Bacon IS a trail snack.

From what I understand, it took Julia Child and company around XXX years to finish and publish "Mastering the Art of French Cooking".  I always wondering how on earth it took so long!  Well, as I open my notes from when I started "Flour On My Nose" and the most recent endeavor, "The Sunflower Diaries" I see that I started out on the journey to publish a "bang up, top drawer" cookbook for those who enjoy reading them well over 10 years ago. There is no excuse.  Yes. Time does fly.   I do have some sympathy for those of you who claim “I just don’t have time to cook at home!” Some.  Since the industry that I've been working in for 20 plus years has all but dried up for a gal of my vintage, I've taken to the things I know best.  1) Feeding people and b) Feeding people very well.   The first step was to get back to basics and simplify life; that begins with a well stocked kitchen! Even if you aren’t a food fanatic, you...

--> The Things We Do For Love. I was told once by a very well known and lovely Chef that it never fails, ever... the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.   Maybe the meal is exotic like Ostrich or Bison. Or it could be a simple as a sandwich... --> ...or perhaps the always popular deliciousness known as Chocolate Layer Cake. --> Any way you slice it, everybody's gotta eat but if it's the first time you are creating dinner (or breakfast) for someone who is close to your heart, it can be a real challenge.  How defined is their pallet? Do they have any food allergies, (that's a big one since you don't want the night to end up in the ER!) What if they had Osso Bucco for lunch and you've spent three days slaving over a hot stove making it THEN you find out that in fact, they are Vegetarian!  Sigh. --> My advice?  Start pulling all y...

The question most asked at a Television or Film Production company that is also the MOST anticipated is, "What's fer lunch?"  It's true.  At some shows I've worked on, say for A&E with the "talent" closely resembling an aging singer from a once very popular boy band and an ex-playboy centerfold that would give a used bar rag a run for it's money, the aforementioned "lunch" question would come up very early on in the day.  "Hey so, has anyone thought about lunch?" (and it's 9:45am)... you get the picture.  Depending on the weather, the overall "feel" of the crowd and if anyone had gone out the night before, a very careful list of all time favorites that were within walking distance would be rattled off.  After several weeks of the same 5 places, a person gets a little tired of the same old - same old.  It was on that show that Becca and I decided to start really putting some thought into, what became and still r...

It's no secret that I grew up in Central Ontario, Canada where the Summer season is really just two or three weeks of really bad pond ice skating.  When we do talk about "the seasons" it's always "Fishing Season", "Duck Hunting Season", "Deer Season"; ...you get the idea. A good friend sent some fantastic duck to me in late Fall (Duck Season), all dressed and freeze packed knowing I would create "art" when I decided to cook it up. In my opinion, "art" is subjective... so what may be a dramatic looking duck dish to me...  could very well be lame duck to someone else ;o) I thought I'd share my favorite roast duck recipe today (it's a perfect day for the aroma of roast duck filling the house!) The accompanying sauce is a go-to for me and works well with Lamb, chicken, pork as well as duck breast. One note before we begin... the breed of duck ...