April 8
The luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is homemade winter squash/pumpkin yeast bread – yum! It's Easter today in 2012 -- maybe some rolls like this would be lovely with your dinner!
April 7
Happy birthdays to William Wordsworth (1770) and Billie Holiday (1915).
It's national Coffee Cake Day, yum!
It's national Coffee Cake Day, yum!
April 4
April showers and all that -- remind me of a favorite (and my-award winning) song, Eddie Rabbitt's "I Love a Rainy Night."
April 3
Lots of brilliant people were born today! Washington Irving in 1783; Eddie Murphy in 1961; Alec Baldwin in 1958; and Jane Goodall in 1934. The first, and still my favorite, vintage book I ever got was by Mr. Irving. And of course I adore learning from Ms. Goodall, and Mr. Murphy and Mr. Baldwin make me smile.
April 2
Hans Christian Andersen was born today in 1805. I'd like to reread some of his stories (in translation)...and visit his statue in Central Park!
One of my favorite childhood movies was Dannie Kaye playing Mr. Andersen!
March 31
Today the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire was born; there's a charming post about her at http://patrickleighfermor.wordpress.com/2010/05/23/chatsworth-celebrates-the-many-lives-of-deborah-devonshire/ .
Joseph Haydn was born today too, in 1732.
The first installment of Charles Dickens' Pickwick Papers was published today in 1836; it's one of the funniest books I ever read.
Happy national Potato Day!
Joseph Haydn was born today too, in 1732.
The first installment of Charles Dickens' Pickwick Papers was published today in 1836; it's one of the funniest books I ever read.
Happy national Potato Day!
March 30
The first issue of Charles Dickens' periodical Household Words was brought out today in 1849. Note to self: Find a copy!
March 29
I'd like to give my highest award to some thoughts from the beautiful Ali MacGraw. I read them in Town and Country, February 2012, in a profile by Leslie Bennetts.
"I really love my own company, and I think that cultivating every single kind of friendship is the protection against being alone. The older I get, the more I value friends of every possible description. That's what carries you."
March 28
Today is national Black Forest Cake Day. Yum!
The luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is Cheese Fondue.
The luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is Cheese Fondue.
March 27
Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call Hungarian Fruit Roll, a pastry on which you put a filling of raisins, currants, apples, nuts, citron, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon peel, and roll it up and bake it.
March 26
Happy birthday to the beautiful Diana Ross! It's also the day Robert Frost was born, in 1874.
It's national Spinach Day! And for another healthy dish: The luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is Tomato Gelatine Salad served on lettuce with a bit of mayonnaise.
It's national Spinach Day! And for another healthy dish: The luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is Tomato Gelatine Salad served on lettuce with a bit of mayonnaise.
March 25
It's a huge holiday in Middle Earth!
The Ring Is Destroyed
Elton John was born today. Happy birthday! Thank you so much for your amazing music!
The Ring Is Destroyed
Elton John was born today. Happy birthday! Thank you so much for your amazing music!
March 24
William Morris was born today in 1834. What wonderful thoughts he had on living life beautifully.
March 23
Food day today! Fannie Farmer was born today in 1857; it's also Chip and Dip Day. Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call Greek Stuffed Eggplant.
I am entranced by books that give me ideas for every day. (Oh, you'd noticed?) So I immediately ordered Williams-Sonoma's Salad of the Day: 365 Recipes for Every Day of the Year and Soup of the Day, and am considering their One-Pot-of-the-Day matching volume.
Weekly is good too. I am really enjoying the Italian-meal-a-week cookbook by Lisa Caponigri (called for some weird reason Whatever Happened to Sunday Dinner, because I may very well use it another day). It includes an an appetizer, a pasta or soup or grain course, a main course with a side, and then a dessert -- and they all look very manageable because she's not afraid of having some stuff premade and otherwise making things easy. Very nice! And if you don't happen to have a big family or much company over, you'll end up with lovely leftovers for other days of your week.
Another weekly: The Meat-Free Monday Cookbook, done by the McCartneys and some others. It gives generous ideas for every meal of the day, even including both a normal lunch and a packed lunch, and a dessert, and a side or a snack and sometimes both. It's nicely organized by season, and I'm working through each season as they come up.
Lastly, sometimes I like being told what to do minute-to-minute so I get a break from planning! By the (short) time I work through one of Jamie Oliver's amazing menus in his miraculous Jamie's 30-Minute Meals, I have a remarkable meal with no stress.
These cookbooks are finally reteaching me something I'd barely remembered because of my ridiculous number of years in a country with no reliable food supply: One can actually make grocery lists and expect to find most of the stuff! That happened like twice where I used to live. America is a wonderful country! Thank you, grocers and farmers and cookbook writers! You make it possible for me to plan and enjoy wonderful meals.
from a movie I can barely wait to see -- the hobbit-kitchen set of The Hobbit -- with the brilliant director Peter Jackson:
Lastly, allow me to invite you to a site I do with friends about food: http://bestfoodthisweek.blogspot.com/
I am entranced by books that give me ideas for every day. (Oh, you'd noticed?) So I immediately ordered Williams-Sonoma's Salad of the Day: 365 Recipes for Every Day of the Year and Soup of the Day, and am considering their One-Pot-of-the-Day matching volume.
