Hospitality book review
One of the things that makes any restaurant great is service. There’s an old saying that you can overlook average food and still give a place another try if the service is excellent. But no matter how extraordinary the food may be, if the service is lacking, most people won’t go back. A few of […]
Soup’s On
French onion soup flavoured recipes seem to be all the rage right now. Who doesn’t like caramelized onion and Gruyere cheese? I thought it was a bit too much in mashed potato as a side, but would definitely work with scalloped potato. I love a crusty loaf of bread smothered with garlic butter and cheese […]
HOHOThump
I’m sure, by now, you’re tired of reading about my Christmas adventures over the years. Hmmm. Well, this column is about yet another one of those adventures. It happened when all of our children were still living at home. LOML and I were trying to keep the spirit of the holiday season alive for them. […]
Holiday gifts
People often ask me what wine to gift a wine lover. This year, I’d like to suggest something that lasts a little longer than a bottle: a book. Below are a few titles I read this year that make for excellent company with any glass of wine—County or otherwise. CORK DORK — BIANCA BOSKER This […]
Cornish hens
I love Cornish hens; they are called game birds but don’t taste gamy. I don’t think they taste just like chicken either. They are tastier in my opinion. I made them for dinner this week with roasted roots in the same pan. I stuffed them with my herb butter and dried herbs from my garden […]
HO HO HO or OH OH OH
December 2025 is being kind to me and I thought I’d share some of my holiday, teachable moments with all y’all. In 1969, LOML and I spent our first Christmas together as a married couple. We had a nice apartment. I had a good job. He was working part-time and attending university full time. We […]
A wee Christmas treat
This wee treat is so quick and effortless that it’s almost embarrassing to have a recipe. I wanted to make it with feta, but it was too crumbly and couldn’t hold the pretzel so I went with the brie, which was delicious but not necessary in my fridge as often as feta is. The simplicity […]
Global Wine Number
Recently, the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) released its first estimates of global wine production for 2025. Yes, there’s a three per cent bump from the remarkably low 2024 harvest—but before anyone pops a cork, keep in mind we’re still sitting seven per cent below the five-year average. The OIV summed it up […]
December 2025
Hello December! If I’m allowed to make a wish for the month it is “Please be kinder to us than the other eleven months of this year have been!” Is it just me or do some of you feel as if 2025 has been a bit of a disaster? I believe one could go so […]
From my seat at Shire Hall
I drive the same roads you do each day, Down busted stretches shaped by Clearway. I feel every rattle, every jolt, every bend— Believe me, friends, I don’t pretend. Wellington’s streets look rough, it’s true, A patchwork puzzle we all crawl through. Pipes to replace, systems to renew— Important work, but hard on you. From […]