Category Archives: Food

2026, Family, Food, gardening, home, Uncategorized

Garden Plans

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Yesterday we had 120 bags of organic raised bed soil delivered to our driveway. You can see them in the header photo. A retired guy who was the head of the city solid waste department picked them up from Bomgaars and brought them to the house. He has a forklift for just such loads. He knew my dad. The raised beds will ship this week. We have enlisted the help of a young man to move the bags of soil into the back yard. The gate on our fence is too narrow for a tractor, so he will move the bags with a big wheelbarrow. He is a cement worker for his day job and used to date one of the daughters of the former owner of our house. Everyone seems interconnected here!

Best friend is excited to plant chard, heirloom tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. The raised beds are 32 inches high and will be good for plants that need deeper roots. I am planting a late crop of spinach and lots of basil for pesto. We will have herbs in separate pots on the deck. We saw two large deer roaming our neighborhood a few nights ago and I am glad our yard is fenced.

I want to get some Canadian roses to plant around the house, as well as some hydrangeas. We thought about putting in a raspberry bed but it would be too complicated due to underground wires and such. We also have a Birch tree badly in need of pruning, but we will leave that for the fall, as well as planting spring bulbs.

How are your garden plans coming along? What are your experiences with raised beds?

2026, Business, Family, Food, Travel

Grasso Plaza

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Oft times I feel as if my world is fairly small.  494 to the south, Highway 100 to the west, 35W to the east and Franklin to the north.  Obviously I do travel outside of my “zone” but overwhelmingly, my life and errands are within.  So it isn’t odd to me that my mother also had a fairly constricted range.  It was brought home to me last week when YA and I were in St. Louis that Grasso Plaza is basically a catch-all for just about everything.

Grasso Plaza is about 5 minutes from my mom’s house, up on Gravois Road, which is a major thoroughfare in the southwestern suburbs.  It’s basically just two strip malls across Gravois from each other with five lanes of traffic in between.  (One of these lanes is what St. Louisans call the “suicide lane”, in which you can basically go either direction – insanity.)  The parking lots on both sides were clearly designed by an idiot who had been drinking heavily.  I can’t believe that the insurance companies haven’t banded together to force the Plaza to have them both re-done; I’ve witnessed two accidents myself in my visits to Nonny.

Anyway, here are all the places in Grasso Plaza that we went to in our three full days:

  • Schnucks.  This is one of the grocery store chains in St. Louis; I am not making this up.  We got a few snacks and some beverages to keep in the condo while we were there.
  • St. Louis Bread Company. SLBC was bought by AuBon Pain in 1993 and everywhere else except St. Louis, the name was changed to Panera.  I assume some lawsuit or contractual thing was involved.  On the outside the sign says St. Louis Bread Company, on the inside, everything says Panera, including how your receipt prints out.  We had two meals there.
  • Walgreens.  Of all the things that Nonny didn’t have in her condo was lotion!
  • Southern Bank. Nonny’s bank – we had to deposit a check of hers.
  • Post Office. We had to send the equipment back to MobileHelp (Nonny’s “help I’ve fallen and can’t get up” service).  Very very friendly and chatty clerks – good thing no one was waiting behind me.
  • Cotton’s Ace Hardware. I’ve been here many times over the years but this trip it was to drop off the last of Nonny’s canned goods/cereals.  Cotton’s has a collection barrel for the Affton Christian Food Pantry.
  • Dollar Tree. Just a quick stop for some plastic drinking cups for the condo since there were so many folks working on the cleaning out.
  • H&R Block. Stopped by to ask one tax question concerning Nonny’s taxes.  They weren’t helpful.  I should have just texted Linda.  Ended up getting better info from AARP.

These weren’t the only errands we ran, but it was most of them and I was happy to put Grasso Plaza behind us.  Even though it was handy, I don’t want to mess with those parking lots and that suicide lane ever again!

Do you have any favorite/usual shopping spots?

2026, Family, Food, Gatherings, Uncategorized

Easter Dinner Disaster

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Our Easter menu consisted of scalloped potatoes, roasted butternut squash with apples, raspberry cream pie, and smoked farmer’s ham with a plum glaze.

