My favorite time of year is finally here – pumpkin time!  I love pumpkin - in cake, soup, risotto, muffins, bread and, of course, cookies. I am sure over the next few months my pumpkin obsession will manifest itself with a host of recipes, so be prepared! We’ve just had our first cool days here and [...]

Once upon a time there was a beautiful apple tree. When I was maybe 10, my dad took me to the plant nursery and let me choose whatever kind of tree I wanted to plant in the backyard, to replace one that had died.   My family had just enjoyed some magnificent apples, bright red with little red capillary-like veins [...]

Enjoying a warm loaf of freshly baked bread right out of the oven is truly one of life’s sweet pleasures.  But if time and patience are short, try this quickie. You will truly impress your family and friends, or just treat yourself, when you mix up this quick, cheesy loaf of fresh bread for dinner. If [...]

My grandparents lived on a farm in Middle Tennessee.  It was a wonderful place for grandkids, and my brother and I made great use of it.  Lots of rolling, verdant land to run around on, cows mooing in the background.  There was a creek running through the property, shallow enough that we could wade around [...]

On my month long food tour of France this summer, my first stop was in the Mayenne, serendipitously during cherry season.  All around the property of the cookery school, cherry trees hung heavy with beautiful ripe cherries – petite, juicy griottines and big round pale reds, almost like a Queen Anne.  I picked the fruit [...]