A Cast of Characters

From Linda Colwell — Blog by Linda Colwell

May 30, 2009

The dame, Marguerite, in the fishnet neck is the oldest. She is caramelized brandied cherry liquor. To her right are two young whippersnappers Jude and Dane. They are brothers from black currants. The dark square bodied Guy on the left is an eight year-old French styled walnut liquor. He’s eccentric and sweet though a little cloudy with age. And the rotund matron in the middle with the lumpy figures is Matilda.

These characters live in a cupboard and come out when it is cold and dreary, viruses abound and cheer is in order. Sometimes when infected with a spring fever giddiness they’ll court some dish and consider themselves a perfect match. Often they are a quick shot or an eye-to-eye toast to a committed friendship. They are the bee’s knees.

Continue reading A Cast of Characters »

The Urban-Rural Divide

From Linda Colwell — Blog by Linda Colwell

May 19, 2009

I have a young understudy whose name is Julia. She is my childhood friend’s daughter. She is finishing her senior year in high school and has to do an internship of four forty hour weeks. I few months ago Julia asked me if I had ideas for a sustainable agriculture and/or bakery internship for her. I gave it some thought and delivered her a handful of options. #5 was to shadow my daily life for the month- Oh the pluck! Oh the nerve! Oh selfish and frisky me! I wanted time with this lovely young woman eager for knowledge about as much as I crave a perfect cocktail and I found the golden ticket, I won the lottery, I hit the jackpot, I got Julia.

Continue reading The Urban-Rural Divide »

My Great Aunt Francie

From Linda Colwell — Blog by Linda Colwell

May 4, 2009

This is my great aunt Francie making fritters. She is truly great in many ways. She is my grandmothers youngest sister. She still lives on her own, keeps her own garden, cans her tomatoes, pears and apples and every year says it is her last year with a garden but there is always one more year. She is the mother of Freddy which also makes her great. Freddy can play the accordion and swears like a sailor. Francie cooks a lot, plays cards at least once a week with her best friend Rose who makes really good candy. Out of respect to my dear Aunt Francie, I can’t tell you her age but I’m fifty this year.

Continue reading My Great Aunt Francie »

Transylvanian Rose Hip Jam

From Linda Colwell — Blog by Linda Colwell

May 2, 2009

I see rose hips in the wild, in cars passing by, on the backs of Romas and in the heavy bags sitting in the sun up against Emeneni’s house. She has two full bags of hand picked wild rose hips, about forty pounds in all. These wild rose hips are small and seedy and not at all like the big beach plum rose hips of the North American Atlantic coast. The Transylvanian rose hips are more like the wild rose hips of the Nootka or Dog roses in the Pacific Northwest, maybe smaller. Good for bears and birds, a lot of work for people.

Continue reading Transylvanian Rose Hip Jam »

“all alone, all alone, Good is everywhere”

From Linda Colwell — Blog by Linda Colwell

April 29, 2009

I grew up when the cartoon Davy and Goliath was Sunday morning entertainment. Deborah and Patrick’s wonderful exploration of eating alone combined with the Davey’s chant “all alone, all alone, God is everywhere” brought a surprising collision of images from my reality and ideality sectors. The reality is I am rarely alone. The cat demands, the dog politely requests a share of avocado. The teens walk in like graveyard shifters in an all night diner to place their orders for food. My ideal is to be alone so I can eat, undisturbed and un-distracted, fully gluttonous in my attentions.

Continue reading “all alone, all alone, Good is everywhere” »