From the monthly archives:

February 2010

Two Buns in the Oven

2010.Feb.27 Saturday

 If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.” – Robert Browning, poet As always, playing around with new breads. Nothing quite like good pumpernickel rye. Fairly classic recipe with a couple of minor adjustments: 1⅛ to 1¼ cups warm water 25 grams fresh yeast 1½ tablespoons corn [...]

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Fish Gotta Swim…

2010.Feb.25 Thursday

 Shellfish are the prime cause of the decline of morals and the adaptation of an extravagant lifestyle. Indeed of the whole realm of Nature the sea is in many ways the most harmful to the stomach, with its great variety of dishes and tasty fish.” – Pliny the Elder It was the age of Pisces, [...]

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Disappointing Duo

2010.Feb.24 Wednesday

 If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment.” – Henry David Thoreau Really, disappointing is not the correct word, as in order to be disappointed, you must have had a level of expectation which exceeded the outcome. And, in the case of these two mini-reviews, I had no [...]

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Give Us This Day Our Vegan Bread

2010.Feb.22 Monday

 But, my dear sirs, when peace does come, you may call on me for any thing. Then will I share with you the last cracker, and watch with you to shield your homes and families against danger from every quarter.” – General William Tecumseh Sherman Is there really anyone out there who doesn’t snack on [...]

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Chillin’ with Chile

2010.Feb.19 Friday

 Yet traditional Chilean food, although simple, has a medley of flavors, influenced by the vast diversity of plant foods and products that are naturally available. And this is all thanks to it’s varying landscape and the cultures of the native Chileans, most prominently, the Mapuches.” Danielle E. Alvarez, Lonely Planet While most of the world [...]

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An Empanada to Beat

2010.Feb.17 Wednesday

 Ambivalence dominates the Argentines’ self-identity. Depending on the political climate of the times and the dominant ideological orientations, residents of this country oscillate between an identity stressing commonalities with other Latin-American nations; a shared history of four centuries of Spanish rule; and an identity highlighting the uniqueness of this nation, an alleged Europeanized cosmopolitan national [...]

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The Supremes – Track 6

2010.Feb.16 Tuesday

 I desire a monarch for our state; but I desire one worthy of the honor which he would receive in commanding us; that is to say, I wish a greater man than Prince John of Portugal ; and I wish a monarch who would rule us only.” – Juan Martín de Pueyrredón, Supreme Director, in [...]

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Poet’s Tart

2010.Feb.13 Saturday

 Who has given the wind wisdom, Lent the air a tongue so lightsome, Ready speech to the yard’s rowan, And the small birds’ tender bevy?” (from All Seemed to Be Speaking, Speaking, by Johan Ludvig Runeberg, translated by C.E. Tallquist) One of the things I like about our historical themes is that I get to [...]

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Drinks in the House

2010.Feb.10 Wednesday

A few folk have contacted me recently and noted that I seem to have stopped posting any kind of tasting notes about wines or beers. Trust me, I haven’t given up on drinking, though I probably taste far fewer of either than I used to. Part of it, I suppose, is that Henry borderline doesn’t [...]

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