Category Archives: Uncategorized

I have it from good authority (your mother, who we saw off on her great trip from LA) that you read this blog from time to time.  I was wondering if you have any recipes or recipe ideas from all the far-flung countries you’ve traveled to or lived in.

Jen speaks many languages and one we shared in our apartamento is called Averna, but that was just to get through the CNN Worldwide videos of the Clinton/Lewinsky hearings.

Seriously, she speaks fluent Russian and by now probably Japanese and other languages.  Is there anything you can recommend for us here in the States?  Is there anything we’ve taken over that we’re doing badly?  Any response from my step-sister would be welcome, at dee@cookingwithdee.net.  That’s private.  If you want public, respond to the blog directly.  xoxo

Best to your Jim.  Look forward to seeing you soon.  Your Mom looks great and is happy to be traveling again.  Cheers!  Dee

Regello Oil

Today I was asked to take a taste of bread with extra virgin olive oil.  Turns out the lady owns the olive grove, it’s in the same town where I went to cooking school, and her husband, a retired Physics professor, taught my husband in college.  I hope to cook for her in Italy as soon as we can get back there.  Only local ingredients, of course.

Her extra virgin olive oil can be found at amiciitalianimports.com.  Sorry, the insert function didn’t work and I don’t know my html.  Her name is Carolyn and she’s a lovely lady.  I promised I wouldn’t cook with it and only use it for salad and other non-heated items.  Dee

ps I just saw it and it’s not a great shot.  Not even a good one, sorry.  It’s Amici and she wrote “To Dee, buon appetito, Carolyn.”

New Kids

Little girl on the left (the stronger of the two), and uncleaned little boy on the right. Contented mama, congratulations! Thanks to Margie for the photo. Dee

Josh Groban, yesterday en route 3/4 mile home from the grocery store. Noel brought me to tears. It’s never taken until the 21st of December to reduce me to a puddle of tears. Once a year, usually right after Thanksgiving. Perhaps I’m becoming more hard-hearted. I certainly hope that’s not the case. Thanks for believing in me, Santa and all good things. Dee

Over Thanksgiving weekend Jim’s father Joe ate quiche. One with bacon, one with ham. Pre-baked crust, vegetable or meat, cheese (Fontina) and custard and we were good to go.

Last weekend I gave Margie two new removable bottom quiche pans knowing that she’ll find lots of uses for leftovers that would be enhanced by cheese, milk, eggs and pastry. Put those ingredients on cardboard and I’d eat it!

btw, one egg sets one cup milk or half-and-half or cream. Cook, cook, never enough cooking. Dee

It’s late at night, Steve, and I’m hearing the trains come in about 1/4 mile away. I hear the horns and the wheels on the tracks as sometimes during winter months they sound like they’re right next door.

I’m sure Jim could explain to us the atmospheric conditions we’re experiencing, as that’s what he’s good at. I just like hearing the trains. Many years ago Johnny Cash wrote a song about trains. That’s what got him to sing at Folsom prison: that wonderful concert.

The sounds make me think of olden days when rail was the preferred mode of travel. I know it’s still yours. Hey, next time we visit will you show us your train room? I don’t think I’ve seen it since Jim mapped out your overhead tracks seven years ago.

Thanks, Steve. Merry Christmas! Dee and Jim

I’ve been running around like a maniac! Didn’t like the bowl I picked for trifle yesterday (still don’t know which recipe I’m choosing) so got a nice one at a good price but now can’t get the sticky label off it, even after soaking, scrubbing and acetone. Now it looks even worse.

But I buy us each an ornament every Christmas, as my mother did when we were young. Last year it was a Scottish Laddie and Lass given our time there. This year Jim’s a lasso-ing snowman with Texas stars on his vest. I’m a reindeer cook, bearing cookies.

And at Sur La Table, they were 45% off. Nearly normal price! Cheers, Dee

I’m hoping this one, tomorrow evening, trumps the rest. I’ve only been to one holiday party with Jim, on a Friday, and he was laid off the following Monday. So much for getting our photo in the mail!

For the past four years a major bank has gotten a hotel ballroom and only invited employees, no spouses. There was food and beverages but since they were stacked up like sardines no-one got near anything. Isn’t it great to spend time with your co-workers when none of you can breathe? Jim stayed 15 minutes every year, then came home to normality.

Now we have a recruiter who placed him at his current place of employment, that is celebrating its tenth year. Luckily it’s less than a mile from here. Jim’s only been there four months and he doesn’t know many people and I know virtually no-one.

I try to make the best of these situations. It’s always good to meet Jim’s co-workers and recruiters. But we usually walk into a room and he gets involved in an intense work discussion with a colleague and I’m on my own.

By Jim’s own admission, he’s a high-functioning nerd, socially, and I agree. He just gets into such intense conversation at dinners/parties (especially ours) that he forgets his guests, or at others’ forgets me.

The few people I’ve met at the company are very nice and we got along well when he signed on. So I’ll let you know how it goes. I know, no politics or religion. I can talk about my blog…. Dee