Apparently, the one week of 80+ degree weather that the Adirondacks had back in the beginning of May is all that we’re getting for summer here in the North Country. I should never have put away my long johns or packed up my winter sweaters. It was foolhardy behavior on my part. I mean, Lake Placid got 3 feet of snow ... Read More »
On May 4th, my grandmother passed away. It does blunt the edge of my sadness a bit to realize (and be grateful) that she was a strong, vital presence in my life for over 30 years. She was not a vague idea of “grandmother,” but someone I knew and loved and respected. As happens after a death, there are details ... Read More »
Sleeping in. The hot shower/cold beer combo. Reading the Sunday Times with a cup of strong coffee. Long brunches that include Bloody Marys and Eggs Benedict. Tulips. Falling asleep in a hammock. Playing Banagrams with my friends (and winning, obviously). People watching. This is the short (and PG-rated) list of a few of my favorite things. The list changes seasonally. ... Read More »
Last week, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit two wineries in France. The first, Pol Roger, I wrote about in an earlier post. The second, Hugel et Fils, located in Alsace (a region of France that has, as a result of its close proximity to Germany, had to change its loyalties, language and friends every 50 ... Read More »
Now that I’ve finally kicked my jet lag, I’m able to sit down and make an attempt at distilling the images, memories and tastes of the last week into a somewhat coherent entry to the Sauced blog. Here I go . . . From Saturday to Saturday I was in France, staying in Chaville-Vélizy at the house of my boyfriend’s sister ... Read More »
My first big adventure was traveling to Thailand on my own. It was the spring of 2001 and my friend Lynn was teaching in Japan. She had been to Thailand the year before and while back in the States for holiday, we concocted a plan to meet up there. It sounded wonderfully different: exotic, hot, a little dirty, possibly dangerous ... Read More »
I love set lunches. In Peru, they’re called menùs (if you remember, last year I wrote about how a menù can actually be too cheap – it’s kinda a red flag if they are less than $2). And in Costa Rica, they go by the name casado. For around $5 you can get a plate filled with rice, beans, a ... Read More »
Costa Rica has one of the highest rates if biodiversity in the world, yet what was I thinking about as I took the Gypsy Cab from the Liberia Airport to Nosara? Not howler monkeys, that’s for sure. No, I was thinking about pipas frias (coconut water straight from the coconut) and aguas frescas (fruits blended with cold water). I’ve always loved horchata and ... Read More »
When done well, procrastination is high art. The ability to avoid doing truly important things by convincing yourself (and others) that trivial tasks are actually vital is not a light undertaking. It requires focus and commitment to evade working on your taxes by channeling your energy into organizing your pantry shelves thematically (i.e., late night drunk food, quick breakfasts for ... Read More »
Certain drinks go with certain film characters. Nick and Nora Charles? Martinis. Leon from The Professional? Milk. The ladies from Sex and the City? Cosmos. Alex from A Clockwork Orange? Maloka Plus. Dr. Hannibal Lector? A nice Chianti with a side of Fava bean (may I suggest Fattorie Melini’s Chianti Classico Reserva?) And let’s not forget Caucasians and the Dude. Better known as ... Read More »
Sauced In New York Sometimes the food is in the sauce, sometimes we are