Happy birthday to us Another year's in the books for Chef David and for me. Here we are, smack in the middle of birthday week, and smack in the middle of scrubbing, sorting, pitching, and packing ahead of Reboot.2, this time the two of us plus one bewildered doggie. It'll be okay, we think. We've … Continue reading Birthday Week 2021
Food
Sunday Almanac: Meteorological Summer Is Here
Which means the solstice is not too far off. Our house guests have gone home, but the last pair of days they were with us Vermont pulled out all the stops and lobbed damp, grey, winter-like weather our way. Earlier in the week I’d already fished out a hooded sweatshirt for one of them, who … Continue reading Sunday Almanac: Meteorological Summer Is Here
Nine-ish years in Vermont: A Retrospective
Woodstock, Vermont It is possible I’m already growing wistful for Vermont, and we still live here, I mused aloud to The Chef a few days ago. Incredulous, he asked, Do you mean to tell me when we’re down in North Carolina, you’ll miss Vermont? Mm-hm, I answered. He’d have face palmed, except we were in … Continue reading Nine-ish years in Vermont: A Retrospective
Summer Gathering: A Memory
summer in Knoxville Let me tell you a story. It is a summer evening in Knoxville, Tennessee. The day has been hot, but the hottest part is over. It’s still sticky outside, though, and the cicadas are singing in the massive, centuries-old hardwoods all around the big house on the corner in this grand midtown … Continue reading Summer Gathering: A Memory
Food Story: Valentine’s Day 2021
Valentine's Eve 2021 Chef David and I celebrated on Saturday night with a dinner we planned last week. We're not often in the kitchen working at the same moment, but we did, a little, for this dinner. parsnips set to boil the embarrassing saucepan...every kitchen has one pure maple syrup makes everything better, even if … Continue reading Food Story: Valentine’s Day 2021
The Beauty of Magical Transformations, or Sometimes, Just Winging It
I recall an occasion many years ago when my now-ex and I were having dinner with some friends at their house; my twenty-something kiddo was still a peanut, say age four or so, and was included that evening because he and our hosts’ young daughter were attached at the hip, eagerly anticipating the play date. … Continue reading The Beauty of Magical Transformations, or Sometimes, Just Winging It
Biscuit Baking, Redux
For the last couple of weeks I've been hemming and hawing over a post that refuses to be written. When that happens, I've learned the best strategy is to step away from it and come back later, or not at all. Yesterday morning, though, I published a private post for one particular young man who … Continue reading Biscuit Baking, Redux
Sunday Photo Essay: Deep, and Crisp, and Even
deep, and crisp, and even Scenes from our little corner of southwest Vermont over these last couple of weeks:
Thanksgiving Story: Pan-DEB-ic Edition
Thanksgiving 2020 We tried to put on a good face, didn’t we? I think most Americans did, but it’s tough to scale an occasion we’d typically celebrate in epic proportions for just a twosome. Chef David and I resolved to go on and cook like we would for a crowd, and then to freeze what … Continue reading Thanksgiving Story: Pan-DEB-ic Edition
Sunday Almanac: We March Inevitably Towards Winter
It is always a little sad to me when the snowplow rig assemblies start showing up on pickup trucks around town; it’s inevitable, but cold weather comes a little too soon on the heels of summer (to say nothing of ephemeral fall) in these parts, and wears out its welcome along about April, when everybody … Continue reading Sunday Almanac: We March Inevitably Towards Winter
Sycamore Stories 