Since we had to sing in the choir at both services on Sunday, I decided to make the potatoes and the pie on Saturday. I got the pie crust made and the pie assembled, and then started on the scalloped potatoes. I used Julia’s recipe, which she describes as “ambrosia”. It consists of two cups of heavy cream and two cups of half and half, bay leaf, salt and pepper in which you simmer on the stove two pounds of very thinly sliced Yukon Gold potatoes. They simmer for 90 minutes, and then you put them in a gratin dish. They can be made ahead of time to this point, then baked the next day in the oven for 20 minutes after you sprinkle them with grated Gruyere cheese.

I put the simmered potatoes in the 14 × 9 ceramic Le Creuset gratin dish to cool down preparatory to putting them in the fridge for the night. Husband was looking for ingredients for a cucumber salad in the cupboard just above the gratin dish when he accidentally knocked a bottle of avocado oil off the shelf. It landed in on the potatoes, and the gratin dish shattered into about eight pieces.

The pieces seemed pretty intact, and after we had scraped all the potatoes into another gratin dish we reassembled the busted dish in the sink to see if we could salvage the potatoes and serve them on Sunday. We were able to account for all but a quarter inch piece of ceramics.

I was really torn about what to do. Should we serve the potatoes and warn our guest about the possibility of a ceramic fragment? Should I throw it out and make it again on Sunday? I decided to decide in the morning.

The chance of our guest breaking a tooth or swallowing a sharp glass fragment was too great for me to deal with, so I tossed the potatoes and made more after church. They were ambrosial. I remembered a conversation I once had with the wife of one of our ND psychiatrists. She admitted that when her husband was in his residency in Texas she invited several people over for dinner. She really wanted to impress, and wanted to serve liver pate. They were quite poor at the time, so she bought a can of liver cat food and served it with crackers. No one was any the wiser, and her guests liked the “pate”. Well, we certainly could afford more cream and potatoes, and I am glad I threw the first batch of potatoes away.

What kitchen disasters have you had? Ever served a dish that you knew had something wrong with it?

2026, Family, Food, Uncategorized

Tea Time

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I don’t know if it is the increased humidity and cold and storms here, but Husband and I have been drinking much more tea than we did in ND. Husband is a great tea maker and we have nice teapots and infusers.

If all goes well, we will have an order of a variety of teas delivered today. I particularly like fruit teas like Rote Grutze, a North German tea with hibiscus and dried fruit. I also like East Friesien tea you must have with cream and rock sugar. The cream is poured in a specific way to make it look like eruptions. Husband prefers strong black teas like those from Scotland and Ireland.

I never had much tea before I went to England as a college junior, and had tea in a tea shop. I tried to sweeten my tea with what looked like sugar, but turned out to be coarse salt. My, did I get odd looks from the servers! I like lemon in my black tea, but the salt was really awful! They gave me a new pot of tea.

What is your favorite tea? Sweetened or lemon? Tea cakes?

2026, Fantasy, Food, Gatherings, Music, Uncategorized

Lucky Eggs?

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Last Saturday I re-created a dish that I had seen on the internet (love Webspoon – if that’s not the definition of food porn, I don’t know what is).  The first step is to whisk 3 eggs with salt and pepper.  When I cracked the second egg into the bowl – double yolks!  I’m not sure but I think the last time I came up with a double yolk was before YA was born.  The internet says the odds are 1 in a 1000.  I don’t understand statistics that well, because we go through eggs at a pretty good rate; I would think I would come across them more often.

Of course, when I’m writing this, I’m not feeling particularly lucky but last Saturday it felt like a good thing.  It was a pretty day.  I made a nice dish using up the last of the tortillas and a jar of my homemade tomato sauce from the freezer – you all know how much I like using up stuff.  And I had a concert on Saturday night (Cantus at Westminster downtown) that was spectacular.

Wish the good luck from those yolks could have lasted longer, but I’ll take any good day I can get!

Tortilla Omelette
3 eggs, whisked together with salt & pepper
Add 4 tortillas, rolled up and cut into strips
Add 2 vegetarian brats, chopped up (Webspoon used ham, rolled up and cut into strips)
Add a cup or so of shredded cheese (I used some mozzarella & some Mexican shred)
Pat is all down in a springform pan
Add a cup or so of tomato sauce and spread evenly over top
Add a bit more cheese if you so desire
25 minutes in a 350° oven.
Let it sit for at least 15 minutes to firm up before cutting.
Yum-O

What makes a lucky day for you?  Any double yolks recently?

