The first time I ever tasted Indian pudding was in Maine at the Maine Diner in Wells, Maine. I had already consumed one of their top lobster rolls and was very full, so my sister and I split a dish…
Pork Belly
Trying new recipes at any stage of life can be a challenge for some people. Roasting a new cut of meat is rare for me because just when I think I have tried just about everything I hear of a…
Summertime Picnic
1960’s. We never owned a family picnic basket growing up, but the few times we tailgated along the many creeks in New York. Our picnics were a couple of loaves of white bread, a few pounds of bologna sliced thin,…
Grandma’s Clam Chowder
My grandmother was French Canadian and spent the bulk of her days in Maine; one day she confessed to me she made the worst clam chowder – only once. She was a new bride back in 1924; and her husband…
Pears, Maple Syrup and More
I grew up with pears and always loved them. Mom often bought canned pears year-round, but a ripe one was delicious. Juices dripping down my chin. I loved savoring the last bite. Maple syrup is collected all throughout New England,…
Thanksgiving in a Bowl
I’m not sure why, but Thanksgiving was reserved for some of the spices mom used only around the winter holidays, and I followed in my kitchen. Ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and Bell’s Seasoning. Over 150 years and strong. This mixture…
Crazy Cucumbers
My earliest memory of eating cucumbers as a kid was Mom’s warning for us not to eat the cucumber slices, until all the poison evaporated from on top of the salad, which she then put into the refrigerator. Scary or…
Giant Green Peppers
Looking for Day seven of ten vegetable recipes, I spied these giant green peppers on display in my local market. What really caught my eye was the price tag of 88 cents each! In today’s inflationary prices these were a…
Mushroom Madness
My grandmother lived to be 92 and boasted once of never having eaten a mushroom in her life. She made a face when I would mention mushrooms. I am not sure how anyone can say they do not like something…
Frittata Flips
Somewhere in the early 90’s, I was visiting my second mom, fondly known as Ma Rogers and I learned to make an Italian omelet with asparagus. Ma raised five children of her own, but when I suddenly lost my own…
Cherry Tomatoes
Growing up with canned tomatoes brewing in a large pot of Mom’s sauce was a real treat. She made her sauce spicy with red flake peppers and always added meatballs and hot sausage. Mom wasn’t Italian, but we never tasted…
Broccoli Bites
Broccoli Bites Growing up in the South End of Albany, there were many grocery stores to walk to within a city block or two, but we also had a fresh fruit and vegetable store on the corner of Bassett Street…