Bacon IS a trail snack.

As Summer draws to a close (not that you would notice here in Southern California since it's hotter than the middle of the sun lately); the final long weekend is almost upon us... Labor Day.  By now I'm sure you all know the origins of "Labor Day".   On September 5, 1882 the first Labor Day parade was held in New York City. Twenty thousand workers marched in a parade up Broadway. They carried banners that read "LABOR CREATES ALL WEALTH," and "EIGHT HOURS FOR WORK, EIGHT HOURS FOR REST, EIGHT HOURS FOR RECREATION!"  After the parade there were picnics all around the city. Workers and celebrants ate Irish stew, homemade bread and apple pie. At night, fireworks were set off. Within the next few years, the idea spread from coast to coast, and all states celebrated Labor Day. In 1894, Congress voted it a federal holiday.  Two of my favorite things... a picnic AND a parade!  I thought maybe I would dedicate this blog entry t...

"Home is where the heart is."  "Home is where love is."  I'm sure there are about a zillion ways people describe what "home" is to them. For me, it's not "home" until I've baked bread in the new place.  The familiar, comfortable aroma that fills up the soulless space in a new home has always been my go-to as a sign of settling in and  maybe, just maybe... exhaling. I moved The Sunflower to Burbank, CA not far from the old location but far enough to have a significant change in garden soil, which is VERY exciting!!!   Sadly my pumpkin vine didn't survive the trip but I'll be planting in the early Spring for, what I expect to be a wonderful crop of pumpkins for NEXT Autumn!   Fellow pumpkin grower and gardener extraordinaire, Deirdra Vierra, brought over a monster zucchini from her garden the other day.  After combing through cook books and discussing with some other veggie type ...

Two of my favorite entertainers, Liberace and Mae West, used to say:  "Too much of a good thing is, wonderful!"  I really couldn't agree more. I'm note sure but I have to think that once  Mr. Butler and I  had the discussion, he would also agree.  Of course it's all about perspective. Ahem. Sigh.  I digress... ... When I do hear anyone use that quote, my thoughts tend to drift toward decadent foods and  of course my beloved Veuve Clicquot!  Is it really possible to have TOO MUCH great food?  I mean really... once you've crossed the threshold of "Holy cow! This is fantastic ( fill in the blank of your favorite food item or dish), then you're hooked.  You ALWAYS want it that way. Example... when I finally got my Chicken Pot Pie pastry spot on, well, there's no substitute.  It now, ALWAYS has to be perfect and I can't imagine how one could have too much of it!  It's wonderful! ...

The "rainy" season here in Southern California is unpredictable at best lately. When it does rain however, it pours!  Just like the song says.  It's true!  Man, it pours.   I immediately think "Chicken and Dumplings".The smell of shallots and white wine, sweet vermouth, celery and carrots all bubbling together, mixed with a rainy day reminds me of Gramma Deller's kitchen about a million years ago, in Simcoe. Never mattered how cold and miserable it was outside, her bright, warm, delicious kitchen was the best place to be; hands down. She made the dumplings in the traditional way... square little pillows of dough, bobbing up and down in the rolling boil of memories on her Garland range. Here are a couple of different rainy day recipes for you to try, with love from Mary-Jane Deller: Great Gramma's Chicken n'Dumplings: Chicken and Dumplings, like most southern food, evolved out of ...

I got home from work last night... wait.  Let me back up.  I was on "hiatus" from a job I thought was going to last for much longer than it did, but well, they did bring me back on so I'm very grateful for that little miracle... Anyway, yesterday was the first day back after three weeks off.  It's always shocking to me how busy your day really is when you AREN'T working?  How the hell do we get this all done when we are somewhere else for 8, 9, 10, 16 hours a day? Holy cow pie!  But, yes... we do. So, back to it. I got home and well, to say things are tight may be an understatement but I'm standing my ground, being very creative with my financing for now and gettin' it done!  It brought me back to when I was living in a basement apartment in the Forest Hill area of Toronto...  ...very upscale neighborhood... lovely homes and super close to the subway.   We've all been there... you ask yourself when you get off the tube...