Why Ghee Is Good

During the month of October, I will be participating in the Write 31 Days hosted by Crystal Stine. My category is Food, Health & Wellness and my theme is "Into The Kitchen". 



Ghee has been around for literally thousands of years. Before there was refrigeration, saturated fats were difficult to keep on hand and if you weren't getting enough fat in your meat, you could starve to death. You need fat to be able to absorb other nutrients. Ghee was key to solving this problem. It could be made and stored for long periods of time.

I touched on Ghee briefly in my post on oils. One reason it is a popular fat for cooking is it's comparatively higher smoke point. This is because the lactose and the caseins have been removed. 

Which is better, butter or Ghee? While butter isn't necessarily bad for you, there are more health benefits associated with Ghee:

• It is lactose friendly. Many people bothered by lactose can eat Ghee with no problems. Always check with your health care provider to be sure.
  
• Since it needs no refrigeration Ghee will keep for a long time at room temperature in a sealed container stored in a dark place.
  
• It promotes flexibility which is why many yoga practitioners consume it.
  
• Rich in vitamins A, D, E and K which promote brain health and boost your immune system.
  
• It lowers cholesterol by triggering secretion of biliary lipids.
  
• It aids in weight loss because it contains cancer-fighting fatty acids called conjugated linolenic acid (CLA).
  
• It has a higher smoke point than other cooking fats.

Ghee also has many uses. It can be used in place of regular butter to spread on bread or melt over vegetables, for sautéing, and in place of other oils in baking.

Ghee can be a bit pricey in the stores, but you can make your own Ghee at home. What you need is about a pound of unsalted butter (I used salted and it worked just fine), a medium-sized sauce pan, some cheese cloth and a dish or jars to strain the Ghee into.

Melt butter over low heat. It will form a foam on the surface. Soon it will begin to boil like water. Watch it carefully, you don't want it to burn. You may gently skim off this foam, being careful not to get the yellow butter. You don't have to get it all as you will be straining it later. It will continue to boil off the water, and form a second foam. At this point, all the water has been evaporated and you are left with pure fat or Ghee.

After it has cooled for a few minutes, then strain it through several layers of cheese cloth. You may then pour it into a one pint mason jar and seal. After a short time, you should hear the jar pop, or seal. Store in a dark place at room temperature. This is how I made mine.

Home-made Ghee is a very good, in-depth article on the history and uses of Ghee, and detailed instructions on how to make it.

Have you ever made Ghee? If so, how did it turn out for you? If not, now you have what you need to give it a try.


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Who Ever Has Enough Kitchen Gadgets?

During the month of October, I will be participating in the Write 31 Days hosted by Crystal Stine. My category is Food, Health & Wellness and my theme is "Into The Kitchen". 



Aside from the normal microwave, coffee makers and toasters what do you use in the kitchen that saves you time and simplifies your life? 

If you ever have browsed through a kitchen shop or the kitchen section in a department store, you've probably seen that there is a gadget for just about everything from slicing your eggs to hulling strawberries, from lemon and lime squeezers to that little thingamajig you have no idea what it does. Some are useful, but you could easily end up with drawers full and cupboards bulging and still not have exactly what you need. I agree with Alton Brown and advocate multi-use items in my kitchen.

My favorite kitchen accessories that I consider essential are:

Food Processor
One of the most debated-on purchases, but I do use it regularly for cake batter, grating cheese, making rum balls (grinding/chopping vanilla wafers and pecans), shrimp burgers, black bean soup and more.

Immersion Blender (multi-functional)
I have a Braun immersion blender that has a separate chopper function and a whip attachment. I use it mainly for pureeing diced tomatoes for soup, and chopping small amounts of nuts for pies, etc.

Chef's Knives
It goes without saying how valuable a good chef's knife is. A sharp knife is an asset to every kitchen. I can slice potatoes thinner than my mandolin.

Food Saver vacuum sealer
I buy food on sale and vacuum seal it for the freezer. (More on this in another post.)

A good set of tongs (or three)
I have two spring-loaded tongs that latch closed when you're not using them. Plus I have a set of silicon tipped tongs that won't scratch my pans.

