I don’t know how the French survive without a good breakfast. It’s all breads and carbs and nothing that keeps you going until lunch! I was always starving by mid-morning. I did manage an ok meal schedule when I lived there: light breakfast, huge lunch, light dinner. But I wasn’t eating out at restaurants all the time, and my French host mother refused to have bread in the house!

I’ve wanted to try jellied wine since I saw a similar recipe in one of Jamie Oliver’s cookbooks. It certainly looks refreshing and perfect for summer. I’ll have to try it as soon as I get rid of my case of ‘pine nut mouth’!

My favorite most recent not eating out moment was last weekend, when I insisted on cooking for us even though we were tearing out the countertops, backsplash, sink, and faucet in the kitchen. That Malaysian curry was delicious, though, and it’s not so bad doing dishes in the bathtub.

The Bread Baker’s Apprentice!

I’ll take extra fennel seed on mine! :-) Fine Cooking also has a great cracker recipe that I’ve been using, from the December ‘07 issue. It’s a mix of whole wheat and AP flour with a little olive oil that makes the dough nice and supple. People are so surprised when you tell them you’ve actually made crackers!

Do what all the food magazines do, and write yourself a timeline--one for the days before Thanksgiving, and one for the day itself.

I’ve made a couple batches of apple butter (so far!)--one with a bit of Marsala added just for kicks, and the other is a maple apple pear butter that is just incredible. Those jars are going to be saved for really special people!