Sept 23, 2015: 37 years and no longer counting

Quince.

This is the blog post I've dreaded writing, but the time has come. On the morning of Sept. 23, exactly 37 years after I met my husband, he passed away peacefully after a brief illness.

The thing I will miss the most about him - and thing that he kept to the very end - was his quirky sense of humor.

Even when he was in the emergency room, he joked with the nurses. Someone asked if I was his wife, and he said, "No, that's my girlfriend. Don't tell my wife!"

I was legally his wife, for sure, but in my heart we were still boyfriend and girlfriend, in our carefree 20's, and deeply in love.

He once told me that it was his goal to make me laugh every day. He certainly did made me laugh a lot. Sometimes it was a little snort, sometimes it was a giggle, sometimes it was an eye-rolling groan. And sometimes it was a howler, where I splorted and laughed and giggled and had to catch my breath from laughing so hard.

One of the last howlers was when I served him a freshly-made slice of pie and as he was eating it he asked what it was. I told him it was a peach and quince pie.

He paused just a second or two, tilted his head, poked at the pink-colored fruit in the pie, and said, "So, this is a quince-idence?"

Project Karma and a Cookbook Giveaway

Photo from From Cupcakes to Caviar.

It seems impossible that we're approaching the three-year anniversary of when my husband went into the hospital ... and didn't come home for a long time.

Sometimes it seems like just yesterday, and sometimes it seems like a lifetime ago. So much has happened since then.

If you haven't been reading this blog for that long, the short story is that he drove himself to the clinic, they sent him to the ER and shortly afterwards he was in the ICU awaiting surgery. Things went wrong, they told me there was no hope - pick a time to pull the plug - and the next day he woke up and his condition started improving. Slowly.

Meanwhile our money situation was dire, and hospitals aren't cheap. Although I hated the idea, I wrote a blog post and asked for donations. I was overwhelmed with the generosity of strangers. And grateful to friends. And astonished at how my life could go from worrying about whether Bob would have a home to come home to ... to being comfortable spending time with him, knowing that the bills would be paid for a short while. I could breathe for a while.

It was the worst time of my life, and also the most amazingly wonderful time, when I realised how wonderful people really are. I felt very loved and very comforted at a time when I needed it most. And it wasn't even the money, but it was the fact that so many people were so caring.

I promised the universe that when I was in a position to give back, I would. I'm a big believer in karma, and in doing good without expectations of payback. Paying it forward, so to speak. And paying back when good things have come your way.

Have a cookie. Photo from From Cupcakes to Caviar.

For me, that payback time is now. And I'm asking you to help me with that payback. Please.

My friend Janet Brand - you might know her from the blog From Cupcakes to Caviar - just asked online for prayers and good wishes, and when I pressed her for details, she reluctantly told me.

Janet's husband's company recently stopped providing health insurance for spouses, and the family can't afford to pay for private health insurance to cover Janet. They're one of the many families who make too much money to get free insurance, but who struggle every month over paying monthly bills, food, and other expenses, and there's not enough left for that big insurance bill every single month.

I know exactly what that's like. I was there, too. So, like me, she crossed her fingers and hoped that everything would be fine. And ... she's not. She's experiencing symptoms of a very treatable type of cancer. She knows it well because it runs in the family. She knows what the future looks like, but she can't afford to pay for treatment, and she can't afford medical insurance.

She was asking for prayers and good thoughts, but what I want for her is medical help.

So, here's the plan. I twisted her arm really really hard, and she set up a GoFundMe campaign to collect money to pay for her insurance and her deductible. She's not asking for money for a blogger trip, or a new dishwasher. She's not asking for money to buy shoes. She needs money for basic healthcare to save her life.

Janet has two children who need her a lot (besides the ones who are grown) - one in grade school, and the other is special needs. It's not like she can run out and get a job, because childcare would cost more than she could earn. She's a hardworking gal who takes care of her kids, her house, her husband, and her blog. Now she needs some help taking care of herself.

Can you help?

Janet is one of the funniest people I know, and I absolutely refuse to lose another friend because they delayed medical treatment.

If you have some spare money, consider sending some to her GoFundMe campaign. She's only asking for enough to cover insurance and the deductible for a year, but I'd love to see her get a cushion to cover food and maybe some childcare, because there may be some days when she's not going to have a whole lot of energy for daily tasks. And she will need insurance next year, too.

You don't need to donate a lot. Even $5 will help her reach her goal. Even $1, if that's what you've got to give. It adds up.

If you don't have money, then consider sharing this blog post, or directly share a link to the GoFundMe campaign.

