Now, the only way I enjoy ginger, outside of Asian cuisine, is crystallized.

Then you go and combine it with a favorite nut the hazelnut, and you even dare to place these in the queen of all cookies - shortbread.

What more can one say, other than, “Pass the cookies, please.”

Basic Sourdough Bread - now that’s a sourdough bread.

My mom’s sourdough “plant” was in use for over 35 years, and I can say the resulting bread was always delicious!

Garlic and Herb Rubbed Crown Roast of Pork - just the title starts up the salivary glands. The garlic, sage, and thyme paste won me hands down!

Today I enjoyed a salad of butter crunch lettuce, arugula (I’ll practically eat anything with arugula on top!), heritage tomato, red bell pepper, cucumber with thinly sliced buffalo steak (left over from yesterday’s dinner). Topped it with a simple dressing of balsamic, olive oil, pepper.

Delicious.

One fine pleasure is to sit and read the Sunday New York Times much of Sunday morning. Start at breakfast. Get distracted, thus hot breakfast not an option. So, munched sliced apples sporadically dipped in homemade wholegrain granola and sipped freshly squeezed orange juice feeds the body (and brain) as the paper is enjoyed.

Well, they were not sent down from some heavenly source, but by a man who believes in disseminating good information.

It may not be the first time for some to know these eight salient points, but it may very well be. And, they make one think about ones own unobserved poor habits.

I can just imagine the rich, creamy texture on my palate now. Thanks for such a delicious concoction.

My mom and I used to forage for mushrooms in the early mornings in “the good old days” in the forests up behind Virginia Beach. We would bring home a large galvanized bucket full!

She would saute them with bacon to go on toast for breakfast (even for the lazy sods who slept in and didn’t help gather).

Then she’d make a Shepherd’s Pie with ground leftover leg of lamb and mushrooms.

Oh, my, how delicious it all was!

Have been carrying around my mom’s fondue set forever! So, now will have a retro fondue party with a couple of these delicious recipes! Thanks for the inspiration.