Vegetable peeler
Mainly used to peel carrots and potatoes, it is also useful for making vegetable shreds for salads or stir fry.

Wooden spoons and silicon spatulas
I use a lot of non-stick pots and pans, so these get used a lot in my kitchen.

Pizza stone and peel
I make homemade pizza every couple weeks and these are as essential as the ingredients themselves.

Breadboard
I use the breadboard for making my pizza dough. I will do a separate post on pizza making.

Waffle iron
I have had my waffle maker for nearly 30 years. I love waffles for breakfast or dinner. Add some bacon and it is a quick, easy meal that satisfies.

Pastry blender 
While I have used this for it's traditional use, my pastry blender is mostly used for making egg salad. It gives me the coarse texture I like, not mushy or big chunks.

Crockpot/Slow Cooker
This is an essential item in many kitchens, and one I don't utilize nearly enough. I keep saying I want to plan more crockpot meals, but the key word for me is planning. Right Laura?

Most of my gadgets are basic needs for every day cooking. As far as single-use gadgets go, I have an egg separator which I rarely use. I got rid of my garlic press because it didn't work well, and my knife does everything I need to do.

Calling all cooks, what are some of your must-haves in the kitchen? Do you have any specialty, single-use tools that you consider essential?




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Which Oil Should I Use?

During the month of October, I will be participating in the Write 31 Days hosted by Crystal Stine. My category is Food, Health & Wellness and my theme is "Into The Kitchen". 

Oil? Is it good, bad or a necessary evil? Back in the 1990s everything was coming up fat-free and that was a big selling point. Just prior to the onslaught of fat-free everything, I read in Prevention Magazine that you could lose weight by cutting fat. They gave a chart that listed your (desired) weight and how many grams of fat you were allowed in a day to reach your goal. I followed it, faithfully, and it worked. 

Do you know why? By reducing the fat in my diet, I was also reducing the calories. There are many diets that claim success if you cut fat or carbs or sweets (yes, I know sugar is a carb, but I'm differentiating between a candy bar and a plate of pasta).

So just how good or bad is fat? Our bodies need a certain amount of fat to function properly. The good fats, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated, are healthy and required by our bodies. They build cell membranes and are needed for blood clotting and muscle movement. They also give us energy, protect our organs and help keep us warm, too. Since our bodies don't manufacture them, it is essential we get them from our diet. Below is a list of good fat sources.

Monounsaturated fats:
Nuts
Avocado
Canola oil
Olive oil
Safflower oil
Sunflower oil
Peanut oil and butter
Sesame oil

Polyunsaturated fats:
Walnuts
Sunflower seed
Flax seed/flax oil
Fish, such as salmon, mackerel, herring, albacore tuna, and trout
Corn oil
Soybean oil
Safflower oil

Then there are the less good and really bad fats. The less good fat, which is probably more controversial than the rest, is saturated fat. Long thought to be linked with heart disease, saturated fats are found in dairy products like whole milk and cheese, coconut oil and red meat and bacon fat. Research continues into saturated fat debate and what is good one day is bad the next and vice versa, and you can find data to back up whichever side of the fence you're on.

Trans fat, which many of us grew up eating, is deemed to be the worst fat and is not considered safe in any amount. Trans fat is formed when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil to make it more solid. Look for the words "partially hydrogenated oil" on the label.

While much of it has been eliminated from our food sources, you should double check such foods as crackers, biscuits, margarine, doughnuts, cakes and frostings, and of course, fast food products. 

I freely admit that I eat, within moderation, from three of the four fat groups and I'm sure a tiny bit of trans fat creeps in unnoticed. I do not offer any advice, health-wise, on which fats you should eat or avoid, except the evil trans fat. 

However, I can help with the cooking part. Not all oils or fats are equal when heat is applied. Smoke point is a term that refers to the temperature at which an oil begins to smoke. Interestingly, butter has the lowest smoke point of 200°-250°F, while Ghee, which is a product of butter, has the highest at around 485°F. That is because Ghee is butter that has had the proteins and sugars removed. 