If you are a blogger and you'd like to write a blog post that mentions this campaign, email or message me on Facebook. I might be able to offer a little extra bonus giveaway for your readers as a thank-you from me.

If you're a blogger and you have a vast (or small) audience on social media, but you don't want to write a blog post, please just share a link. Please?

Janet is a real sweetheart, snarky and humble and funny. I nearly had to hit her over the head to allow me to do this for her.

She didn't want to ask for money, and she only agreed when I pointed out that her children really need her. And then she thought about it. If she wasn't there, her husband couldn't take care of both children and still work. Her special needs child would probably end up in a home ... and that's when she finally agreed to let me do this. Not for herself, but to make sure her family is okay.

She truly needs your help. Please do what you can for her.

And now for the GIVEAWAY

I have ONE copy of my cookbook, Make Ahead Bread to give to one lucky winner.

You do NOT need to make a donation to enter the giveaway, but there will be bonus entries for sharing links on social media. See, you can help without opening your wallet!

I may be offering extra books if donations entries and/or donations exceed my expectations.

Frito Pie - It was never pie, and now it's a dip!

Last night I was watching a re-run of Hawaii 5-0 and the plot revolved around a surfer who was murdered. At the end of the show, a bunch of surfers paddled out into the ocean and formed a circle and spread the ashes of their deceased friend.

For me, it was a completely foreign ritual, and also very moving.

Particularly because a friend of mine had died suddenly, and I've been a bit weepy.

I started thinking about the rituals we have in our different cultures. Our religions and our ethnic groups and even our geographical locations dictate what sort of things we do when a friend or loved one dies, ranging from the mournful playing of a bagpipe, to a 21-gun salute at a military funeral, to the joyous celebration of life as it's done in New Orleans.

In those instances, mourners gather together to comfort each other in a way that is familiar to them. Different cultures have developed different rituals, but the purpose is the same. They help people move beyond the grieving to the point where they can think of their loved one with a smile and a fond memory.

Besides the usual geographic and familial cultural groups I'm a part of, I also belong to relatively new and unique culture. It spans many religions and nationalities and pays no attention to geography. We're a loosely connected and firmly knotted group of people who go online and bond over food and fun. We talk every day. We laugh, celebrate, kvetch, and sometimes cry. We are close friends, even though many of us have never met in person.

But when one of us dies, the rest of us can't hug or hold hands or perform rituals together. We can't eat funeral potatoes or hot dish or go to that one restaurant where everyone goes after a funeral. We're a new sort of tribe, we don't have those generations-old traditions, and we're not geographically close enough to get together for happy or sad events.

The funny thing is that new rituals have emerged, all by themselves. I guess people need a way to bond and celebrate the lives of those who have touched us. With our group, we talk about our friend's favorite food or their signature recipe. We choose a time to raise a glass in a tearful toast. We make their recipes. We post photos. And we are comforted because we know that despite the distance between us, we have a bond.

Don't those Fritos look happy in their chili and cheese spa?

My friend Chris Hughes, who recently died, was from Texas and one of her favorite foods was Frito Pie. So when we started talking about her recipes, people suggested that we make Frito Pie in her honor. I said, "Sure, I'll make it." Then I said, "What's Frito Pie?"

And I got a dozen or so answers. I looked it up on the Frito website. I asked more people. The only constants in the recipes were Fritos, chili, and cheese. Canned chili was a popular choice, with Wolf brand being a favorite among the Texans in the group, since it's a Texas product.

Some people put the chips on the chili, other people put the chili on the chips. Some people mixed it all up in a small bag of Fritos and ate it straight from the bag, and others put it in a casserole dish. Some people ate it with a fork or spoon. Some people layered it. Others mixed it. Some baked it and some didn't. And then there were toppings.

I was confused. It sounded like a cross between nachos and chilaquiles, but with chili and Fritos.

And then someone said that it doesn't matter - just make it the way you like it.

That totally sounded like what Chris would say, because she really liked to change or modify recipes to make them her own. When presented with the challenge to make a recipe from my cookbook, she turned blueberry and cream cheese sweet rolls into candied jalapeno and cream cheese rolls. I was totally impressed.

So I embarked on my Frito Pie adventure knowing that whatever I did would be okay.

My first attempt was with Fritos on the bottom, chili on top, followed by cheese. I baked it to melt the cheese, and topped it with onion, tomato, sour cream, and jalapenos. It was good, but I had leftover chili, so I decided to try something different for lunch the next day.

I didn't want to turn the oven on for a lunch portion, so I turned Frito Pie into a dip. I used a mini pie plate - hey, it's called pie, so why not - and put the chili and cheese in the microwave to warm them. And I scooped it up with crisp Fritos. Totally not like what anyone else told me to do.

