I discovered the "Venetian Spritz" cocktail last summer in Italy and have been an avid fan ever since. This spritz is very popular in Venice and is usually enjoyed as an aperitif. The drink consists of a light white wine, a splash of Campari and topped of with...
We celebrated Thanksgiving Dinner at Cancer Wellness last Sunday. For me, and many of the survivors, it was an especially poignant gathering. One of the participants summed it up in an email by writing, "We survivors have so much to give thanks for." I gathered...
This year, I started thinking about Thanksgiving much earlier than usual. The reason for this forethought was my fear of copious amounts of butter, cream and other equally indulgent ingredients that are staples in most holiday recipes. Ironically, last year at this...
This week I got to conquer one of my lingering culinary fears, Gingerbread. While I have always been fascinated by the beauty and whimsy of gingerbread houses, I was equally daunted by the intricacy and patience this craft surely required. Luckily, I had a great...
A couple of week's ago, Chef Nancy and I were joking about how every cook on the planet seems to embrace the ever popular butternut squash as soon as the fall season begins. Recently, we made a wonderful roasted butternut squash salad with an apple cider vinaigrette...
I want to introduce you to my new favorite spice. It's smoked paprika. Quite frankly, I have become a bit obsessed with this beautifully hued, smoky spice. It is most commonly used in Spanish cuisine and adds a deep, smoky flavor and a touch of heat. Smoked paprika...
I'll just go ahead and admit it. I am a cookbook junkie. At the rate I'm going, I may very well be buried alive under my collection of cookbooks and cooking magazines within the next year or two. Of course, my growing collection and lack of storage space did not...
We have probably all heard of the question "How do you eat an elephant?" The answer of course is "one bite at a time". This means that one should not focus solely on the big goal of eating the elephant, but to break down your ultimate goal into smaller more attainable...
With the official start of fall fast approaching and a break in the summer heat, I started thinking that it was time to dust off the ole' Crock Pot and start cooking up some cool weather comfort food. Coincidentally, as thoughts of my own Crock Pot entered my...
We are all about anything that can help you become ANTI-cancer! Yesterday Chef Nancy and I taught a cooking class that was filled with wonderful foods that help your body stay strong, fight cancer, and build your immune system. I have highlighted a few tips that we...
I first heard of quinoa in culinary school. This word appeared as an answer on a multiple choice quiz. The question was, "What is considered to be the mother of all grains?" Unfortunately, I had never heard of quinoa, and evidently had not done my required reading,...
I love wraps. Lettuce, flatbread or tortillas - they are all fun vehicles to use leftovers from the fridge. Shayna and I are presenting a "What to Eat During Treatment" class this week at Cancer Wellness at Piedmont West, and she suggested the wraps that we have...
Last week, Chef Nancy and I were testing a recipe for a lighter Caesar salad dressing. The original recipe called for one anchovy fillet. We ended up using the whole can of anchovies in the recipe, in order to achieve a flavor we both agreed on. As we were cooking, we...
My new favorite dark, leafy green is kale. It is not a vegetable that I had eaten often in the past, however, I do remember it being served with the Brazilian national dish, Feijoada. Kale is a member of the cabbage family and is low in saturated fat and cholesterol...
Last weekend I went to Franklin, N.C. for the Siler Family Meeting. For 160 consecutive years, the Siler Family has been gathering on the first Saturday of August to enjoy family, fellowship and most importantly food. I began attending this meeting with my grandmother...
