An Exploration of Curiosities
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 …
The lady from Leyton was notoriously elusive, especially in death. My only means to get close to the woman newspapers hailed in the 19th century as, “the greatest woman cook in the world” were three parchment remnants. Two books accompanied me on this journey, …
This Persian rice is meant to be a side dish, but it really doesn’t need an accompaniment. It’s savory, sweet and filling. The combination of pistachios, currants and mint transport taste-buds to the Middle East, without the hassle of packing and jet-lag. Preparation is easy: Saute …
“How much better is silence; the coffee cup, the table. How much better to sit by myself like the solitary sea-bird that opens its wings on the stake. Let me sit here for ever with bare things, this coffee cup, this knife, this fork, …
( “The Chocolate Girl” by Jean-Étienne Liotard ) Café Maldaner is often crowded and customer service is hit or miss. I still believe it’s worth a visit, or in my case, a dozen. Spinning through the turnstile doorway transports you to a bygone era of a …
In Wiesbaden, regardless of season, there is a tasty staple at every festival – Flammkuchen. Pizza dough is heavy and requires more effort than its German cousin, flammkuchen. With a quartet of simple ingredients (water, flour, oil and salt) and the omission of yeast, this …
A door handle disguised as a rolling pin, that was enough to get me through the door of Dale’s Cake Cafe. But it’s the chandelier dangling over a glass case filled with an assortment of mouth-watering baked sweets and savory quiches that brings me back. …
I’m fascinated by individuals who make waiting tables their profession. My forearms have balanced trays. My fingers have pulled tap handles. And once-upon-a-time, I served cocktails and peanuts at 32,000 feet. The service industry is physically and mentally demanding, which is why a few months …
I have a trail of crumbs to follow, some are my own… I want to visit Les Deux Garçons, where M.F.K. Fisher sipped sherry while her girls indulged in glasses of lemonade in Aix-en-Provence. I want to find the lounge in Paris where Craig Claiborne …
Where I live in Germany, a slight crisp is in the air. Plump pears and apples are falling from branches, chimneys puff at dusk and corduroy pants are beginning to rustle. I found a recipe that exudes the elements I love about fall, Smoky Chipotle Sweet …