Oh, and since I'm a midwesterner rather than a Texan, I used chili with beans. Apparently Chris was okay with that, too.

This one's for Chris!

Frito Pie

Wolf brand chili
Shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped onions
Chopped tomatoes
Pickled jalapenos
Sour cream
Fritos

For a single serving, put the chili (as much as you think is one serving!) in a microwave-safe bowl, and add the cheese. As much cheese as you like. If you want to take a little of the "bite" out of the onions, you can add them as well.

Microwave on high for 30 to 60 seconds, until the chili is hot and the cheese is melted.

Add onions (if you didn't add them before cooking) tomatoes, jalapenos, and sour cream.

Use Fritos to scoop up the chili. I nestled three into the dish for photos, but grabbed chips from the bag for the rest of the scooping. Remember, there's no wrong way to do it!

Have you had Frito Pie? How do you like yours?

A tribute to David M. Cavanagh (AKA DMC or DMCavanagh)

I "met" David online at Serious Eats, which happens to be where I met a lot of great people. He was passionate ... and opinionated ... about pizza. And dough. And yeast. And mostly pizza.

Recently, David passed on ... to wherever you believe one goes after death. Wherever he is, I hope there are pizza ovens and plenty of flour, water, and yeast.

Adam Kuban posted this announcement:

I'm so sorry to have to post this news, but it looks like David M. Cavanagh ("dmcavanagh" on Serious Eats) passed away on Saturday after a battle with cancer, as per a post on his Facebook timeline.

I don't know how many people knew of his illness and progress. I don't know much beyond that post and the little I had heard from a mutual friend. He was generous with his knowledge and time, and I know he touched many people's lives here both online and IRL.

Charles Turnipseed posted this:
Very sad to see this in my news feed this morning:

"On behalf of my Dad, we regret to inform you that David M. Cavanagh passed away on Saturday after a battle with cancer. We invite you all to join us in saying goodbye on Saturday, November 8 at Myers' Funeral Home in Delmar, NY; visiting hour from 10-11 AM with a memorial service at 11:00 AM. We are grateful for the happiness that you all brought him and hope that you will join us on Saturday."

Anthony and Michelle Cavanagh

Here's David featured in the "Pizza Obsessives" column on Serious Eats.

Maybe Glenn explained our mutual friendships best:

Way back when..... there was no Water Cooler, there was a site called Serious Eats (It's still there). That site had some pretty cool features. One was called TALK. You could engage in discussions about food, cooking, etc., ask questions, answer questions, debate, and alas, go off topic.

A huge part of Serious Eats was Slice, founded by Adam Kuban. Here the talk was pizza, all things pizza.

Anyway, we'd talk pizza, dream about pizza, and debate the finer qualities of said food.

It was here I met Dave. DMCavanagh was his name on the posts. I was Tupper Cooks! DM was an opinionated SOB-he knew his way was right and he never hesitated to let me know! We'd go at it on a Friday afternoon arguing over temps, flour, yeast, water and who knows what!

One thing led to another and we found out we only lived a couple hours away from each other. He had a camp on the river in Ogdensburg, ours was in Cape Vincent. We talked fishing, pizza and god knows what else.

We finally met at Kate's for a pizza party here in Tupper. Kate had a WFO and damn we were gonna make some pies. We did. What a night. Adam and Claire came, with an unseen baby Margot. Diana was there and Anne Marie and Jack. Aya stopped by and made some. I think we made 20 pies that night. No leftovers.

Needless to say our friendship was forged in pizza. We got together 3 more times. Once at Diana's, once to tour the Utica Club Brewery and once at Picken's General Store. We always parted with a plan on what to do the next time we got together. We'd meet on the River and go fishing, then make some pizza maybe.....

The last time I talked to him via FB was about 6 weeks ago. Told me he had a little bad luck, diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he was on meds and say a prayer. That I did. Tried contacting him a few more times to no avail.

Needless to say DM passed away this past Saturday.

I cried today.

Fucking cancer.

Didn't know you very long my friend, but we had some good times.

Going to miss your wiseass comments!

Peace brother.

• • Glenn Poirier: This was the first time we got together. DM and I prankedDiana when she came to the door, since she'd never seen us in person. Asked if this was where the pizza party was, I said, "No". SHould have seen the look on her face-priceless!

    
    Diana Horst: Ya got me. And then you guys giggled like school girls with delight. Good times and good memories.

Glenn: DM's Cheez It pie. Was pretty damn good.

