Midwestern Caviar Growing up in South Dakota, I never had real caviar. For me, that was something that was told about in books from far away places. Maybe it would be served at very fancy parties in big cities. Midwesterners like their mustard. A large portion of the population can trace their roots back to […]
Above and beyond Life as a Bon Vivant, well for me anyways, includes learning all about food and wine. How to best pair them together, how the grapes are grown and even enjoying a cigar in the vines. I am excited to share with you some of my favorite elevated wine experiences in the Texas […]
First half of the year in review I love cookbooks. Cookbooks are my addiction, my kryptonite if you will. At one point I had collected over 500 cookbooks since 1988. In 2019, when we were relocating to Texas, I paired down to my top 50. Those cookbooks all have a place in this food bloggers […]
Roasting Cruciferous Vegetables There is something so lovely about roasting veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and of course, cauliflower. I love roasting a whole head of cauliflower. A whole roasted head of cauliflower makes the meal feel extra special. When the TV show, The Chew, was still on ABC, Clinton Kelly prepared a beautiful […]
When you google the definition of bon vivant, you will find it is derived from the French adjective for “good living”. When I first heard the term bon vivant, it was back in the early 2000s. I had recently moved to Longmeadow MA and was looking for connections. This group of women gathered together four […]
I can’t believe I did it Ok. I know this makes me sound old, but I am not a fan of TikTok or its “food trends”. Some things, like the fake coke, burn my biscuits. I feel like it makes cooking real food with real methods and ingredients irrelevant, but honestly a lot of it […]
Do you want to throw a party but you don’t want to be responsible for all of the food and drink? No problem! I have a few tips and tricks to help you organize your neighborhood block party, or a Potluck in your backyard. Set expectations There’s a saying, “if you don’t set an expectation, […]
A lot of people only think of salad as being veggies. Maybe throwing some cheese on top. The traditional panzanella salad from Italy uses stale bread combined with tomatoes and onions. While that is a lovely dish, this version is more of a meal. This salad was first introduced to me by my friend Jenna. […]
A Great Side Dish for a Potluck When I went to see my local farmer, Bradley from Hat & Heart Farm, he had some beautiful fennel available. I tend to think of fennel as a fall vegetable due to its anise like flavor. Why not try it in a more summer flavor forward salad? I […]
If you’ve been following me for any time, you know, I love a good theme! I am all in from matching paper goods, hats, naming drinks to fit the theme, all the things you can imagine that are themeable, if that is even a word. I am going to share with you some movie nights […]