Christmas Polar Bear Cake

In my web searches this holiday season, I found a cake that's similar to this and thought, "Hey, I can make that!" Inside, though, I was afraid it might turn out like those awful Pinterest "Nailed it!" fails that people post in Facebook. I thought I'd give it a try anyway and this is the outcome. I opted for snowflakes instead of polka dots and a round shape instead of square. It was a lot easier than I anticipated. Although I'd never worked with fondant before, I'm really pleased with the outcome! So much, in fact, I'm going to make more cakes in 2015. Watch out, friends and family, when your birthday comes around!

Guess I should add that the cake itself is a gingerbread cake with seedless strawberry jam between the layers.

A Rare Offering

One of the best things about Autumn is soup. Every year I have several people strongly suggest I should put together a cookbook of my best recipes. The problem is, I don't write recipes...

Boxing Day at Bookends Cottage

This year, while Nettl plans her Christmas dinner (traditionally, she makes the three major holiday meals because I do the "every day" cooking throughout the year), I'm working on my menu for Boxing Day. People in the States aren't blessed with this December 26 day of friends and food—most poor suckers are back in their cubicles at work—but I was introduced to it when I lived in England in the way back when, and I liked it so much, I brought it home with me...

What's Another Pound or Two?

You really should make these. They're super easy and take very little time. And they're wicked good besides...

Inspiration in a Bottle

I came across this possible solution to writer's block last night. It's a wine called Writer's Block. I don't know about you, but a good red wine always unleashes words and ideas in me, so maybe tonight would be a good night to take my laptop out to the living room, put some music on the stereo, pour a few glasses, and be firm with myself.

I don't have this particular wine, of course, and I doubt my local wine store has it, but any red wine will do. The problem with this is that I don't particularly like red wines in the summer. They're too hot and heavy, but whites just don't have that bohemian spirit.

The crap I put myself through.

It's National Absinthe Day

Friday, March 5th, marks National Absinthe Day! Celebrate with Lucid, the first genuine absinthe to be legalized on the US market in 2007. J & K are coming over for dinner, and we'll be imbibing later in the evening.

Happy Friday everyone!

Meeting the Green Fairy

I went into it completely open to any new experience that might visit itself upon me. It was late, and I went around the living room lighting candles and switching off the electric lights. I put the Chopin nocturne on the stereo and went to the little bar area that sits between the dining room and the kitchen...

Rounding a Corner

I've made a horrifying discovery: I can no longer drink like I used to. I had a little wine over the holiday, which only resulted in my not feeling very well. I don't mean in the hangover department, I mean while drinking...

My Tamales!

Being the pastiest gringo you can imagine, it's reasonable that I've never made a tamale in my life. Being from southern California, however, I have eaten my fair share, especially on Christmas Eve. Well, tonight I spent about 3.5 hours in the kitchen making about four dozen tamales. I'm proud of myself. It's not hard, but it is extremely time-consuming. I hope everyone enjoys them, because I probably won't do this again! Not without finagling a couple of people to help me. Anyway, here are my first Christmas Eve tamales! Click to enlargiate.

Willow's Soft Ginger Cookies Are the Best!

If you don't believe me, visit Willow's blog for the recipe, and try them yourself. They are, as Micah said, "Evilicious". These are the BEST ginger cookies I've ever eaten. Perfect for the holidays!

Photo by Willow.

Sunshine in a Box

We've gotten to where we really look forward to Harry and David's Royal Riviera Pears each Christmas. And for some weird reason someone always seems to give us a box.

I love pears. I love to eat them in slivers that I cut and eat with a small fruit knife. I buy pears all summer, but these are better somehow, probably because they're deemed good enough to be boxed and shipped rather than picked up out of a bin at Walmart and put into a clear plastic produce bag...

By Request: My Fideo (aka Hangover Helper)

Pronounced "fee-DAY-o"

First of all, you have to understand that I don't make or keep recipes. I'm one of those if-it's-in-the-pantry-and-it'll-work-throw-it-in kind of cooks. Yesterday's pot of Fideo (which we're still enjoying today) was more planned. I actually went out to get the ingredients. Also, I don't measure anything, so use your own creativity and taste to make your Fideo...

The Red Muse

Chianti and I have a very special relationship. I'm not even quite sure when it began, but I think it was in Laurel Canyon one night when I and several other people sat on a livingroom floor playing guitars and singing songs for each other while enveloped in plumes of incense and illuminated by silken, flickering candlelight.

Through the years, Chianti has juiced my creativity more times than I can count. Poems, songs, and journal entries have been inspired by her, and short-lived love affairs have been forged by her; I cannot imagine my life story without her...

The Pot Roast Review

All I can say about Willow's World Famous Pot Roast is this:

I regret that I have but one stomach to give.

Make it.

Choose Your Caffeine

No! I'm not doing that ever again.

Remember when you could drink soft drinks all day and evening and still go to sleep at a decent hour? I rarely buy sodas, but every once in a while I crave Pepsi, so on Monday night I got a 12-pack and put them in the fridge. I had one on Tuesday afternoon and one later that evening after dinner. The result? I didn't fall asleep until 9:30 Wednesday morning! This is really weird because I can drink coffee all day and it doesn't have this effect on me.

Of course, we can never catch up on a sleep debt, and yesterday I was worth absolutely nothing and felt like crap. And although I went to bed at 11:30 last night, I kept waking up until, at 2:00 am, I took a Tylenol PM. I woke up this morning at 8:30 feeling pretty good. And here it is 10:30 and I'm already showered and dressed, the bed is made and I'm ready to write.

No more Pepsi after 3:00 for me, and definitely no more than one in the space of a day. Middle age sucks sometimes.

Was That YOU?

Every once in a while I just have to have a great big old glass of milk. The problem is, I'm lactose intolerant, and we all know what that means...

Because it's only 1%, I got some chocolate milk this afternoon and enjoyed. That was bad enough, but I think it was an even worse idea to have "Grillin' Beans" and watermelon with dinner. I apologize.

Still Life with Corona

So this is how we spent our Sunday. That's Nathan in the hammock.

Top Steph-Where Are the Judges?

Sorry I've been incommunicado this week, but I really am busy. Still, I thought that I'd share with you the menu I'm preparing for Heather's graduation party. Because she likes all things Anime, I decided on a mostly Asian theme. I promise I'll be back to Blogsville on Saturday...

How Did I Do That?

Last night I made a steak fajita dinner for the first time. It was a big hit and a definite "Make that again!". Later, as I sat adding up how much it cost to make such a successful dinner, I was stunned at how cheap it was. The following are approximates:

Pre-seasoned steak for fajitas: $3.26
Season packet: $0.76
Flour tortillas: $1.79
Red bell pepper: $0.88
Green bell pepper: $0.88
(already had the onion)
Sour cream: $1.32
Grated Fiesta cheese: $1.76
Refried beans: $1.06
Mexican rice: $0.96
Grand Total: $12.67

For FIVE people. That's just a little over $2.50 apiece.
Wow.

Waller on Floyd

Why do I like this guy? His dishes don't always look that great, I'll probably never use one of his recipes, and he desperately needs a hairdresser. Still, whenever the Food Network runs his series, I watch. Maybe it's because he cooks on the streets and harbors of Mediterranean cities, drawing crowds that he never chases away. Or maybe it's because he doesn't give a damn about presentation and drinks wine while he cooks. Maybe it's because he seems to be suppressing a slightly irascible, alcoholic personality. Whatever it is, I like watching "Floyd on Food", not because of the food, but because of Keith Floyd.

Come on. Wouldn't you enjoy emptying a few bottles of chianti with him?