If you’re looking for a pasta that will bring tears to someone’s eyes, this is it. Back in grad school at NIU, I served this dish to a friend, and she literally cried. This would go well with a bold Zinfandel. The base of this sauce requires that you purchase andouille sausage and port. …
Movie Classics: The Birds
One of the movies that really was memorable for me as a kid was Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 film The Birds. This film, set in a small Northern Californian coastal town, scared me. I attribute my dislike of large groups of birds to this film. It’s brilliant the way the movie sneaks up on you. Unlike …
Cheeseburger and French Fries
Remember that lovely Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon I talked about a couple weeks ago that paired well with lasagna? Well, it also pairs well with burgers. I’m a fan of a good burger, and I’ve got a recipe that is (at least in my family and friends’ opinions) outstanding. I also make killer …
Organization: Feeding America
If you want to work to help eradicate hunger, especially child hunger, Feeding America is an organization worth looking at. On their mission page, they describe themselves in the following way: “Feeding America is the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity. Our mission is to feed America’s hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage …
Your Ph.D. is How Old? You Need Not Apply
A disturbing trend is cropping up in the Ph.D. job market circuit. Universities are now qualifying that they do not want applicants whose Ph.D.s may be getting “stale.” According to Leiter Reports, there are now some universities asking that people apply only if their Ph.D. has been granted in 2010 or later. This means …
Everybody Loves a Good Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary drinks are a good staple in your cocktail-making repertoire. Around here, the best bloody Mary is available from Duffy’s Tavern. Of course, sometimes you want to make a bloody Mary at home. A good bloody Mary begins with a good base. Naturally, the base of a bloody Mary is based on a good …
Worldly Selection
This week’s wine tasting at Creekside Cellars centered on wines from around the world. We tasted eight out of nine of the wines. The only wine we didn’t taste was the d’Arenberg “Hermit Crab” and that’s only because we’ve had it before, loved it, and purchased it for our cellar. Here are our notes on the …
Life: Don’t go to bed angry
In the vows my husband and I said to each other when we got married, we had our marriage deputy (my father-in-law) give a speech about what makes a good marriage. Including in the quote in our vows was a bit about not going to bed angry. We never go to bed angry – and …
Activism in San Francisco
San Francisco is a city known for its active levels of community involvement. If you are in San Francisco, and you want to get involved with a cause, there is no shortage of causes to involve yourself with. Here’s a brief list of causes and organizations supporting those causes to get you started. Animal Rights …
Smothered Pork Chops
Sometimes you start a meal by making a dish and then pairing a wine with it. Sometimes, you want to start with a wine and then match a dish to it. That’s what we did this evening. We matched a local favorite, Hickman Family Vineyards’, Pinot Grigio with pork. I decided that the best way to …