It is important to remember that there is a difference between frying (also known as deep-frying) and sauteing. When frying foods you should choose an oil that has a smoke point of 400° or higher. For pan sautéing, fats such as butter and olive oil will be fine.

*Common cooking oils and their smoke points Fahrenheit:
Butter  200°-250°
Coconut (extra virgin) 350°
Vegetable  360°
Olive (extra virgin)  375°
Canola  400°
Peanut  450°
Ghee  485°

*This information will vary by information source.

What do I use? 

For baking I use either vegetable oil or butter, depending on the recipe. I usually sauté with olive oil or butter, but sometimes use coconut oil or bacon fat, again depending on what I am cooking. Unless you are deep frying or cooking over very high heat, it is a matter of personal taste and/or dietary needs.

The bottom line is we need some fat in our diets, and let's face it folks, fat tastes good. So choose your fats, get into the kitchen and cook up something tasty.



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Food For Thought

This is Day 19 of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Today's prompt is Your favorite meal. Please visit the other participants for more stories.

Wow, I think this is the hardest prompt yet. I can't write about my favorite meal because I can't pick just one. So I'll try and categorize some of my favorites - in no particular order.

Most Anticipated: Pizza. I make homemade pizza about every other weekend.

Biggest Yum Factor: Grilled Skirt or Flatiron steak with a simple sauce of olive oil, garlic, parsley and anchovies, always served with potatoes.

Comfort Food: Macaroni and Cheese with Hatch chile peppers.

Favorite Vegetarian dish: White beans and rice with caramelized onions.

Favorite Seafood (at home): Grilled Salmon tied with Maple Soy Salmon, always served with potatoes.

Favorite Meal Out: Crab Legs or really any seafood meal along the coast.

I realize these aren't all complete meals, but the "with-its" vary depending on what I have on hand, and as always, potatoes make everything better.


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Tuesday Wines, Wednesday Chores

This is Day 13 of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Today's prompt is The day after last night. Please visit the other participants for more stories.

This topic could conjure up all sorts of tales from the truly bizarre to the painfully mundane. Last night was fun but definitely not bizarre, and today leans more toward the mundane.

The third Tuesday of each month is our wine club meeting (American Wine Society). We are currently meeting in a private room in a downtown restaurant, where many of us have dinner first. 

After dinner, we began with a half hour social where we chatted with friends, talking about our cats, the weather and the dreadful parking situation. 

During the meeting, Sara Gutterbock, from Mutual Distributing Co., gave a delightful and educational presentation of Ancient Wines for Modern Times, and we tasted two whites and three reds, all from Italy, as she talked in detail about the varietals, history, locations, and ideal growing conditions for each. 

These were not your run-of-the-mill grocery store wines, not that there is anything wrong with that. That's where most of mine come from, but many of these varietals are rarely found outside their region. For the whites we had a blend of 25% Pinot Blanco, 25% Pinot Grigio and 60% Tocai Friulano (now called Tai) and a 100% Garganega Soave Classico. For the reds, the first was a blend of  90% Monica, 5% Carigano, and 5% Bovale Sardo, followed by two single-grape wines, Nerello Cappuccio and Uva di Troia.

We sampled the wines with a variety of cheese, crackers and salami that complemented the wines, which were all available for order. We enjoyed them all, and ordered some for ourselves.

As for the day after, it begins with watching Netflix and writing this post while hubby has breakfast with a group of amateur radio enthusiasts. Then comes the more mundane task of hand-washing all the tasting glasses from last night, unloading the dishwasher and a host of other daily chores. 

Rumble, rumble, thump -there goes the garbage truck. The recycle truck will be along later -then we'll haul the bins back to the house. The neighbors across the street have a large piece of trench-digging equipment at work in their yard. It is 26 degrees, and I don't envy those working outside as we anticipate the onset of snow showers this afternoon.

Yep, just another Wednesday...the day after Tuesday night.



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Got Mussels?