• 
  
• Adam Kuban: I wish I knew exactly what he did with that pizza. I'd like to replicate a version of it in his memory!
  
  Erin Cox: Cheez-it pizza? Do you mean cheesey cracker thin crust?

  
  
• Adam Kuban: No, he made a pizza topped with Cheez-It breadcrumbs! It was his version of a traditional Sicilian sfincione, which is often topped with not much more than sauce, caciocavallo cheese, and breadcrumbs. He put a twist on it by using either straight-up crumbled Cheez-Its or maybe a mixture of Cheez-Its and breadcrumbs.

  
  

Glenn: This pic just makes me giggle.

• Diana Horst I don't remember what was said, but the expressions made me think:
  Dave: It had to be said. When it's wrong it's wrong.

  
  
• Diana Horst Glenn: Strange way of putting it, but I think I know what you mean.
  Diana: Seriously? You dd not just say that.

  
  
• Diana Horst The above imagined conversation was probably quite accurate--most likely involving the "sin" of adding sugar to pizza dough.

In David's honor, there have been a lot of memories posted, a lot of talk about pizza and recipes and pizza, and a bunch of folks have been making pizzas and raising a few slices in his honor ... and a few other recipes as well.

Diana Horst said:
I believe it was Glenn who started calling Dave, who went by dmcavaagh, DMC. Dave and I liked to bust each others chops constantly. We often said we would have a pizza throwdown, and because DMC was stuck in my head the Run DMC and Aerosmith collaboration of Walk This Way became the theme song for our throwdown. I think he was quite amused by my thinking. So, here ya go, peeps. Make pizza, eat some cheese curds and watch this video and think of Dave. 

Deanna McNamara said:

This was DMC's last post and I will make these in his honor.
I know most of you are making pizza, but this is more up my alley. R.I.P. Dave.

(recipe from King Arthur Flour)

Steven J. Perry said:

Well last night it had to be pizza.

Rose Strong said:

RIP...DM Cavannaugh... This is for you!

Judy Kennedy Dawson said:

Here's to you, Mr. DMC!!!

Christine Adams said:

For the pizza man ...

Glen Poirier said:

After watching all those pics of pizza come up today I succumbed! Here's to you DM!

Matt Baird said:

In memory of my friend, Dave Cavanaugh, the pizza man. RIP brother.

Matt continued: I just made this pan pizza in my cast iron skillet, and when it was done, it just slipped right from the pan. No sticking at all. So I figured all I hadda do to clean it, was wipe it out with a paper towel, and like a freakin idiot, I grabbed the handle with my bare hand. Needless to say, I didn't hold the handle for very long!

And here's my pizza offering.
I have no words, because everyone else said it better.

Did you know David Cavanagh? Feel free to leave your comments!

It's my birthday and I'll post silly stuff if I want to

My husband says that one of his goals every day is to make me laugh.

Most days he succeeds. Sometimes it a chuckle or a giggle. Sometimes it's a groaning eye roll.

And then some days, it's a serious guffaw or a side-splitting howl.

Last week, a friend of mine (let's call her Carla) send me a ceramic sculpture that she had made for me. There was a tray, a saucer, a giant mug, and some decorative items. There was was a light gray mouse perched on the edge of the mug, then another light gray mouse and a dark gray mouse attached to the tray.

And then there was food. Three cookies: chocolate chip, oatmeal, and peanut butter; and two little loaves of bread.

Well, some of the pieces broke loose in shipping, so I asked my husband if he had any glue. He took the whole thing into the garage and put things back in order.

I came home from errands last Saturday, put down my bags, and saw that the sculpture was sitting on the dining room table. "Oh, he finished gluing it," I thought. I took a closer look.

This is what I saw:

And I laughed myself silly. Hearty guffaws.

See, he put dark glasses on the mice ... three blind mice.

They're paper glasses and they're taped on so they're easily removable. But for right now, they're staying in place, because I think it's hysterical.

And Bob says he hopes Carla thinks it's funny, too.

A Three-eee Blog Tour ... The webby started getting rough, the mighty net was lost ...

A little something I'm working on. You'll read about it later.

If not for the courage of our fearless blogs, the food world would be lost.

So ... if you have no idea what I'm talking about, don't worry about it. Stop thinking that I'm drinking while blogging. Because I'm not. Really.

If you do know what I'm referring to, Professor, read on as I offer a tour of a few blogs I think you might like.

This whole adventure started when my friend Linda asked me to join a blog tour.

The concept is simple. First, she writes about me and two other blogs. Then, we three pick three more blogs. And they pick three blogs.