2026, Business, Fantasy, Food, Gatherings, Movies

Conversations in the Dark

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I couldn’t resist.  Got up early on Sunday morning and headed to SunStreet Breads for their last day.  Got there a little after 6; there was one fellow already standing outside the door but since I didn’t have a coat on, I stayed in the car listening to my book on CD.  When the next two guys joined the little line at 6:10, I got out and joined them.

We had a great time, first talking about bakeries and donuts and rustic breads. Everybody had other bakeries that they sometimes frequent but it was clear that Sunstreet had a place in all our hearts.  I can’t remember why somebody in the line behind me highly commended the movie The Hail Mary Project.  I mentioned that I wasn’t sure I wanted to see that – another favorite book of mine that I don’t want “sullied” by some movie producer’s vision.  This led to a lively bit of talk about science fiction movies.  The first guy in line and I convinced to the two younger men between us that they needed to see Forbidden Planet with Leslie Nielsen and Walter Pidgeon.  I mentioned John Scalzi, but apparently any science fiction written after 1985 was a non-starter for my new friend in the front of the line.  The topic then returned to the bakery with all of us listing what we were planning on purchasing. 

At 6:30, opening time, the line was all the way back to the Caribou Coffee – probably 40 folks.  There were signs up about no espresso (I’m guessing that’s a time suck you can’t afford when you have lines out the door) and only six pastries per person.  All three of my guys did the six pastries bit but since I was just there for the experience, I just got three – a raspberry cream scone, a laugen croissant (kind of a pretzel crust) and a blueberry turnover for YA.  Oh and one last tray of outrageously expensive (but yummy) animal cookies.  

The line was even longer when I left.  I headed on home with my treasures, realizing that I’d had a great time – not so much because I’d gotten pastries on the last day of my favorite bakery but because it had been a blast to talk about donuts, bakeries and science friction in the wee hours of the morning.

Any really good conversations recently?

2026, Art, Food, Music, Mysteries, Songs

Went To a Bar

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A few weeks ago, here in Winona, there was an event at the Two Fathoms Brewing, a bar-and-grill downtown, on the river. Here’s the press release:

Silent Auction & Benefit Show for Winona Sheltering Network
Sunday 2:00 – 5:00 Free Event, All Ages
[Music by:] Ironstill; Mike Munson; Sheep for Wheat

When I got there around 3:00, the place was packed – standing room only. I got a lucky seat when a person sitting beside my friend Cherie left for the other room, where the Silent Auction was taking place. I eventually stood in a long line for a Cold Milk Stout (really a delicious thing – look it up).  It had been a year or more since I’d been to Two Fathoms – it hosts weekly Beer Bingo, weekly Trivia Night, live music on weekends, and a monthly Karaoke, et al. Best, though, are the monthly Jazz Jams on a Sunday afternoon – with the local H3O Jazz Trio and an open mic;  each month a portion of the proceeds go to a different local cause. Here’s a photo to give you the “flavor” of the place…

I enjoyed some of the changes that had been made in my absence – they’d relocated the bar, which left more central space for the stage. But since the noise level made conversation close to impossible, we just listened to the music and WATCHED people – best people-watching I’ve done in ages:

– people seeing each other and hugging, or just being delighted to reunite
– lots of little kids, some in tutus and other fancy dresses
– a guy in the corner talking to his friend, holding his mug and a baby
– so many different ages of people, and everyone seemed in a good mood
– a singer pauses to announce that there’s a pizza looking for a home – can anyone please claim this pizza???
– and the pizza smelled SO good..
–  felt good to be among these people; everyone there was in support of the Sheltering Network
– there were great silent auction items – “knocked it out of the park”, someone said – and they raised around $12,000 for the WSN

 When was the last time you were in a bar? Or attended a fundraiser?  Was it enjoyable?

Where is your favorite place to “people watch”?

2026, Business, Food, Uncategorized

Donut Departure

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The bad news actually came down before Christmas.  My favorite bakery, SunStreet Breads is closing.  The owners are moving back to their home town and want to pursue “a new business model”.  This coming Sunday is their last day; more importantly to me, yesterday was the last donut day (they only make their fabulous glazed donuts on Wednesdays).