Weekly is good too. I am really enjoying the Italian-meal-a-week cookbook by Lisa Caponigri (called for some weird reason Whatever Happened to Sunday Dinner, because I may very well use it another day). It includes an an appetizer, a pasta or soup or grain course, a main course with a side, and then a dessert -- and they all look very manageable because she's not afraid of having some stuff premade and otherwise making things easy. Very nice! And if you don't happen to have a big family or much company over, you'll end up with lovely leftovers for other days of your week.
Another weekly: The Meat-Free Monday Cookbook, done by the McCartneys and some others. It gives generous ideas for every meal of the day, even including both a normal lunch and a packed lunch, and a dessert, and a side or a snack and sometimes both. It's nicely organized by season, and I'm working through each season as they come up.
Lastly, sometimes I like being told what to do minute-to-minute so I get a break from planning! By the (short) time I work through one of Jamie Oliver's amazing menus in his miraculous Jamie's 30-Minute Meals, I have a remarkable meal with no stress.
These cookbooks are finally reteaching me something I'd barely remembered because of my ridiculous number of years in a country with no reliable food supply: One can actually make grocery lists and expect to find most of the stuff! That happened like twice where I used to live. America is a wonderful country! Thank you, grocers and farmers and cookbook writers! You make it possible for me to plan and enjoy wonderful meals.
from a movie I can barely wait to see -- the hobbit-kitchen set of The Hobbit -- with the brilliant director Peter Jackson:
March 22
From E.F. Benson's Book of Months:
One occasionally wins back the old primeval, prowling, excited joy of being alive, to the bliss which childhood knows...
March 21
Gary Oldman was born today in 1958, another reason I love the movie Fifth Element!
Here are some ideas for celebrating birthdays from actress Connie Nielsen, in an interview in the November/December 2011 Traditional Home:
"Our morning birthday ritual [involves] silver trays, candles, flowers, champagne, chocolate, and oodles of gifts."I am entranced by the idea of some of these things in the morning! I believe this photo is from a beautiful blog on living beautifully; I'm sorry, I must get you the link later:
March 20
Fred (Mr.) Rogers was born today in 1928. Once he sent my children a charming note, and I shall always be grateful to him for the gentleness and wisdom he shared with them. I remember my very young son wisely singing as he played one day, "I like to take my time..."
It's national Ravioli Day. Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call French Waffles, which sound a lot like Belgian Waffles.
It's national Ravioli Day. Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call French Waffles, which sound a lot like Belgian Waffles.
March 19
Bruce Willis was born today in 1955. My favorite movie is his Fifth Element!
Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call German Sweet Pretzels, flavored with lemon peel and topped with "powdered sweet almonds."
Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call German Sweet Pretzels, flavored with lemon peel and topped with "powdered sweet almonds."
March 18
George Plimpton was born today in 1927. I so enjoyed his Paris Review, and still do his successor's -- and also the fabulous collections of interviews with authors which he brought out. I enjoyed too listening to Mr. Plimpton in New York one evening years ago...
Speaking of Paris, the luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is Onion Soup. Perhaps you could make it a French Onion Soup; today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call French Apple Soufflé.
Speaking of Paris, the luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is Onion Soup. Perhaps you could make it a French Onion Soup; today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call French Apple Soufflé.
March 17
Happy birthday to several people -- Patrick, naturally, and also Nat King Cole from 1919 and Kate Greenaway in 1846.
March 16
The model Carolyn Murphy lives in a charming home near the
ocean in Los Angeles described in the March 2012 American Vogue:
Murphy takes great
pleasure in…perfecting heirloom dishes….She also needlepoints, sketches, and
sculpts tiny birds from clay at her Gustavian drawing desk….Murphy is
converting her standalone garage into an art studio, with French doors and
kilims piled on the cracked concrete floor….She eyes [her to-do] list. Her
daughter needs to be picked up from school, and lunch sounds nice, so she saves
[the rest] for another day. It's time to go home.
(from "Model Home: Supermodel Carolyn Murphy Brings
French-Farmhouse Living to Los Angeles" by Emily Holt)
Happy Artichoke Hearts Day!
March 14
Some outstanding humans were born today -- Albert Einstein was born today in 1879, and Billy Crystal in 1948.
It's national Potato Chip Day (save some for March 23)...
It's national Potato Chip Day (save some for March 23)...
March 12
James Taylor was born today in 1948, and Jack Kerouac in 1922.
It's national Scallops Day; I love them!
Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call Japanese Salad – consisting of celery, apples, truffles, and edible flowers garnished with hard-boiled eggs and olives! Sounds intriguing but unlike the Japanese I've tried; perhaps these ingredients were fashionable in Japan at the time??
Let's choose a dream restaurant, shall we...
by Alexandre Auguste Hannotiau:
It's national Scallops Day; I love them!
Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call Japanese Salad – consisting of celery, apples, truffles, and edible flowers garnished with hard-boiled eggs and olives! Sounds intriguing but unlike the Japanese I've tried; perhaps these ingredients were fashionable in Japan at the time??
by Alexandre Auguste Hannotiau:
March 10
A favorite memory is the year I spent Christmas there....The staff even prepared a roast hen with chestnut stuffing for my solo Christmas Eve dinner served en suite....When Oscar de la Renta was designing Balmain couture, he, his wife, Annette, and I would wait for the room-service trolley of grillet fillet and sautéed spinach for dinner....
This is the Ritz's official site, though I understand the beautiful hotel is or will be undergoing renovation: http://www.ritzparis.com/ . There are beautiful pictures at http://www.interiology-ny.com/hotel-design-the-ritz-paris .
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)