How much more fun could it be than to write about my favorite spirit, a writing hero and an inspiring drink-making legend – all at once?
First, the rum. Papa’s Pilar is a tribute to Ernest “Papa” Hemingway and his “never a spectator” love for life – a love he shared with friends aboard his “Pilar” Caribbean traveling fishing boat. You bet, I got a wry smile reading how, just like Hemingway, Papa’s Pilar is billed as “Bold, well-traveled, uniquely American”. Read more »
“No, Dad.”
My oldest son stopped tapping on the computer, but still had his back to me after politely enduring me telling him about a ramen noodle recipe I’d just put together.
“Here’s what we do.” He still didn’t turn around but showed me with his hands out to his side. “We leave the ramen bag closed, hit it a couple times to break up the noodles, open the bag, add the stuff in the flavor packet, close the bag, give it a quick shake and eat ‘em. Done.”
“No water?” Read more »
Like a rumbling multistage rocket ripping with purpose to a world beyond, positive role models boost, guide and inspire us to heights not even they could ever imagine. My greatest role model is my dear ol’ mom.
Mom is an only child. I don’t remember ever meeting her parents. They died when I was young. But I sure heard stories of how my mom was influenced by them.
Most significantly, when Mom was 12 growing up in Santa Paula, California, just inland of Santa Barbara, she told her parents she wanted to be a nurse. Her dad had little formal education but a lot of common sense as a successful businessman and lemon rancher. He suggested, “Why not be a doctor? They’re the ones who make the important decisions.” Read more »
July 22nd, 2013 
Blog 
Comments Off on “Tasting the Tour” with Cherries, Blueberries and Peaches on Top – All in Pictures 
The 100th Tour de France wrapped up three incredibly exciting weeks of road racing with a spectacular first ever late evening finish in Paris last night. Terrific stuff – kind of like ending it all with a big fat red cherry on top.
As a tribute to a fantastic close to what I think is the toughest endurance sport event on Earth, here’s an easy-to-make summer fruit compote made with fresh Read more »
July 9th, 2013 Blog Comments Off on “Tasting the Tour” – Food From the 100th Tour de France Route, Part 4: Pan Seared Sea Scallops 
After a well-earned day of rest following a week of fast-paced racing through France capped by eye-bugging climbs up the Pyrenees, the Tour got back on the road today ripping their way from Saint-Gildas-des-Bois to Saint-Malo in northwestern France. (For more information about the, click the picture below for a link to the official Tour de France site. For friendly, personalized help about traveling to Saint Malo – or anywhere else in France – click this link.) Read more »
July 4th, 2013 Blog Comments Off on “Tasting The Tour” – Food From the 100th Tour de France Route, Part 2: Provencal Vegetable Tian 
I got a good wry smile out of this line from SBNation.com regarding today’s stage 6 of the Tour de France from Aix-en-Provence to Montpellier: “A relatively short 176.5 km trek across flat land should see this year’s sprinters shine once again”.
A relatively short 176.5 km (110 miles) – ripping the pedals at over 30 mph average? Ow! Read more »
June 29th, 2013 Blog Comments Off on “Tasting the Tour”: Food From the 100th Tour de France Route, Part 1 – Corsican Calzone 
The biggest cycling event of the year, the Tour de France, just got underway today. This year marks the hundredth anniversary of by far the toughest race on Earth that runs three weeks covering well over 2000 miles through the spectacular flats, hills and mountains of France.
As a lifelong cyclist and big tour fan, this year I’m researching some of the foods particular to the major regions the tour will ride through. For the first time ever, the first three days of the tour will be on the island of Corsica just southeast of France and west of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea. As you might well imagine just by its sheer location, the food on Corsica is a fantastically rich blend of French and Italian flavors. Read more »
June 8th, 2013 Blog Comments Off on Starting a Conversation with New Dorm Room Food Video and Picture Book Recipe Ebook 
Four years ago, I dreamed of putting together step-by-step video and picture books to help people get in and out of the kitchen as quickly as possible – and live to tell about it – with something darn flavorful on a plate. And though I hopped on that dream right away and do have video and picture books on the market, I’ve always been limited by book distributor file size constraints and could never have the videos directly embedded in the books free of Internet access. Now I can – but only through Apple and iTunes – and specifically, only for the iPad. Read more »
Mai Tai is Tahitian for “out of this world”. Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron created his signature drink in Oakland, California in 1944 and is remembered for saying, “Anybody who says I didn’t create the Mai Tai is a dirty rotten stinker!”
That full-on attitude matches the rich citrus, almond and rum “out of this world” flavor of this popular tropical cocktail.
Rule of thumb to make two 4-ounce drinks: for every 2 ounces of lime juice, add 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1 ounce almond (orgeat) syrup, 1 ounce orange curaçao 2 ounces white or amber rum and 2 ounces dark rum. Just click any picture on this page for a complete step-by-step picture book recipe.
All right! The temperature’s finally changing from cool to warm, so how ‘bout we take tea from hot to cold as easily as possible. What you’ll see here is the fastest and easiest way I know to make fresh and flavorful iced tea. The key is warming the water only enough to get the tea bags to steep effectively and then getting the tea in the refrigerator to cool as quickly as possible.
Just click any picture on this page for complete, easy to follow step-by-step picture book directions. Read more »
