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 in it, or play pooh sticks or search for arrowheads and … [Read more...] about Tennessee Blackberry Jam Cake
Fruit and Vegetables
Easy Thai Beef Salad Cups
I love the flavor of Thai food, but it can be a little time consuming to prepare. This easy elegant wrap is simplified with bought roast beef. These little lettuce cups make a great appetizer, served on a big, pretty platter, or a simple cold summer supper. Choose a roast beef from the deli counter that is not highly seasoned or specially flavored and do not have it sliced … [Read more...] about Easy Thai Beef Salad Cups
Cuban Corn and Black Bean Salad
I always offer to bring a dish when people invite me over, and when they take the offer up, I sometimes get a little flustered trying to come up with something new and different. This salad has been my staple this summer, when I grill out or when asked to bring something along. So next time it’s your turn to bring a salad or a side dish to a barbecue (or just doing it for … [Read more...] about Cuban Corn and Black Bean Salad
Old Time Cherry Buttermilk Cake
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 straight from the tree and ate it, still warm – what a … [Read more...] about Old Time Cherry Buttermilk Cake
The Watermelon by the Side of the Road
The Watermelon on the Side of the Road Watermelon means summer, right? I know they are available (though not very good) all year round now, but what is more summery than ice-cold juicy watermelon? Pink juice dribbles down your chin, and even your mama doesn’t mind too much when you spit the seeds. When I was a kid at summer camp, we used to have races in the pool with a … [Read more...] about The Watermelon by the Side of the Road






