Monthly Archives: December 2016

The Wonder Of Winter

Like most gardeners, I’m a firm believer in celebration. Almost any event or occasion can be taken as an excuse both to make merry and to be consciously grateful together. The first snowdrops, the first flower on the hardy cyclamen, the first bright bells on the nodding hellebores, the first spangle of stars on the winter jasmine, all are cause for shared pleasure and appreciation. But sometimes the world seems too dark to be brightened by a bud or blossom. When I forget to celebrate, I forget to be grateful. When I stop experiencing gratitude, I also lose heart, strength, and courage. Continue reading

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Potato Dumplings Italian Style

Making Fabulous Gnocchi I was recently longing for gnocchi but feeling too lazy to make my own. Our local grocery stores offer a pretty surprising assortment of gnocchi, from dried to frozen or “fresh”. My first sample was pretty awful, … Continue reading

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The Ancient Art Of Braising

First Sizzle, Then Slow And Low For those of us who try to eat something fresh at every meal, the cole family is definitely our best friend in winter. When the markets are full of imported produce, it’s especially pleasant … Continue reading

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Healthy For The Holidays

When dark chocolate coats the throat, the thick, sticky theobromines soothe the vagus nerve and the crazy-making coughing stops. (Milk chocolate or hot chocolate don’t work, only dark chocolate has the power.) This research is fairly recent, but already, chocolate-based cough drops can sometimes be found locally (I found them at Rite-Aid) and more theobromine-rich medications are under development. In the meantime, try letting some dark chocolate melt very slowly in your mouth, one small piece at a time. You may need to be persistent, and you may need to try several kinds of dark chocolate to find the one that works best for you, but know that your experiment is founded on solid and replicated research. Onward!
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