And pretty soon everyone knows everyone else, and world peace is achieved.

Linda blogs at Seasons to Seasonings, and she wrote nice stuff about me here. I first met her at ... uh ... uh ... hmmm ... somewhere online. There wasn't an actual AHA moment where we were introduced, or not that I can recall. We just sort of moved in the same currents and bumped into each other now and then, like icebergs in the night.

Or something nautical like that. And then, like strangers at a cocktail party, we started chatting. One of the really fun Facebook groups that Linda and I belong to is 37 Cooks. I'll bet you'll never guess how many people are in the group.

It's really hard, right?

So, Linda and I and the other 35 people have a group blog called ... you'll never guess! It's called 37 Cooks! Wow, it's like ... numbers. Math. Scary stuff.

Boo!

So, now I'm supposed to answer questions about myself. Let's see how this goes...

What am I working on?

Well, I'm done writing my book, and I'm gearing up for promoting it, beginning in October and November. I'm thinking about a new book. Seriously thinking. It will not, however, be a sequel called Bake a Head Bread: 100 recipes for breads that look like famous beheaded people.

In my spare time, I started a new blog that focuses on cooking tools, gadgets, cookware, small appliances, and all sorts of whatnot that isn't recipes. And I'm doing giveaways. Lots and lots of giveaways. So if you want free stuff, you might want to subscribe over there, to make sure you get notified when something new goes up for grabs.

The impetus for starting the new blog was that my Gadgets blog over on Serious Eats got morphed into something different, but I decided I loved the gadget reviews too much to stop doing them.

Seriously, some people think these reviews are great because I get a lot of stuff I can use. Which is sometimes true. But really, I just like playing with new stuff. It's fun to see if it works, how it works, and if I can break it.

So I decided that the gadget reviews had to LIVE. So I started a blog to hold all of them.

What's one more blog to write? Easy peasy. Crazy daisy. Whatever.

How does my work differ than others of its genre?

It's a food gadget. Really.

Um ... I don't really study other blogs or writers. I read them randomly and sporadically, but I tend not to read a lot of one all at once, or I tend to become a sponge and pick up other people's styles. So it's much better for me to leap about like a drop of water on a hot cast iron pan. Ouch!

So I guess I really don't know why I'm different, except that I'm me. I write what I want to write because it interests me, or it amuses me, or it's fun, or I'm hungry and this is what I had for lunch.

And ... the gadget thing is just ... me playing with toys. Pure, unadulterated fun.

So, I like bread baking a lot, and I like baking sweets a lot more than I like eating sweet baked goods. I love salads but don't write about them as much as I eat them. I make a lot of ice cream in the summer and a lot of soup in the winter. And I'm really bad at taking photos of meat loaf.

That's really all you need to know about me, right? Oh. Wait. There are more questions. Sigh.

Why do I write what I do?

Did I mention fun? Yeah, that's pretty much it.

How does my writing process work?

Never store the predator cookies with the prey cookies.

I don't know if it actually does work. Some days are all about cooking, and making a huge mess in the kitchen.

Other days are all about writing. I get started and I don't stop and suddenly it's 2 a.m.

Some days it's cook-and-write.

Some days the light is just right and I take photos of everything. Other days, I wait for the light to get perfect, and I barely have time to snap a few shots I absolutely need.

Most mornings are email and a lot of evenings are spent looking at photos, cropping and adjusting.

Mostly, it's chaos.

I managed to write a cookbook while mostly keeping up with my blog, and being the editor of a monthly newspaper, and writing a couple columns for other people. So apparently things get done. Somehow.

Fairy dust and magic wands may or may not be involved.

I can guarantee that sometimes lack of sleep is very much involved.

Drumroll, please!

Thankfully, this is not all about me, so it's about to get less boring.

The three bloggers (and their blogs) I chose to tell you about are about as different from each other as you can imagine: Dana from The Kitchen Witch, Janet from From Cupcakes to Caviar and Ramona from Curry and Comfort.

The Kitchen Witch

Oddball Tomato Salad from The Kitchen Witch

I knew Dana on Facebook before I knew she lived in my neighborhood. And I know this is going to sound daft, but it took me a while to connect her Facebook self with her blog self. I knew both of them, but I just didn't tie the knot for the longest time. Just call me dafty duck.

Honestly, I don't even have a clue how I first met Dana on Facebook; she probably said some smart-aleck thing in response to something I posted, and the next thing you know, she's on my friends list. And then when my husband was in the hospital and she invited me out to lunch, I was like, uh ... you live near me? Why have we never met?