Since everyone loved my (non-compensated) review of Phillips Maryland-Style Crab Cakes so much, I thought I would bring you another new-found seafood favorite of mine - straight from your grocer's freezer.

I would like to introduce you to Pier 33 Gourmet Mussels in Butter Garlic Sauce.

Not all frozen seafood is created equal, and not all of it is good. I've eaten mussels from many restaurants and there were some winners and losers there, too. 

Why, you ask, would I suddenly buy frozen mussels? Well, I'm a frugal shopper and avid seafood lover, so when I saw them on a buy-one-get-one-free sale, I said, why not, and grabbed a package.

Within a day or so, those little fellows were in a pot getting ready for a prime-time performance as an appetizer. To prepare you simply cut open the package and empty the contents into a large lidded pot and heat on high for 8-10 minutes and presto, you have a bowl of steaming mussels in a yummy sauce. 

We complimented them on their performance by quickly reducing them to a pile of empty shells.  They had good flavor and texture, and were tender and grit-free. 

Pier 33 Gourmet Mussels are pre-cooked and pasteurized and contain no unpronounceable ingredients. Mussels are also high in protein, Omega 3, Vitamin C, and Iron.

We gave them two thumbs up, and I went back and got two more packages while they were still on sale. They retail for around $4.99, and you get about two dozen per package.

Mussel Trivia: Did you know that the orange mussel meats are females and the white mussel meats are males?



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Not Just Another Day!

February 18th is:

National Drink Wine Day

Cheers!

National Crab-stuffed Flounder Day

National Battery Day

Ash Wednesday

But most importantly

It is Hubby's birthday!

A great big Happy Birthday to my hubby!

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Steamed

This is day 19 of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Please join me as we share a month of reading, writing and discovery. Today's topic is Steamed.

Image Source: Bkt Tinggi BBQ

Steamed seafood is a favorite of mine.  There was a place on the beach in Florida that we used to go to for their steamed mussels. It was across the street from the Gulf, perched on the bank of the intracoastal. The view was fantastic and the mussels were equally as good.

We would sit by the window and order a bowl of mussels and a couple glasses of chardonnay.  This was accompanied by their delicious bread and butter. Yum! 

Sadly they closed, and even though they reopened a few years later in another location, it was not the same. I continue to order mussels but I haven't found any to compare to those.

On another note, I was a little steamed yesterday when a bottle of olive oil slipped through an opening in my cart and broke at my feet, dousing my shoes and jeans.  Ugh!

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Quote of the Week

This is day 16 of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Please join me as we share a month of reading, writing and discovery. Today's topic is 10 Years Ago, I was probably ___.

A friend may be waiting behind a stranger's face.
 ― Maya Angelou, Letter to My Daughter

The year was 2005, we had just gotten through 15 months of insanity where hubby traveled on business 2-3 weeks at a time.

I happened to read a small ad in the newspaper about a new wine shop that had opened up near us. We weren't all that much into wine at the time, due mostly to lack of knowledge and places that held tastings.

That was about to change...but that's not all that changed. We started going to the wine tastings on Saturday afternoons, and it was not only educational, it was a social thing. The owners formed a chapter of the American Wine Society which we joined.

There were wine dinners, live music and later Friday night get togethers at the wine shop. Unfortunately the local business was not enough to sustain them, and they had to close the shop. On the last of these gatherings we decided that we wanted to keep this going, so now we get together about once a month, bringing food and wine to share. We've been doing this for nearly 8 years. We have had dinners, taken trips, had parties, gone to weddings and rang in the New Year. 

A number of us even attend the same church now.  All because I saw this one little ad in the newspaper. Was it fate, karma? I don't know, but I don't think it was just chance. Whatever the reason, I'm grateful for and value all these friendships tremendously.
 
So what was I doing 10 years ago?  A lot less.  Cheers!


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Winter Comfort Food

This is day two of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Please join me as we share a month of reading, writing and discovery.  Today's topic is Favorite Winter Comfort Food.

Wow, who knew such a simple, straightforward topic would be so challenging?  There are a number of foods which fall into the category of "my favorites" and/or "comfort food", but they are not categorized by season. In fact, there are very few foods or dishes that I consider strictly seasonal.  It is not taboo for me to make soup in the summer or eat ice cream in the winter. 

