Over the years, before the era of e-mails and social media, there were traditional postcards sent to us by family members and friends. From my personal collection, here is a sample from the seventies and eighties from Czechoslovakia and Hungary, and from the nineties from Slovakia.
These are not your usual chocolate chip cookies. These are more like truffles, rich and moist inside with a delicate crust outside. You will need a lot of chocolate but you won’t regret it. I first saw the recipe just the other day on my friend Kathleen’s wonderful blog Nurturing Life, and because I was in the mood of baking that afternoon, gave it a try. I was very much pleased with the result and anyone to whom I gave these cookies – to a few co-workers at my and my husband’s workplaces – agreed that they are the most […]
“Most people are mirrors, reflecting the moods and emotions of the times; few are windows, bringing light to bear on the dark corners where troubles fester. The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.” — Sydney J. Harris
Did you know that latkes have a Middle Eastern origin? They are an Ashkenazic Hanukkah specialty, but of course could be eaten at any time of the year. They are “truly marvelous and a good way to start any meal, or to accompany roasted beef” says Yotam Ottolenghi in his cookbook Jerusalem written with his friend Sami Tamimi.
Before all the blues and whites are gone from our garden and the neighborhood, here is a small sampling of these beauties. Asian pear flowers, bluebells, trillium, blue violets, more Asian pears, blue periwinkle ground-cover, our plum tree tucked in between two houses, forget-me-not, and my absolute favorite – poet white daffodil.
When does anyone who works full time have the time to make a sweet breakfast – like baking scones – from scratch? On a Sunday morning, for example. And even though making scones is an easy baking skill, the luxury of not feeling rushed is very beneficial to your well-being.