marvelous mexico

January 18, 2013
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I’ve been home from Mexico for a few days, but it’s not been an easy re-entry. It’s been gray and gloomy, no bright blue sky and brilliant sunshine and mountains. I’m getting over it. Slowly. It was a lovely week of writing with the inimitable Betty Fussell. She’s brilliant, funny, inquisitive and inspiring. I will [...]

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cooking with friends

December 30, 2012
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We had houseguests this weekend. Perfect houseguests. I have known Catherine and Jerry since we were in our very early careers. When we were in our 20s and early 30s. When we wore clothes with very large Joan Collins padded shoulders (!!) We lost touch, then reconnected a few years back, and fell right back [...]

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Have Yourself A Merry…

December 24, 2012
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Lately, I’ve felt like I’m in a rush going from one thing to another. It’s the holiday blur, so I shouldn’t be surprised. As with so many things in my life, I’m rushing in here, to provide that gift guide I promised, part two… cookbooks. Seriously, I am so impressed with the new cookbooks I’ve [...]

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the holiday gift guide, part one

December 4, 2012
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December has arrived and I barely remember November. How did this happen? It’s so dark in the early morning and again by late afternoon, so we’ll be putting the tree up this week. I need that extra shot of light in my life. It’s the holidaze, and soon, butter, sugar, chocolate, flour will be swirling [...]

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good food, good friends, giving thanks

November 20, 2012
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Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, which is probably common for people who love to cook. It’s a giant stage on which we do a soliloquy, expressing ourselves with burnished birds and burbling pies and happy bellies. This year, I’m particularly aware of the “thanks” part, and wish to focus on the “giving.” Too late, I’m [...]

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greens ‘n’ eggs. or, have you seen my car key?

November 10, 2012
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My mother – an English professor – would tell a story about her first year teaching. There was another young teacher with whom she shared an office. He taught three sections of Freshman English – the same workload as my mother. Each class had about twenty students, and every week the students had an exam, [...]

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come to tepoztlan

October 25, 2012
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All summer I was getting emails from my dear friend Janet. She lives in a small town in Mexico called Tepoztlan. It’s beautiful, mountainous, and very ancient. The indigenous Tepoztecans don’t consider anyone native unless their family has been there for several hundred years. For many years, Tepoztlan has been the weekend retreat for Mexico [...]

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the practical pantry

October 16, 2012
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For most of my adult life, I have collected cookbooks. Old ones, new ones, anything that had beautiful photos, or stellar writing, or covered a subject I wanted to learn about – they all snuggle up next to one another on my bookshelves, stack up on my desk and clutter my nightstand. In my dreams. [...]

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life

October 5, 2012
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We took Louie on his birthday trip. (He shares a birthday with Dennis.) The three of us in a packed car, the bike on top, drove to Martha’s Vineyard. We visited my friend Katrin’s ancient cottage, built in 1680, where I have had many meaningful times in our multi-decade friendship. This is not a photo [...]

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