There but for the grace…
No one has ever become poor by giving. Anne Frank Writing about food means considering where it comes from. Not just eating the bread, but buying the bread. And what it takes to buy bread. And sometimes, like a punch to the gut, it becomes apparent that this simple process is not so simple. A … Continue reading There but for the grace…
Chili is as Chili Does…(more comfortable food)
“Detestable food passing itself off as Mexican, sold in the U.S. from Texas to New York.” ~ 1959 description of chili in the (Mexican) cookbook, ‘Diccionario de Mejicanismos” And when the winter stretches on, and in these times of darkness, when days are short and nights are long, and spring is snailing distant…there is something … Continue reading Chili is as Chili Does…(more comfortable food)
Walking for Bread…
There is not a thing that is more positive than bread. Fyodor Dostoevsky I have written about bread before, and talk of bread is unavoidable, but this is about the morning walk, the intention. There is a purity of purpose that is a raw and cleansing way to begin the day. There is no rush, … Continue reading Walking for Bread…
Comfort Food…
There is something about very cold weather that gives one an enormous appetite. Most of us find ourselves beginning to crave rich steaming stews and hot apple pies and all kinds of delicious warming dishes; and because we are all a great deal luckier than we realize, we usually get what we want—or near enough. … Continue reading Comfort Food…
Far and Away…
“I alternate between feeling sympathetic toward humanity and being a misanthrope. When I’m sympathetic, it usually means I haven’t been around people in awhile.” John R. Lindensmith There is a farmhouse, a mas, in the countryside some miles outside of Arles. It is not terribly accessible – I only noted it from the elevated aspect … Continue reading Far and Away…
Winter is Coming…
I felt once more how simple and frugal a thing is happiness: a glass of wine, a roast chestnut, a wretched little brazier, the sound of the sea. Nothing else. Nikos Kazantzakis There’s a moment every year when I know it’s winter. It may not occur on the Solstice, and in fact often (usually) doesn’t. … Continue reading Winter is Coming…
A River Runs Through It…
At the time I did not know that stories of life are often more like rivers than books. Norman Maclean The Rhône at Arles is a tidal river, which is a thing that takes some getting used to. There are hours of the day where it torrents northward with a single-minded purpose towards Avignon, like … Continue reading A River Runs Through It…
Vin Chaud…Not Really a Recipe.
“It is well to remember that there are five reasons for drinking: the arrival of a friend, one’s present or future thirst, the excellence of the wine, or any other reason.” Latin proverb Rumbling, shuddering, banshee-wailing down the Rhône, stripping leaves from the chestnuts, scouring dust from the hills, the Mistral brings clear skies and … Continue reading Vin Chaud…Not Really a Recipe.
La Pêche du Jour…
If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles. Doug Larson One of the advantages of living in a Provençal town a few dusty turns from the sea – our own personal fishmonger. A neighbor just down the block who has a fishing boat in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer sends … Continue reading La Pêche du Jour…
