Category: Food and Drink

  • Half-Baked

    I am not a baking genius. To be a baking genius, you must adhere to the ethics of the scientist…and I am an artist, dammit! But there are some things that I have learned to make the cookie onslaught easier. Butter Use real butter, holiday cookies deserve it. Not whipped, not margarine, not oleo, not…

  • All I Want for Christmas …

    just say no … If you know someone like me, or are someone like me, this list might be handy. United States of Arugula looks to be a good read, documenting our food revolution. Please please please, a year of cheese. We usually don’t leave anything in the bottle, but still, I’m always looking for…

  • Chocolate Mornings

    Deutscher sind verruckt! I love December 01. It’s the first day of a month of days that begin with a little chocolate treat from my advent calendar. I am much more disciplined now than I was in the early years. I understand that it’s better to stretch the happiness out over the cold days, rather…

  • Five Alive?

    Hot off the presses, this release from the kids who rep the public relations for Five Restaurant & Street Lounge: David Parson Capaccioli is the new Exec Head Chef and Mary Beth Mueller is the new GM. Capaccioli is a former instructor at the Art Institute of Minneapolis Culinary Arts School, was once Executive Chef…

  • Post Feast: the dessert

    I have a pre-feast ritual. It involves staying in pajamas, drinking hot cocoa, snacking on peanut butter toast and the Macy’s parade. It’s like my own inner pre-shift, my personal calm before the storm. Just as important, and maybe a touch underplayed, is the post-feast. First of all, dessert shouldn’t be served directly after the…

  • T-Day Countdown

    Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for the following reasons: 1. No gifts. I love giving gifts, I just hate pretending to like the teal suede and faux fur vests of my life. 2. It’s not religious. It’ll never be turned into something more palatable and washed out so that everyone feels fuzzy and unoffended. 3.…