Recipes
National Milk Chocolate Day
My Pandemic Porch Cocktail for National Milk Chocolate, July 28, day was a sour for two. Chocolate Lavender Sour 2 oz whiskey 3/4 oz creme de cacao 1/2 oz lavender simple syrup 1/2 oz lemon juice lemon peel lavender sprig In a shaker, combine whiskey, syrup, liqueur, and lemon juice . Shake…
Read MoreNational Lipstick Day
July 29 was National Lipstick Day, but due to stormy weather we had back porch Pandemic Cocktails. I always make two, but I share… Lipstick Cocktail 3/4 oz rum 3/4 oz creme de banana 1 1/3 oz milk or cream 1 1/3 oz grenadine Combine and shake with ice. Strain into tall glasses…
Read MoreNational Nothing Day
Okay, July 30 was National Cheesecake Day, but I was not inspired and it was hot and steamy. So, I made a refreshing Lemon Mint Fizz Serves 2 4 oz vodka 2 mint sprigs 1/4 cup simple syrup 2 lemon peels lemon seltzer lemon twist mint leaves Muddle the mint and lemon…
Read MoreNational Tequila Day
My Pandemic Porch Cocktails are inspired by National Days of the year. July 24 was National Tequila Day so I made a Watermelon Margarita. Recipe for 2 drinks 1/2 cup cold watermelon, pureed 2 oz blano tequila 1 tsp. agave syrup juice of 1/2 lime line zest and salt to rim the glass. …
Read MoreUnusual Times
The world as we knew it is over–at least temporarily. We’ve all been dealing with Covid-19 in various ways in these unusual times. I’ve been trying to keep on writing and researching, but get easily distracted with the news, changes in lifestyle, and helping others. When I wasn’t feeling creative I chose to bring…
Read MoreEpic Fail on the Buns
Instead of having a light and airy gluten free burger bun for my shrimp patties, I ended up with a product that looked like a wheat flat bread. I followed the recipe, but it still didn’t work. I consider that an epic fail as you can see by the pre-bake photo. They were an okay…
Read MoreThe Quest for Burger Buns
Let me start by saying my buns didn’t look like this on the inside. I was headed to one of my favorite burger places in Raleigh, Burger-Fi. But I knew I couldn’t have a traditional bun and was facing lettuce as a substitute. Now I don’t know who thinks that lettuce could ever replace a…
Read MoreFake Fries
This author’s Gluten-Free quest continued this weekend, but I wasn’t on the computer. One of the recipes I downloaded last week was for something called Panisse. They are what I call fake fries and are super popular in Provence, France and Italy. Panisses are made with chickpea flour, water, salt, and oil. The batter reminds…
Read MoreA New Food Journey
For the last four weeks I’ve been Gluten-Free (GF). Why? I have a problem called EOE and certain foods get stuck in my esophagus. So the allergist and other doctors suggested I try gluten free to see if I have a sensitivity. I have no food allergies so it’s not Celiac. It’s been really tough…
Read MoreSt. Valentine’s Day
In honor of St. Valentine’s Day I thought I would share some fun history on how it was celebrated on the frontier. Today Valentine’s Day is primarily considered a romantic couples holiday, but in the 1800s both private and public celebrations were held. Churches, lodges, hotels, and private individuals held St. Valentine’s Day parties.…
Read More