So what is Beaujolais Nouveau, you ask? Well, a lot of things: a fresh, young red wine to celebrate the fall harvest; a novel addition to your Thanksgiving table; a classic example of the power of marketing; and a wine to be enjoyed without great discussion (this post notwithstanding).
Last Thursday, November 18, was Beaujolais Nouveau release day for 2010, and I’m the proud owner of a couple of bottles (but not for long). Continue reading
There is nothing, I repeat, nothing that can make your home feel cozier or more inviting than the aroma of freshly baked bread wafting through the air. And then of course, there is no better snack on this planet than a thick slice of bread just pulled from the oven with butter melting over it.
Many of my childhood memories are a blur… Disneyland? My first day of school? Learning to ride a bike? All foggy. But I have total clarity on my mom’s long history of bread baking. When she followed her heart and married my dad at age 19, my Grandma Salazar gave her one cooking lesson: how to make bread. As my dad can attest, that was only thing my mom knew how to cook when they married. Lots of things have changed since then. Mama Rita’s cooking is the measure of delicious for me. Continue reading
Yes, they are called Chocolate Carrot Shaggies. No, you have never heard of them. Almost guaranteed. But once you try them, they will become a favorite.
These cookies have a long history in our family, dating back over 50 years to the days of my mother’s childhood, and probably before that. My Grandma Salazar made these cookies regularly and the recipe came from her neighbor, Esther Hand, who lived across the street. My mom remembers running a black market Chocolate Carrot Shaggie supply . . . Once my grandma had pulled the cookies from the oven, my mom would sneak a few and sell them out the back door to the awaiting Gallegos neighbor boys for a nickel a cookie. The little entrepreneur that she was (and still is) saw the value and demand for this unusual but delicious cookie. Continue reading