And then later, she invited poor, sad, lonely me to her house for Thanksgiving dinner, where I suddenly became some kind of sixteenth-cousin, twice removed. It was like I belonged there. Or at least I didn't smell funny and they let me stay and have some food.

Dana's blog is funny as heck, peppered with crazy stuff about her family, recipes, kids, funny recipe titles, the swear jar, tidbits of this and that. And she's a damned good writer who has absolutely no problem making fun of herself, in so many different ways. I think that's what I like best about her.

And, although she's not a baker, she's got a recipe for a stunning chocolate cake on her site. Okay, she stole it from an exchange student who came to visit. But it's French cake, people. It's got to be good!

It's worth a read. Go, see.

From Cupcakes to Caviar

Lemon/Lime Pudding Cake from From Cupcakes to Caviar

Janet ... ah, Janet. She's another one that crept up on me stealthily. I knew her through mutual friends, but it took a while before we got around to talking about food blogs. It was like ... we liked the same stuff, she has a wicked sense of humor, and she kept showing up in different groups I'm in.

Just popping in here and there. Whack-a-Janet. Whoops, she's over there now!

After chatting on Facebook for nearly forever, I found out that Janet was a blogger. I mean, there are some people (like me) who are all over the place with their blog, talking about what they made, the photos they took, they food they ate, the things the blew up in the kitchen.

Janet is a lot more ... normal ... on Facebook. I mean, she talks about stuff like her kids.

But eventually, I found out she was a blogger. Then I found out she was a food blogger ... which sort of explained why she kept showing up in food blogger groups. And, she has a non-food blog, too, called You Have How Many Kids? (Wow, a non-food blog ... what other incredible things could there be on the Internet? The mind boggles.)

Janet's food blog is called From Cupcakes to Caviar. Which is a totally cool name, despite the fact that there don't seem to be any caviar cupcakes at all. But she does have Salted Caramel Cheesecake Brownies, so I guess that makes up for ... well, just about everything.

Curry and Comfort

Mini cheesecakes with strawberries from Curry and Comfort

I can tell you exactly where I "met" Ramona. Maybe not when, but I met her in one singular place - a Facebook group for people who are in the blogger program for Good Cook. Although we're both food bloggers, we never really bumped into each other except in that one group.

Which seems crazy. Although there are bazillions of people on Facebook, it seems like people flow in tides (ooh, more nautical references!) and swim together in flocks. (Flocks?! Herds...? Gaggles .... Googles ...? Whatever...)

But the thing is that I tend to see the same people I know show up here and there in different places. In a food blog group, or a cookbook group, or a random food-related group, or a photography group, or a vaguely food-oriented group. If I know someone in one group, chances are that they'll show up in at least one other group.

But thus far, either Ramona's been very quiet online, or we've only docked together in that one single Facebook group. But every time I see her, I think, "Wow, that's a really nice blog you have there!"

And just for the record, I didn't choose Ramona for this because her blog name (sort of) has my last name in it. I chose her because her photos are always pretty and her recipes are interesting. Based on her blog's name, you might think she writes a lot about curries (the food, not my family) but she doesn't.

Instead, Ramona's blog is pretty eclectic, and you won't find things that are on everyone else's blog. That's probably what I like best - it's unique, and interesting, and ... off the beaten path (outside the usual river road? ... nah, too much of a stretch) and always something I'd want to eat.

I really liked the idea of the lasagna-stuffed bell peppers that Ramona made recently. You can't tell me that's something you've seen on 1001 blog this week, right? And they look really good!

So that wraps it up. Check out these blogs, and see who they choose to feature. I'm sure you'll find someone new and interesting!

What's missing here?

Hint. Hint-hint. What could I possibly be giving away?

Are you used to seeing gadget reviews here every Thursday?
Or did you dread seeing them?

Well, either way, I've got good news for you. I've started a new review blog, and you'll find all my gadget posts over there, and my reviews over here.

The review blog has had a "soft opening" as they say in the retail world. I've put up a few posts.

But tomorrow, August 1, 2014, is the GRAND OPENING of the new blog, complete with a really, really, really nice giveaway.

So be sure to check that out.

And as always, recipes will be here.

Gluten-Free Labeling - yea or nay?

This bread is not gluten free. Nope. Not at all.

There's been a backlash against the gluten-free community lately, particularly regarding the labeling of foodstuffs as gluten-free.

Let's get this straight. I'm not gluten free. I'm more of a gluten glutton, if we're being truthful. But I have friends who are gluten free. Some, because it's life-threatening. So I get it. I sympathize. And I hope I never, ever have that diagnosis.