When I think of comfort food, I think of dishes like mac and cheese, a plate of potato hash, a burger, pizza or anything with bacon, none of which I would relegate to the winter months.

That which comes closest to fulfilling both the winter and comfort requirements would be pecan pie. I only make this around Christmas and it is my favorite pie. While it is obviously food, and I only make it in the winter, it seems odd to call it my favorite winter comfort food.

What are some of your favorite winter and/or comfort dishes?









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Class of 1943

Today would have been Mom's 89th birthday. Seventy-one years ago she graduated from the Mattanawcook Academy. The academy was founded in 1847 as Lincoln High School. The name was changed to Mattanawcook Academy in 1850.  Today it is part of Regional School Unit No. 67, which includes Mattanawcook Junior High School, and Ella P. Burr Elementary School.

Here are some facts and other tidbits about her home town.

Lincoln was a small town with a population (according to the 1940 census) of 3,653, and the major business in the area centered around sawmills along the Penobscot River and the pulp and paper mill.  Mom's younger brother worked for a while in the paper mill, and if you have ever smelled a paper mill in production, it is not a scent you will forget.

As of the 2010 census, Lincoln had a population of 5,085 and having increased less than 1,500 in 70 years, it is still a small town.

Every area has their signature food, and a favorite of mine is the New England staple...Bean Hole Beans.  These are absolutely a treat.  First dig a big hole and build a fire.  Then take a cast iron pot with a lid (I have one of these), fill with beans, salt pork (or bacon), onions, dry mustard and molasses.  Bury the pot in the pit of coals and wait...8-10 hours later you will have a delicious pot of beans. I remember Mom telling me about eating bean hole bean sandwiches for breakfast.

Above and beyond the bean hole beans, the food that brings me a sigh squeal of delight is fried clams, preferably those found at clam shacks along the beaches.  Others may favor the oohed-and-aahed-over Maine lobster, but give me a plate of fried clams (whole or strips) dressed only in salt, and I am one happy camper.

These are from the Sea Hag in Florida.

On rare occasion you can actually get good fried clams somewhere other than New England. While these aren't quite the same, they are a good substitute.

Along with the good comes the not-so-good.  Black Flies.  If you live or have visited in the northern states in the summer, you know about Black Flies. They bite, but even more irritating to me is the swarming around your face. They are tiny, a 16th of an inch or less, and they can get in your eyes, so you are constantly swatting them away.

While doing research for this post, I found a list of residents buried at the South Lincoln Maine Cemetery, also known as the Mohawk Cemetery.  A number of my relatives are buried there, including my grandparents, great grandparents and uncles.  There is an old wrought iron fence around the cemetery, and at the gate there is (or was) a water spigot for visitors to get water for the flowers.

There is a lot more to the State of Maine and the Town of Lincoln, but these are a few of the things with which I have a personal connection.  For anyone interested, there is more information at their web site Welcome to Lincoln.

I miss thee, my Mother! Thy image is still
The deepest impressed on my heart.
- Eliza Cook

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Links to pictures and more info are in bold.

Pizza Pizza!

It is day 21 of the Third Second Annual 30 Minus 2 Days of Writing challenge hosted by Nicky and Mike at We Work for Cheese and today's prompt is Yes, I made that.  Head on over to WWFC to see what the other participants have cooked up.

Who doesn't love pizza?  I always look forward to pizza night, which is usually every other weekend. There are a number of places nearby that would be happy to deliver us the semi-hot pizza of our choice for $9.99 or whatever is the deal of the day.

However, according to my husband, the best pizza doesn't require a phone call, an internet connection or a tip for the driver.  The best pizza place is our own kitchen.

Yes, I made that.

Start with a ball of homemade dough, add sauce, cheese and your favorite toppings and bake. Then sit back with your favorite beverage and lose yourself in the deliciousness that is pizza. This is my favorite, pepperoni and onion.

