Write me down as one who loved poetry and persimmons. ~Masaoka Tsunenori, aka Shiki (1867 – 1902) TODAY’S PREPARATION As I was walking to the subway, I was overjoyed to see the Croatian fruit and vegetable vendor positioned at his usual spot about 20 yards from the entrance. This was significant because I hadn’t seen [...]
And, of course, the funniest food of all, kumquats. ~George Carlin TODAY’S PREPARATION LITTLE DID I KNOW During a recent foray into the green market a table full of kumquats called out my name. I was familiar with the little citrus ovals, but had had limited exposure. Picking out some with minimal green spots (unripened [...]
Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired. ~Robert Frost Okay, with two weeks before the big V Day, you have everything you need to plan the dinner — or the brunch, or both! – of your Valentine dreams. In the menu, I’ve also given meals to round out the entire day. Day after [...]
All men’s gains are the fruit of venturing. ~Herodotus (484 – 425 BCE) My favorite fruit of all is the murcott. Never heard of it? Don’t expect to. The name has been replaced by the more common honey tangerine; don’t ask me why. Murcott was a perfectly serviceable name but I guess the marketers didn’t agree. [...]
It is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared. ~Whitney Moore Young, Jr (1921-1971) I went to marinate some chicken today and, behold, no water came from the tap when summoned. Hmmmph. Good thing I have an emergency supply of tap water [...]
All men are equal before fish. ~Herbert Hoover (1874-1964) The Second Avenue bus goes into Chinatown, so I hopped on to go for sushi. I try to eat as much sushi as I can because I love it. A colleague once asked me if I wasn’t afraid of parasites from eating so much raw fish [...]
Creativity often consists of merely turning up what is already there. Did you know that right and left shoes were thought up only a little more than a century ago? ~Bernice Fitz-Gibbon (1894-1982) UPTOWN . . . Managed to get out in time to catch the last of the giant snowflakes coming down today before [...]
The future lies before you, like paths of pure white snow.  Be careful how you tread it, for every step will show. ~Anonymous TODAY’S PREPARATION SURPRISE! Awaking to a winter wonderland in the making before my very eyes, the first thing I thought was, I wish I’d awoken earlier! There’s nothing like waking up to [...]
I like a cook who smiles out loud when he tastes his own work. Let God worry about your modesty; I want to see your enthusiasm. ~ Robert Farrar Capon (1925 – ) PART OF VALENTINE’S DAY MENU TODAY’S PREPARATION GO ON, GIVE IT A TRY! For the crowning end (or maybe it’s just the [...]
The better the quality of the food I eat, the less of it I need to feel satisfied. All tomatoes are not created equal. ~Michael Pollan (1955 – ) The food industry has revolutionized our food supply and Oprah had a good show today about where our food comes from, why it’s so cheap and [...]