Wow, what a year! Life under lockdown has meant so many changes and challenges. I’m sure you’re as ready as I am to move forward. One story that caught my eye recently was the one saying that Americans have gained 20 pounds over the last year. Yikes. It’s not the first, and I’m pretty sure… Read More How I Lost 19 Pounds during Lockdown
Wheat Pie for Easter is a Neopolitan tradition. There are different legends about why. Some say the wheat represents the Resurrection. Others believe it stems from the much-anticipated arrival of a grain ship during a famine. I suppose both could be true. It’s a rich, fruity, creamy pie. It’s a lot of work–and a lot… Read More Easter Pie
The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon is a quirky museum in Charleston, South Carolina, and a backdrop to some of the defining events in American history. It ranks near Boston’s Faneuil Hall and Philadelphia’s Independence Hall among the most significant still-standing buildings from the Revolutionary era. Finished in 1771, the two-storey, Palladian-style, stone Exchange and… Read More Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon in Charleston
There’s nothing like pot roast. It was one of my favorite winter Sunday dinners growing up in New England. To me, it represents home and family, warmth when it’s cold outside, hearty sustenance on a leisurely afternoon. I used to help my mother by chopping up the vegetables in the morning. Here I’ve updated my… Read More Pot Roast
I’ve always loved reading, but I don’t think I’ve ever been more grateful for books than I have been over these last long months, as lockdown drags on and on and on. A good story is one of the few things we have left to lift us out of our isolated selves. Here are ten… Read More Novels to Get Lost In
Charleston’s Battery and Rainbow Row faded from view as my travel companion and I sailed aboard the ferry toward Fort Sumter, perched on a small island in Charleston Harbor, site of the first battle in America’s bloodiest war. The five-sided Fort was planned during the 1820s, in the wake of the War of 1812, designed… Read More Fort Sumter
A basic white sauce is one of the most useful items in a home cook’s repertoire. It’s delicious plain, called béchamel, but it’s also versatile and can be enhanced with different flavors. A béchamel with cheese is called a mornay sauce; with fresh herbs, it’s called a chivry sauce. I’ve combined the two here into… Read More Herbal Cheese Sauce
I have to hand it to the people at Thrive. When their annual conference earlier this year couldn’t happen in person due to lockdown, they brought it online and made it complementary. And last Saturday, they sponsored a pay-what-you-want Virtual Retreat for bloggers. This post contains affiliate links. For more information, click here. Not surprisingly, given… Read More How to Use Pinterest to Thrive Your Blog
