Springtime, Downtime and a Taste of Things to Come

Spring has sprung here in my world, and with it comes a fresh breeze, a change of living spaces, and a new focus to my blog.
Hey, folks–it is a post that is not about food. Well, not entirely, anyway.
Spring is here and with it comes a fresh spurt of creative energy, a change in living […]

What a Crock!

So, I bought this crockpot to use during the Chili Cookoff as a warming device.
I never really figured I’d cook in it much; I never much liked the way a lot of crockpot recipes turned out back in the day when they had little cutesy mushrooms screen printed on the sides in the ever so […]

My Precious

Sichuan Peppercorns. Notice the tiny black seeds which are very gritty and the presence of some twiggy bits which are not really edible.
No, it is not a ring.
(Though, I have to say, my jade and gold wedding ring rocks most bodaciously.)
My most best beloved flavor, my precious, is my hoard of Sichuan peppercorns.
Xanthoxylum piperitum.
Fagara. Hua […]

Spice Girl: She Who Must Be Stopped

This is a partial view of my spice cabinet. This is one sixth of it–there are three shelves total, twice as wide as what is shown in this picture.
So, I am still packing–that is a big surprise, I know. And I am on the phone with a friend, discussing putting together a series of lessons […]

Never Again the Beans

So, I am packing. Packing, packing, packing. Boxes, boxes, tape, newspapers, styrofoam peanuts (which were leftover from the last move, three years ago), and markers make up my days and nights. I dream of boxes, tape, and more boxes, then wake up flailing and screaming, “Where did the goddamned marker go?”
And then I get up […]