Years ago, during my event planning days, I helped a client plan a lovely riverside party, with a good old-fashioned fish fry. This client was very particular. About everything. But particularly about slaw. He insisted on vinegar-based slaw, not mayonnaise dressed. The caterer took copious notes on his slaw pronouncements and produced what I (and everyone else who ate it) … [Read more...] about Crispy Picnic Slaw
Snacks And Starters
Vichysquash: Cold Crookneck and Buttermilk Soup
Vichysquash, or Squashyssoise? Yep, this all started because of the name. I saw a recipe for Vichysquash years ago, and loved the silly name, but it called for canned creamed soup, which has never appealed to me. The idea stuck though, and when I see the glut of yellow crookneck squash piling up at the farmers market, I always think of this soup. I’ve tinkered … [Read more...] about Vichysquash: Cold Crookneck and Buttermilk Soup
Simple Moist Almond Cake
We are on the cusp of berry season, strawberries are just finishing up, but a few blueberries and blackberries are hitting the stands. We’ll get some raspberries around here, but not too many. And of course, there are the other fruits like peaches and plums just starting to make an appearance. All the hues from the fruit add so much color to the farmers market, coming out of … [Read more...] about Simple Moist Almond Cake
Baked Ricotta and Goat Cheese with Candied Tomatoes
If you are like me, you open magazines and cookbooks and admire the beautiful photography. The casually laid tables bursting with delicious dishes, the beautiful vessels holding each delicacy, simplicity and refinement, but with the decadence of good food. And you think - I can do that. I can casually invite a few friends round, act like it’s no big deal, then present an … [Read more...] about Baked Ricotta and Goat Cheese with Candied Tomatoes
Orange Slice Candy Squares
My grandmother lived in a small town in Arkansas, the town where my father grew up. She died when I was six, so my memories of her are somewhat limited. But those I do have are vivid to me, though undoubtedly burnished through the patina of time. I particularly remember visiting her with my brother in early summers, when we had relatively free reign of the area around the … [Read more...] about Orange Slice Candy Squares
