve recently joined them. Blame it on Northstar’s rice
I Have a Thing for Leeks
I don’t know why, but for some reason I love leeks. As far as I know my mom never really cooked with them so it’s not like I’ve got some wonderful childhood memories tied up with the smell of gently simmering leeks, (like I do with spaghetti sauce.) They look like big, fat overgrown scallions
Breakfast for Dinner
It’s easy to create a routine which quickly degenerates into a rut. I’ve found this to be especially true with food and cooking. Often I find a new taste, ingredient, tool or method of cooking and that’s what I stick to for awhile. (Case in point: I’ve made a total of five tarts – both
A Legacy in the Kitchen
My Grandpa Vern passed away just this past October and at his service, each of his three kids (my mom and two uncles,) my brother and I were all asked to speak. Inevitably, we shared stories about his career, international travels, vacations to Tahoe, strict rules (eating bacon with a fork?) and love of the
A Tale of Two Tarts
I mentioned recently that I have been acquiring kitchen gadgets at an alarming rate and I wanted to share a story about one of them – my new tart pan. I’ve been making “tarts” for years, but really, they were just tart crusts in a pie pan. They tasted different than a plain ‘ol pie,
I Heart Pub Food
So while I appreciate fine food and exotic ingredients, at the core my tastes are pretty pedestrian. In the past, anytime someone has asked me what type of food was my favorite, I was embarrassed to answer, “pub food.” But really, it’s just comfort food and is there anything better than a good burger, homemade
Cooking For Madison 