Friday December 23, 2011
Hope you all have heartwarming celebrations with family and friends!!
Please share your best memory and recipe(s). I am gearing up for a casting call to shoot a public television Holiday/Christmas Special for 2012 in late March - would love to consider your stories!
Lots of love to ALL!
Carole
Wednesday December 21, 2011
Who can argue that this isn't one of the cutest photos of some very proud kids who decorated the table and threw a party? And it epitomizes Cindy Reynolds today!! She is a daughter, a mom, a wife. She relishes her memories about setting the table and shopping at the farmer's market with her Mom in the 60's.
Listen HERE as Cindy reads two heartwarming essays about her memories of both and tune in next week to here about Cindy's connection to her Italian, Colombian and Dutch roots!
Wednesday December 21, 2011
The theme is the holidays...and Cuban-American Martha Cortina shares her memories and reflections.
Martha Cortina was born in Cuba and moved to the United States when she was 11 years old. She grew up with the authentic flavors of Cuba. As an adult, Martha was determined to keep the traditions and chronicled her mother's recipes so she could make them for her family. Martha is passionate about cooking and her heritage so much so she has just published a cookbook called Authentic Cuban Cuisine. It's a lovely book in which Martha not only shares her recipes but recipes that she has collected and added her unique Cuban touch!
Listen to the radio show HERE!
Monday December 19, 2011
...for loving!
When you focus on others, the season takes on the right tone! It's not about how decorated your house is, or how many presents you may give or get, or how many parties you've been invited to. It's about LOVE.
In our house, we show love through food - treasured family recipes that take you down food memory lane, new recipes that reflect where we are currently, and nibbles and cookies from friends and family. All provide that important centerpiece to the holidays.
My menu this year:
Christmas Eve: Lobster Risotto, Fried Flounder, Baccala Salad and a big green salad. Cookies and Baked Chocolate Pudding for dessert. And of course, assorted Christmas cookies. We are small group this year.
Christmas Day: Rib Roast, Turnip and Potato Gratin, Broccoli with garlic and browned butter, and a big green salad. Gluten-free Yule Log and Gingerbread Cake. And of course, assorted Christmas cookies.
What's on your menu?
Sunday December 18, 2011
The chickens know that daylight is at a premium right now and they cling to every last morsel of sunshine before they reluctantly come home to roost. What is most striking to me is the color of the light just before the sun sets - a true gift of nature!
Friday December 16, 2011
Nostalgia is the word for the holidays.
When I was a little girl, my Mom threw a party for me and my friends - "Come Carol with Carole". My Dad would print up the songbooks for all of us to use and we would head out into the neighborhood and ring people's doorbells, wait for them to answer and then launch into a Carol. It was so much fun. We didn't want money or applause; we were spreading the joy of the season.
We ended up back at our house for cookies and hot chocolate. The cookie platter was full of pignolis, biscottii, sugar cookies, snow balls, cream puffs and more. Oddly, the biscotti and pignolis were harldy ever eaten by us kids. And I bet the adults were secretly happy.
I am glad I am an adult now! I made pignolis last weekend and was so happy to make something that Jim could eat too as they are gluten-free!