“The day is coming when a single carrot, freshly observed, will set off a revolution.” – Paul Cezanne, artist Throw into the mix International Migrants Day, which gave me license to roam the globe for ideas, and the ancient Catholic antiphon O Radix, which I’m sure has far more to do with the roots of… Read More Migrant Roots
“The parrot holds its food for prim consumption as daintily as any debutante, [with] a predilection for pot roast, hashed-brown potatoes, duck skin, butter, hoisin sauce, sesame seed oil, bananas and human thumb.” – Alexander Theroux, novelist, poet Los Loros are parrots, in Spanish, but in the local street slang, lunfardo, they’re brave and/or handsome… Read More Home of the Brave… Parrots…
“I try to stay true to my heart, true to the produce available in this country … so whatever comes out is modern Chinese, or Chinese-Australian.” – Kylie Kwong, Australian chef It should come as no surprise to anyone that I enjoy watching cooking shows. I always have, since the days when the only ones… Read More China Eggs
“Before stardom beckoned in 1931, Morley had gone so far as to embark on a degree in medicine at UCLA before the acting bug bit, and its this extensive education that explains a lot about this actress. No feminine caricature or glamorous studio creation, Morley was and still is an odd presence in an era… Read More Just a Small Town Girl
“I say 20 words in English. I say money, money, money, and I say hot dog! I say yes, no and I say money, money, money and I say turkey sandwich and I say grape juice.” – Carmen Miranda, singer/actress A couple of weeks ago, the NY Times published a photo essay on bodegones, the… Read More It’s all About the Turkey
“I never see any home cooking. All I get is fancy stuff.” – Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh So what’s been gracing the table here at home the last week. Haven’t been going out at dinner time, pretty much all home cooking. Some of it, a chance to play with dishes that Henry’s not fond… Read More What’s on the table?
“It is strange that Jews in every country of the Diaspora begin to pray for rain in the daily Amidah prayer (Ten tal umatar, “please give us rain and dew”) on December 4 or 5, about ten days ago, at the onset of the rainy season in Babylon (Babylonian Talmud Taanit 10). It would be… Read More Rain & Dew
“The nocturnal Black Witch – the largest moth in the continental United States, with a wing span of six to seven inches – has been vested with a foreboding aura of darkness and mystery. It bears common names such as Mariposa de la Muerte (Butterfly of Death) in Mexico, Duppy Bat (Lost Soul) in Jamaica,… Read More Mothra Comes to Visit