An Exploration of Curiosities
I’m not Catholic, but my love of Belgian beer often ushers my footsteps to monasteries and abbeys. As you likely know, many monks in Belgium make and peddle beer, but if you look in the shadows, you will discover the nuns at Maredret Monastery creating …
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup spelt flour (*see note) ½ cup unbleached white flour 1 tablespoon Earl Grey tea (*see note) 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons grated orange zest ¼ teaspoon vanilla 2 …
Sleeping under the slate roof of Schlosshotel Kronberg will leave those who appreciate history, design and luxury happy. It’s a castle, but staying within the art lined halls feels like overnighting at the wealthy aunt’s home you dreamt you’d had. The estate was completed in …
In Verona leave your rose colored glasses at home. This Italian city is steeped in romance and passion, even the pedestrian alleyways are paved in pink limestone. Scribbled hearts with names and poems are written on walls, telephone poles and public letter boxes. You can’t …
(This post is a memory from 2014.) Walking into Gruene Hall, boots are greeted not only by worn wooden floorboards, but with a clacking sound as heels scoot over weathered metal license plates that are nailed to the floor. I wasn’t sure if their purpose was to add …
(Written in 2014) Falling in love with someone nearly half my age wasn’t the plan. After all, I’ve been happily married for seventeen years. We even have four daughters. I most certainly didn’t expect my ten-year-old and a pop icon to introduce me to this …
Proud to have a piece I wrote about a special Wiesbadener included in Trink Magazine. Prost, to Holger ~
Todd is a true Southern gentleman for sharing his Grandmother’s delicious family treasure. Your house will smell like the comforts of fall when this cake is baking. The final outcome is dense, moist and packed with flavors of autumn. *Note: you can replace equal amounts …
An “urban oasis” in Brussels is a five minute walk from Central Station and steps from the Grand’Place. The gentle hum of Gregorian chants drift through the rooms and elevators ushering cares and concerns toward the place they belong, the exit. The ambience of the …
1 ½ cups spelt flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 4 eggs 1 cup white sugar ¼ cup light brown sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¾ cup canned …