I’ve been preparing mentally for this day for awhile.  I made the card a couple of weeks ago – a big shaker card in the shape of a stand mixer.  On Tuesday I headed to Michaels for a bit of black fabric and made an armband.  Touch too dramatic?  Well, I’ve been to SunStreet every Wednesday for 12 years for my donut fix.  Missed a few during the beginning of Covid when they were closed for a couple of months and there were never donuts on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving due to the high volume of other orders.  I figure I can mark this as a major passing if I want to.

Set my alarm early, headed down to Cub to get a small pot of pretty yellow flowers and was able to arrive at SunStreet by 6:15.  Waited in the car until 6:28 when the line started to form for the door opening at 6:30.  I was in line behind a father and son; the son was about 3 and cute as a button.  He informed me (if I understood him correctly) that they were having donuts before school. 

The head baker came out to say thanks for the flowers, although it was a short greeting and there was no shaking of flour-covered hands!  I was back to my car with my donut and scone by 6:35 and the line of customers was already out the door.  I might drive up there on Sunday morning to see what it’s like, but I expect that it will be a zoo and of course there won’t be donuts (I asked).  Definitely the end of an era for the neighborhood.  Wonder who will take that space next?

Have you ever gotten “verklempt” over a favorite store closing?

2026, Food, Gatherings, home, Kids, Uncategorized, Weather

Fuzzy Pi

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Big snow storms and big parties don’t go together.  I watched the weather like that proverbial hawk for a couple of weeks and was a little dismayed when just a few days ahead of Pi Day, the forecast took a turn for the worse.  For the next few days we were hoping the snow would hold off until Saturday night, but it became clear that our hopes wouldn’t be realized.  YA suggested that we move Pi Day up to 5 p.m. (instead of 6) to give folks a little more wiggle room so I sent out an email.

I was a bit worried about whether I could be ready by 5.  On Thursday and Friday I was… well a little fuzzy.  Just not firing on all thrusters.  Around noon on Friday, I had some pie shells par-baking; as I waited, I took a quick break on the sofa.  When the timer went off, I headed to the kitchen, faced the oven, turned off the timer, put on the oven mitts and then promptly turned right around and opened the dishwasher.  Just a smidge loopy I’d say.

YA was an angel and by the time the first folks arrived at 4:30, everything was done except for the whipped cream on the last three pies.  We had everything on the table and ready by 5.  Phew.  Of course not everybody got the email so there was a 5:00 influx and a 6:00 influx.  One friend came at 7:15!  No worries – enough pie for everybody!

Here is this year’s menu:
Blueberry
Dutch Apple
Peach
Pear Croustade
Oreo Cream
Double Lemon Chess
Nectarine Almond Crumb
Key Lime
Crack
Banofi
Fudge Pecan
Coconut Macadamia
Root Beer Float Whoopies

So you can have a Pi Day celebration when there is a storm and even if you’re a little discombobulated.  However I did make everybody who left after 7 call/text me when they got home safe and sound!

  What kind of pie is best eaten underground?

2026, Art, Food, Kids, Stories, Uncategorized

Julia!

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Last Thursday night, YA and I headed over to the Minnesota Historical Center to see the Julia Child exhibit.  It’s been there for a bit but we just got around to it… plus the free Thursday aren’t EVERY Thursday, so it does require a little pre-planning.

I’ve seen Julia Child’s actual kitchen at the Smithsonian, but this traveling exhibit if much more extensive, covering details of her childhood, how she met her husband Paul, their life in France and, of course, her culinary journey.  There are quite a few fun bits in the exhibit:

Pots w/ smells.  There were a few pots next to copies of her most famous recipes.  When you lifted the lid, that recipe’s aroma wafted out of the pot.  Ingenious.  There was a mock-tv studio and if you stood in certain parts of the room, your image was filmed and showed up on three different screens.  Another fabulous part of the exhibit was a 12-foot high copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking; the inside of the book was projected from two different screens and every minute or so, the “page” would turn, taking your to another recipe in the book.  What a marvelous idea. 

I guess I know more about Julia Child than I thought (couple of biographies); the exhibit didn’t have anything that was a surprise about her life but it was enjoyable nonetheless.   

I had been surprised that YA had wanted to come along but she seemed to enjoy it.  We then went on to see a couple of the other exhibits that are showing right now but she didn’t want to stay for the free concert that was going on that night.  Oh well, I take what I can get!

What’s the last museum you’ve visited?  Any good biographies lately?