Essays – Schmecken!

Summer Squash and Cheddar Bread

A savory quick bread recipe using summer squash or zucchini.

Phil Everly’s Banana Custard

A quirky look at a recipe reveals hidden depths in American music history.

The Legacy of Robert Ray

Robert Ray set an example of moral leadership among politicians that remains unique in my lifetime.

Doomsday Preppers vs. The Good Life

Which fantasy makes a better society?

Taking Stock

The 20th anniversary of 9/11 comes at the same time as canning season and the metaphor of taking stock has been playing on my mind.

Grape Harvest

There’s a timelessness to following the ebbs and flows of the seasons. Growing … producing … stocking up. Then, in the dead of winter, getting a flood of memory from opening up a jar.

Gifts From India

Our greatest gift from India is the safety of our friend.

How I Survived the Pandemic

My grandfather credited Smith Brothers Cough Drops with saving him from the 1918 Flu. When I found out they had been discontinued I thought, “We’re all doomed.”

My Shrine to Social Distancing

I found four softballs, a baseball and a whiffle ball on the same day Hank Aaron died. What’s that got to do with a painting made in 1565 by Pieter Bruegel? Click to find out.

I hope this day finds you, and all those important to you, healthy and safe. The temperature here should be good for this time of year so Deb and I will be putting a duck in the smoker and getting Brussels sprouts and purple carrots out of the garden. Deb will fancy-up some potatoes andContinue reading “Happy Thanksgiving, 2020”