Lest you think I do it all, it is a team effort.  Hubby takes it out of the oven, slices it and serves it up.  

Gouda

Image Source:  Antwelm

Today is the first day of the Third Second Annual 30 Minus 2 Days of Writing challenge hosted by Nicky and Mike at We Work for Cheese and we are starting off in a traditional cheesy fashion. Today's prompt is Gouda.

Now we all know Gouda.  He's a cheesy fellow whose ancestors hail from Holland, but he's easy going and doesn't mind it when things get dicey or somebody takes a slice off him. Nope, shredded or smoked, he always brings something good to the party.  

The one thing that does offend him is when we mispronounce his name. That's right, here in this country we call him goo-da or goo-duh. Before we send him into a complete meltdown, we should remember that he is a foreign visitor here and afford him the courtesy of pronouncing his name the way he's used to.

Listen to the Dutch Pronunciation of Gouda.  That's better!

Some Gouda facts: 

• Gouda is more of a style of cheese than a kind of cheese.

• It's taste is dependent upon how long it is aged.

• It is aged between 4 weeks (young, which is typically served on sandwiches either cold or melted), and up 12 months or longer.  These old Goudas are often served with strong pale beers or Port wine.

• It is the oldest recorded cheese still made today.

• It is not restricted, meaning that it is not required to be made in Gouda to be called Gouda, unlike Parmigiano-Reggiano which has a protected designation of origin and can only be made in certain regions of Italy. 

Now go and see what cheesy treats the other participants have cooked up.

The Fluffernutter

This was my lunch the other day.  Hopefully the nutrition in the peanut butter offset the empty calories of the marshmallow creme - a gooey layer of carbs and sugar slathered on a slice of white bread.

The Fluffernutter was a phrase coined in 1960 for the peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich.  Marshmallow Creme (also known as Marshmallow Fluff) was credited to several inventors Emma and Amory Curtis in 1913 and Archibald Query in 1917, both from Massachusetts.  During World War I Emma Curtis created a recipe using peanut butter and marshmallow creme on white bread, which she then sold to Durkee-Mower Inc.  They changed the name to Marshmallow Fluff, which paved the way for today's Fluffernutter.  It soon gained popularity and has been proposed as the official state sandwich of Massachusetts.

The Fluffernutter is still most popular in New England, so what is a Southern gal doing eating one?  My Mom was from Maine and she would occasionally make them for lunch as an alternative to the many, many bologna sandwiches I ate.

Now that I've admitted it, who else enjoys a Fluffernutter?

Is it a Blintz or a Crepe?

It is day 14 of the 30 minus 2 days of writing hosted by Nicky and Mike of We Work For Cheese. Today's prompt is "Where can I find a good blintz". Visit Nicky's post to see who's still hanging in, and where they go for a blintz.

This is the Sweet Sage Cafe in North Reddington Beach, FL.  We found this place last fall, and from the road it looks like a tiny little place, but there's plenty of seating inside plus a gift shop chock full of souvenirs, jewelry and pretty knickknacks.

The patio is even more quaint with signs, decorations and figurines everywhere.  They are open for breakfast, brunch and lunch, and the food is very good.

I'd never had crepes before.  I know you're asking how could anyone not have had crepes.  I like to try new things, especially while I'm on vacation, so when I spotted them on the menu I jumped at the opportunity.  I chose the banana & coconut, and they were warm with creamy filling and tasty toppings.  Hubby and I split this for breakfast.

Now from what I've read there is very little difference between crepes and blintzes.  However, since these are crepes, I can't tell you where to get a good blintz.  But I can tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed my first crepes, and highly recommend them, and the Sweet Sage Cafe.  It would be a lovely place for a Valentine's Day Brunch...if it just weren't so far away.

The Waiting

I sit and wait.  The waiting becomes unbearable.  I wonder will my suffering never end?  Suddenly I hear a deep rumbling growl.  Startled, I look around...nothing.  Tick, tick, tick.  I hear the clock slowly, painfully clicking off the seconds one by one.  Just when I think I can't take another minute - Ding!  Pizza!

Written for Friday Flash 55.

