Author: jmerhar

Where Souls Blossom: The Dominican Hotel

Where Souls Blossom: The Dominican Hotel

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 

Spelt Pumpkin Bread (Hildegard Inspired)

Spelt Pumpkin Bread (Hildegard Inspired)

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 

Pumpkin Cannelloni (Frankfurt for Cooks)

Pumpkin Cannelloni (Frankfurt for Cooks)

This below recipe was sent courtesy of Frankfurt for Cooks and was also printed in SHAPE Community Life Magazine, September 2021 issue. Pumpkin Cannelloni Ingredients: 250g pumpkin flesh, 50g water for cooking pumpkin and more for cooking pasta sheets,1 stalk of lemon grass,1.5 Tbsp olive 

Frankfurt for Cooks: A Journey Home

Frankfurt for Cooks: A Journey Home

“The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a star” ― Brillat-Savarin Cooking with Anna was a lifeline I didn’t see coming. Her Instagram, Facebook and online cooking classes coaxed me out of a cooking comfort 

Arenberg Abbey

Arenberg Abbey

They are mythical creatures. You know one when you see one; their habits flutter with the slightest breeze and rest just above sensible rubber soled shoes. They often have a strand of beads dangling from a hip pocket and the shine of their hair remains 

A Postcard from Poznań

A Postcard from Poznań

Only at a Polish truck stop could you find an edible carnival rotating inside a multi-layered turnstyle. This delicacy mimics a city I’ve come to love, Poznań. Like the twirling layers of jello, the nostalgia of this candy-colored town’s past is entwined with a progressive 

Escoffier

Escoffier

“I wouldn’t consider a program to be serious if it didn’t teach Escoffier, or classic French techniques” Julia Child  (The following is a memory from 2016.) Nicknamed “King of Chefs and Chef of Kings”, Georges Auguste Escoffier’s list of loyal followers included royals, writers, movie 

My German Gingerbread (Recipe)

My German Gingerbread (Recipe)

This cake is pure comfort and purely comforting. Be prepared, it will ensconce your home with the soothing aromas of Autumn. Enjoy. ½ cup white sugar ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce 1 lg. egg 1 cup molasses 1 ½ cups spelt flour (*See Note) 1 cup 

Bubbly Blueberry Cobbler (Hildegard Inspired)

Bubbly Blueberry Cobbler (Hildegard Inspired)

Ingredients 3 cups fresh blueberries 2 tablespoons white sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon ⅓ cup orange juice ⅔ cup all-purpose flour (I use half spelt flour) ¼ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup butter, softened ½ cup white sugar 1 egg 1  teaspoon vanilla 

On the Heels of Hildegard of Bingen (Recipe)

On the Heels of Hildegard of Bingen (Recipe)

We cannot live in a world that is not our own, in a world that is interpreted for us by others. An interpreted world is not a home. Part of the terror is to take back our own listening, to use our own voice, to