Several posts ago I discussed my decision to take action about my weight and fitness levels after a near-disaster from taking Celebrex to manage my osteoarthritis pain. After two years of diet and exercise I lost 86 pounds, and then hit the dreaded plateau. My digital scale hung in limbo for… Read full post »

Let me open this with a shout-out to all the clients of our trainer, Irish Mike. There was a call for recipes from one of the gang so I thought I’d share…

This is my favorite after-workout soup; it’s fast, has a ton of flavor and it’s rehydrating after a… Read full post »

A couple of weeks ago I was having dinner out with a friend at Eleven Eleven Mississippi, an extremely nice restaurant here in St. Louis. We had the prix fixe menu and one of the items reintroduced me to a vegetable I hadn’t thought about in a while—spaghetti squash. Since I… Read full post »

Hrm…grilled cheese. Even though one tries to eat sensibly, sometimes you just gotta have it. There’s a true comfort level in Wonder Bread with cellophane-wrapped American slices browned in a cast-iron pan. Toastier is all the better to soak up the tomato soup.

That was fine when I was… Read full post »

It’s post-vacation letdown…I’ve been back a few weeks and have recovered from the last granules of jet lag. In November I treated myself to a trip to Lyon and Paris, France. It was a FANTASTIC vacation despite some glitches that could have been big problems:

Madrid Airport: I had… Read full post »

Pork Hocks with French Lentils

One of my early posts on this blog was all about braised beef shanks; I wrote poetically about how that dish is a wonderful cold-weather food that can be placed on the back burner of the stove (or in a slow cooker) and left for… Read full post »

I know it has looked as though I’ve abandoned my blog because my postings have fallen off dramatically. However—I have a very good reason.

In 2009 I made my pilgrimage trip to Barcelona and while there, I developed a case of plantar fasciitis in my right foot… Read full post »

You may recall that my last post was a rant about the price of “artisan” bread and a vow to try making my own baked goods. My first bread experiment was a brioche, which turned out nicely and I have quite a bit cubed up in the freezer awaiting use for… Read full post »

I have hit a wall.

The recent Salon.com column on a $1K box of “heirloom” vegetables on auction at Southby’s caused me to completely throw up my hands in consternation and declare, “I’m out”. This fad reverence of foodie-ism has gone as far as I care for it to go.… Read full post »

Maybe it’s because I’ve been attending a few underground dinners lately, but it’s my opinion that in terms of food-fashion, the tasting menu is becoming the new tapas.

This concept occurred to me when I was thinking about how I could reciprocate for an invitation from my fr… Read full post »

So, as you can guess, since this commentary is a two-parter that the action on the program wasn’t contained within an hour’s broadcast. Oh, no! Top Chef France fans get to enjoy their weekly fix for a roi-sized two and a half hours. Delicious, but I wasn’t prepared for that and… Read full post »

…same name, same logo, very different game!

There are a lot of things that people associate with a vacation in Paris but watching reality television probably isn’t one of the most common. Truth is, I’m a student of media as well as a rabid foodie so when in France, I like… Read full post »

January. Time to find something fun to do to beat cabin fever. I thought about taking another cooking class so I hit the Web site for our local culinary school, L’Ecole Culinaire. LEC has a public (non-degree) program called “Kitchens with a Mission”, offering classes in core skills… Read full post »

I have to admit to a certain amount of apprehension about including Barcelona on last year’s trip. Truth to tell, I’ve heard both good and bad reviews of this city over the years and though I was curious, I also had some trepidation. I don’t speak much Spanish and only became… Read full post »

The Vieux Nice market has such a charm that it’s difficult to describe in words. Our shopping day started with us walking through the flower section to the herb vendor. On my past visit I was enthralled with it; the scent of all the fresh and dried herbs is the kind… Read full post »

Springtime usually makes me think of a week in Paris, savoring delightful early vegetables and fruits and enjoying the city way ahead of the tourist crowds of “the season”. The weather’s usually a little wet but agreeable. Vacation rentals are still on reduced pricing. And, the wait… Read full post »

When arctic winds hit St. Louis mid-season and slushy snow accumulates on the streets, my first instinct is to huddle by the fireplace with a mug of hot tea and a good book. But I also think it’s the perfect time to invite friends over for food that is simple, nourishing… Read full post »