A Writer Afoot » food

The Lost Art of Family Dinners

Barbara Samuel — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:59:49 +0000

Dinner in Suburbia by Make Less Noise

When I was a child, we ate dinner together nearly every night. I did not necessarily love the whole ritual, especially when my mother made hamburger pie, covered with mashed potatoes, or when I was in trouble for one thing or another (which was a lot), but [...]

Pancake kisses, bacon hugs

Barbara Samuel — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:38:14 +0000

THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING is out today! To celebrate, a love song to breakfast.

PANCAKE KISSES, BACON HUGS

Why breakfast is the secret of everything

I suppose I should confess upfront that I am a morning person. I wake up cheery, chatty and at the very first fingers of sunlight creeping over the [...]

1 day till THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING arrives in stores

Barbara Samuel — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:19:05 +0000

Not long now!

I get so excited when it gets so close. I’ve known Tessa and Sam (oh, you will love her father!) and Vince and Natalie (darling, troubled Natalie) for more than two years. Very happy for you to be able to finally meet them.

Here’s my favorite review of [...]

Slow cooked, spicy, chunky apple butter

Barbara Samuel — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:37:52 +0000

Technically, I suppose, apple butter is smooth. I originally made this recipe last winter and pureed it afterward. Since, however, my main use for this particular condiment is in my morning oatmeal, I have found I much prefer it to be left chunky. Recipe is adapted from one I found at The Art [...]

The Deconstruction of Fish & Chips

Barbara Samuel — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 23:34:30 +0000

At CR’s urging, I decided to give the deconstruction of fish & chips a try. (For background on the Top Chef deconstruction challenge, read about it here.)

My challenge was to create a dish that would deconstruct fish & chips and end up tasting like the original. Since the only ingredients in the traditional offering [...]

Deconstruction Challenge, via Top Chef

Barbara Samuel — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:11:49 +0000

Tonight, the chefs were asked to deconstruct a classic dish. One of them was fish and chips, which happens to be one of Christopher Robin’s favorites, so I found myself trying to imagine how to do it. As we watched, I kept tossing out ideas, and CR finally said, “Try it!” (Subtext: please [...]

THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING, Barbara O'Neal

Barbara Samuel — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 11:06:22 +0000

PRE-ORDER NOW

Coming your way January 5, 2010:

FROM THE BACK COVER: In this spectacular new novel, Barbara O’Neal delivers a generous helping of the best in life–family, food, and love–in the story of a woman’s search for the one thing worth more than anything.

At thirty-seven, Tessa Harlow is still working her way [...]

Orienteering, baking up a new book and Aha Moment

Barbara Samuel — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:33:14 +0000

I’ve been baking up a new book that I superstitiously can’t talk about yet, but having a blast and think you will love it madly, too. Haven’t had much time to blog properly, though I’ll have a little more time this week.

Saturday, I went to an orienteering event but bombed out badly on [...]

Cooking and books, books and cooking: my Julie/Julia story

Barbara Samuel — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 22:19:21 +0000

One Christmas season, I was at loose ends. I was finally, officially divorced after a fairly long marriage. My sons were working and traveling, or out with their friends. There was a man I’d been seeing, but he was traveling, too, and anyway, he was never going to be My Guy and I [...]

Gifts of summer: Peaches, green beans and a ghost

Barbara Samuel — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:42:03 +0000

Around here, we’ve been mellow. Haven’t gone back yet to my usual schedule–the girls and my brain needed a rest. I’ve been haunting the farmer’s markets, gardening, going to Nia, and working with the bounty from summer gardens. Don’t you love summer food?

One day this week, I ambled around the markets, picking [...]