Got Doughnuts?

Picture this scenario.  Tina and Ryan are lounging in front of the TV watching a Food Network marathon when Tina yawns and says "you know what would be good right now?"  Ryan stands and stretches.  "Well, we just watched 3 hours of food shows, so I'd be surprised if you're not hungry."  

"You got that right!"  

"So, what do you want?  Are you having a Big Mac attack or is the piece de resistance a bucket of the Colonel's chicken?"

"Nope.  Do you remember where we used to go late at night after hours of old movies?  That last show reminded me."

"Let's see, the last show was about a family of immigrant bakers.  You want bread?"

"No, silly, doughnuts.  More specifically, Krispy Kreme doughnuts.  A chocolate covered, creme filled piece of pure deliciousness - and a large diet Coke, please.

Image source:  Steve Jurvetson

Now as I reside in the Krispy Kreme capital of the world, there is some measure of reality here.  

I remember as a teen going to a pajama party (I think the current term is sleepover) and the girl's dad worked 2nd shift.  When he got off work, he took a half dozen wound up teenage girls to Krispy Kreme for doughnuts at 2 a.m.  What a treat!

On another occasion, before we were married, hubby and I went and got a fresh hot dozen of the classic glazed doughnuts after some late night TV.  Now I think they close at 11:00.

This was written for Write on Edge.  This weeks prompt was to write a fiction or creative non-fiction piece in which a local or regional item or industry plays a role.  I chose to honor Krispy Kreme for 75 years of making the best in doughnuts and memories.

Learning to Eat

Written for the 30-day creative writing challenge hosted by Nicky and Mike of We Work For Cheese.  It is day 28 of the writing challenge and those who are still standing will be weighing in with today's prompt, the turning point.  Check out the Linky at WWFC to turn on to some great writing.

Today's prompt is the turning point.  That should be an easy topic to write on, right?  We've all had at least one, and probably many smaller, less significant ones.  So what is a turning point?  I found this definition:  When an action or an event takes a turn for the better or for the worse, or changes direction.  This could mean getting or losing a job, getting married or divorced, moving out or moving in, among other things.

Dinner at Waltz

I've experienced all but one of those, but perhaps a more significant turning point was food related.  I learned to eat!  No, not really, but it seemed that way.  My Mom was a great cook and everything she put on the table was delicious, however as a kid I didn't always like it and if I didn't like it (or thought I didn't like it) I didn't have to eat it.  My father was not an adventurous eater, and so Mom's repertoire was limited.  After fixing something once that he didn't care for, she vowed not to serve that to him again.

So I entered adulthood still thinking Mexican food came from Taco Bell, and wouldn't dream of eating Chinese, Japanese, Indian, (real) Mexican, German, or any of the other cuisines I now enjoy.

Then, when I was in my mid 20s, enter my boyfriend, who is now my husband.  He liked all these things and more, and wanted more than just meat and potatoes.  He took me to a Mexican restaurant called Casa Galliardo's, and that was the beginning of my conversion.

Before that going out meant seafood or steak.  With my newly discovered taste buds, I even became more experimental with seafood, and pretty much if it swims, I'll at least try it.  Well done steak - forget it!  I've eaten crawfish and alligator, and tasted kangaroo and ostrich.  I found I like spicy foods too...who knew?  Indian and Thai, bring it on.  Jerk and Cajun, yum!  Our most recent discovery is a lovely little authentic Greek restaurant. 

That was definitely was a major turning point which has made for some really delicious meals.  We like to say that we vacation for food because we like to check out all the local specialties.  So I say thank you to my husband for broadening my culinary horizons.

Waltz Seafood at John's Pass

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks for everything that makes our lives special.

Here are some of the things I am thankful for:

My husband

My friends

My cats

Good food

Wine 

Diet beverages

Being safe and warm in my house

Being able to buy groceries

Dining out

Summer days

Going to the beach

My sense of smell

My health

Exercise

My leaf blower

Electricity

Being loved

Clouds

Sunlight

Evening strolls

The freedom to be myself

Wishing everyone a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!