Operation #Cronut

By now the entire food world has heard of and salivated over a Cronut.  It’s a doughnut made from croissant dough, says Chef Dominique Ansel, owner of Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York’s SoHo district.  Now Chef Ansel is no flash in the pan; for many years he was Daniel Boulud’s pastry chef and if […]

An Acorn Did That?

  I finished my shower, toweled off then walked into the bedroom.  My wife’s eyes momentarily twinkled until she saw the baseball sized bruise on the left side of my chest, just above the third rib. “What on earth happened to you?” “Oh that? An acorn did that.” She shook her head and frowned.  “You’re […]

Flours for Amy

I love the aroma of butter and flour, eggs and sugar, gently mixed together then properly baked.  These four simple ingredients offer so much possibility, especially in the hands of my wife.  Breads and biscuits, cookies and cakes, scented with vanilla bean or cinnamon, orange or chocolate.  As a young culinary student she tempted me […]

Predict a Table

When my wife and I were in the restaurant business, there was nothing I wouldn’t do for press.  It was all about keeping our little place relevant and buzz worthy.  When April Fool’s Day was on the horizon I would go to great lengths to write a fictitious press release then attempt to get our […]

The Ice Pick

As my body vibrated with pain, Amy gripped my hand.   I was so racked and twisted by pain that it must have looked like a scene out of The Exorcist. The one where Linda Blair levitates off the table as the evil spirit practically tears her apart.  Amy later told me she was certain […]

Sex and Chocolate

2:45 AM.  Damnit.  I lie still and listen to Amy’s gentle breathing, and wonder if I can get out of bed without waking her.  This medicine has me getting up at least once a night and I’ve succeeded in waking her in the middle of the last 12 nights.  Maybe if I get out of […]

“Stop Licking That!”

  The house is quiet now.  Too quiet.  Amy and the kids have been gone for almost two hours, I’ve had my breakfast and now I’m back in bed trying to write.  And that’s when the licking starts.  Sometimes she licks her front paws, other times her bottom and sometimes it’s whatever piece of furniture […]

Random Facts

As requested by my friend and fellow author, KJ Waters.   I’ve had one ambulance ride and they didn’t even turn on the lights or sirens. I can remember pulling a chair up to the kitchen counter to help Mom cook. If there’s nasty weather (tornado watch/warning) in the evening’s forecast, I’ll go to bed […]

My 2nd Liebster Award

This one comes courtesy of my good friend KJ Waters.  KJ is the author of the upcoming mystery Stealing Time.  The Liebster is an informal award given to a blogger/writer as a sign of admiration and it comes with a significant cash award.  KJ has promised me that my check is in the mail. 1 […]

So How Did You Hurt Your Knee?

“Don’t go in there John!   The propane tanks are going to go off!” I hesitated.  Yeah, yeah, tell me all about the propane tanks now, some photographer he was.  The window panes shattered as the fire leaped from the building yet through the crackle of flames I distinctly heard the panicked “meows” from dozens of […]