While the usual grumblings about gluten-free are about the folk who are vaguely gluten free but don't know why, the latest rash of gluten-grumblings has been aimed all over the place. Among other things I've heard lately are:

• Why are so many products labeled gluten free? Shouldn't it be obvious?
• Why are so many products labeled gluten free? Those people should read ingredients on the labels!
• Gluten-free labeling is just a marketing ploy!!!
• Why do gluten-free oats cost more? It's not fair because I don't need gluten free!
• Why are there so many gluten-free products taking the space of food I want to eat?
• Why should restaurants accommodate gluten-free people? Gluten free people should stay home!
• Gluten-free people shouldn't be eating processed foods and junk food, anyway.
• Gluten free people should make their own food from scratch so they know every molecule that's in it.

Let me address these one at a time.

Labels? Shouldn't it be obvious?

Well, maybe. But the problem is that many foods suffer from cross contamination. If a factory processes potato chips in the same facility where it makes pita chips, there could be an above-the-limit level of gluten on those potato chips, even though potatoes don't contain gluten.

Those people should read labels!

I'm pretty sure they do, but ingredients listed on the labels only indicate the things that are actually put into the food. The labels might not indicate that the food is processed in a facility that also processes wheat products. Some labels do include allergy warnings, but not all of them do.

Making it obvious that something is indeed gluten free is a convenience for gluten-free people and those who feed them.

Marketing ploy!!!

Marketing! It's my book! On AMAZON!

Yes, I agree. But then again, pretty much everything on a food container is a marketing ploy, from the colors of the labels, to the shape of the container, to the words used. Gluten-free is a big market, and companies are making it clear that they have products for that market.

I mean, why wouldn't they?

There are plenty of items that are labeled fat-free, sugar-free, lower calorie, hormone-free, reduced sodium, antibiotic-free, nitrite-free, or dairy-free. There are companies that put the number of Weight Watcher points on their labels. There are plenty of products that carry symbols indicating that the products are kosher.

We label milk to point out that it's pasteurized (or possibly ultra-pasteurized) and we label foods as organic, cage-free, wild-caught, natural, or free range. We now show the country of origin for meats, and some stores indicate the country of origin for fruits and vegetables. And now, people are asking that foods be labeled to indicate the presence of GMOs.

So, why are some people getting so ... vocal ... about gluten free labeling?

The presence of gluten is a serious issue for people with celiac disease. Which of those other labels carries the same heath impact?

Gluten free costs more!!!

Yes, sometimes gluten-free anything does cost more. In order to keep certain foods gluten free, some companies had to build (or maybe remodel) facilities in order to keep the gluten free processing separate from any gluten-containing products. Depending on what they're processing, that need for separateness might include putting restrictions on their suppliers or shippers, and that might also cost more.

Some gluten-free products shouldn't cost more. If something is naturally gluten free and it's already processed in its own facility, then there shouldn't be an added cost for labeling it gluten free. Unless, of course, the company is paying for certification. But from what I understand, that's not actually required.

So, yes, sometimes it costs more, and there's a reason. Sometimes it costs more because companies are taking advantage of the market.

My space!!! My space!!!

Maybe there are gluten-free products that are taking the place of conventional products. But not always. There are gluten free flours and meals (like rice flour or almond meal, off the top of my head) that are sometimes displayed in a separate gluten-free section, but those have been available for quite some time and they have uses besides gluten-free cooking.

On the other hand, there are gluten-free baked goods and mixes taking up some shelf space that could be used for gluten-laden products. But there are plenty of things in every store that I don't buy. A few more is no big deal.

Gluten free people shouldn't eat out!!!

Um, why? Vegetarians, vegans, and people who keep kosher eat out. People who are allergic to shellfish or peanuts eat out. People who don't like spicy foods, or fast food, or fried foods ... they all eat out.

People who are seriously affected by gluten need to be careful of what they eat and where they eat, but I don't see how having gluten free items in a restaurant harms me in any way. There are plenty of things that are naturally gluten free, like, oh, let's say meat. Or salad (without croutons). Or vegetables. If a restaurant is willing to pay attention to cross contamination to accommodate gluten-free customers, it doesn't affect my dining experience one little bit.

No junk food!

Well, we should all reduce our consumption of junk food, but I'm not perfect. And I doubt my gluten-free friends are perfect either. I see no reason why they shouldn't have safe snacks. Simple as that.

Make everything from scratch!!!

Yeah, right. Remember that part about not being perfect? It would be lovely if every person had the means, motivation, skills, desire ... whatever it takes ... to make their own food from scratch every single day. Maybe there's someone out there who does that right now. But have they always done so? Will they always be able to do so?

While cooking from scratch all the time is a great thing to aspire to, it may not always be practical - or possible. I don't see how it hurts anyone to accommodate the growing population of people who have to - or even want to - eat gluten free.

THE BOTTOM LINE

My gluten-free friends aren't mutant aliens that should be hidden in a closet and not allowed to eat among the rest of us. And, let's face it, sometimes it's just one person in a family who is gluten-free. Should the rest of the family go out to dinner and leave mom at home? Or always leave one kid at home when you go visit relatives during the holidays? Or bring mom or the kid, but don't let them eat anything except some carrots and hummus you brought from home?

This about this: while the folks who are gluten-free tend to know what they can and can't eat, what happens when the gluten-free child is invited to a friend's house for a play date? Should mom trust everyone else to know what's safe to cook? Or should the child never visit anyone else's home?

Heck, what happens if a gluten-free person comes to my house? With as much flour that flies around here, cross-contamination is a real risk. For a dinner event, I'd clean and scrub and de-gluten my kitchen as much as possible to make it safe to grill some meat and roast some vegetables.

But if a neighbor dropped by unexpectedly with a gluten-free friend in tow, I'd be a LOT happier opening a fresh bag of gluten-free corn chips and a couple of containers of gluten-free dips, because I would know for sure that those products were safe. Pretty much anything else in my kitchen might have suffered cross-contamination - and that includes the block of cheese or the home made salsa.

Are you looking for some awesome gluten-free recipes and gluten free blogs? Try these:

Boulder Locavore
Creative Cooking Gluten Free
Gluten Free Baking
Elana's Pantry
Art of Gluten Free Baking
Recipe Renovator
Gluten Free Doctor
Gluten Free Girl
Fearless Dining
The Fit Habit
Liz the Chef
Jeanette's Healthy Living
Erin Brighton
FrannyCakes

Blinded by the Bite

Whisk and Cleaver

This Mama Cooks on a Diet
Simple Gourmet
Whisk and Cleaver
Happy Gluten Free
This American Bite

100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die #GSOBFoodie

Photo courtesy of #GSOBFoodie

This is a little ... offbeat. So bear with me a sec, and it will come into focus.

This about an exhibit called The Art of Alabama Food Exhibit that is based on a list of 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die.

The exhibit has been on display in New York, Atlanta, New Orleans, Birmingham and is now in Orange Beach, Alabama. It features 36 photos of the foods listed.

Obviously, I'm not in Alabama - or any of those other places either - but I have friends participating. So I was asked to help promote the exhibit and participate in a Twitter party where YOU could win stuff from the exhibit and the restaurants. See how much I like you?

The prizes include goodies from restaurants on the 100 Dishes list. These could include things like special bottled sauces or Tervis tumblers, as well as Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism swag. I'm not sure exactly what, but surprises are fun, right?

So, join me at the Twitter Party:

When: Friday, July 25, 2014
Time: 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., central time zone
Official Hashtag: #GSOBFoodie

If you're in the neighborhood, the exhibit is at The Compleat Studio, The Wharf in Orange Beach. Beside the photo exhibit, there are food tastings from local culinary festivals (including the National Shrimp Festival), cook book signing and ice sculpting.

Bloggers participating in the Twitter party (beside me) are:

Jay Ducote from Bite & Booze (He's at the event! Lucky him!)
Susan Benton, 30A Eats
Milisa Armstrong from Miss in the Kitchen
Heather Scholten from Farmgirl Gourmet

More about Gulf Shores and Orange Beach:

Website: http://www.gulfshores.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alabamabeaches
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GulfShoresOrangeBeach
Google+: https://plus.google.com/110589112165759770340/posts
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/alabamabeaches/
Instagram: http://followgram.me/gulfshoresorangebeach

100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die:

LA Caviar and Cheeseburger in Paradise: Lulu’s @LuLusHomeport
WipeOut Burger: The Hangout @thehangoutGS
Royal Red Shrimp: King Neptune’s @KingNeptunes
Farmer’s Omelet and Mexican Garbage Nachos: Tacky Jack’s @TackyJacks1
Grouper Ponchartrain: Shipp’s Harbour Grill
Sea Bass Wrapped in Banana Leaves: Cosmo’s Restaurant
Shrimp & Grits: Ginny Lane Bar & Grill
Mango Salsa Grilled Chicken Salad: The Southern Grind @TheSouthrnGrind 

Smoked Mullet: Bimini Bob’s @Bimini_Bobs

This is not a sponsored post - I just thought you might be interested. I received swag for my participation the Twitter party, but mostly I'm doing it to help out some friends.