At this point in my life, a woman, living alone, having been a care-giver for more than a decade, it feels right to me to grab a little happiness, taking a bold, slightly off-kilter, outside-of-the-box, bubble-off, view of the World. I need, I think, to drive in the years ahead, with my Lights On Bright, my foot off the brake, and, like Yogi, when arriving at a fork in the road, I’m takin’ it. In this Blog, I will share that journey with you.

MOVING DAY: COLORADO BOUND…….

Published May 20, 2012 | By Mary

Aspen, Colorado

A friend once commented to me, during a discussion of homes, square footage and rising construction costs, “I just admire and respect what people do with small spaces.”

That friend is definitely going to ratchet up her respect and admiration for me. Last week I finally came to terms with 940 square feet.

The Gant, a condominium complex in Aspen, where I own a tiny condo. Summer. (photo: condorentals.com)

 

The Gant, a condominium complex in Aspen. where I own a tiny condo. Winter (photo: orbitz.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s the back story.  For the past twelve months I have had to face the reality of my future lifestyle. Moving from our Colorado home of 20 years to the Las Vegas area in 2004 was definitely a good idea.… Continue reading →

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A GANACHE with PANACHE: DOUBLE CHOCOLATE & BANANA TART

Published May 17, 2012 | By Mary

BON ANNIVERSAIRE, Mademoiselle Clara.

A Tart as Cake to Celebrate? She's Nine. That's Fine!!! Let's Party.

This week’s French Friday’s with Dorie recipe coincided with my granddaughter’s ninth birthday. This tart originated with chocolatier Christian Constant who created it for world famous designer Sonia Rykiel, a founding member of Le Club des Croqueurs Chocolat. Now, there is nothing about Clara that doesn’t like chocolate. In addition, she’s a banana-a-day kid. What Christian did for Sonia, Grandma could do for Clara. Pourquoi pas?

Although my daughter (Clara’s mother) holds her tongue over sugar-overload at Grandmother’s house, I do, at times, exert glucose-restraint. I thought the “double” in chocolate might send Melissa over the top, so I used Dorie’s all-purpose tart dough (page 498) for the crust. “It produces,” Dorie says, “a not-too-rich, slightly crisp crust that is as happy holding… Continue reading →

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RHYOLITE: A DORA-the-EXPLORER MOMENT

Published May 14, 2012 | By Mary

The Hunger Games.

For those of you unfamiliar with author Suzanne Collins’ widely popular fictional trilogy, they tell a story of a post-apocalyptic North America. In short, an oppressive government forces teenagers to battle one another to the death in a nationally broadcast ritual known as the Hunger Games (now a film playing at your local theatre). Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist and narrator, describes the arena (battlefield) environment for the Hunger Games as primarily scrub terrain, laden with boulders, scruffy bushes and hidden caves. She mentions that most tributes died from bites from venomous snakes, eating poisonous plants/berries or going insane from thirst.

Rhyolite, an historical townsite located in Nevada's Silver Trails Territory

 

The Four-Seasons Hotel, perhaps, in Rhyolite, early-1900s

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This past week-end I visited an area that could have… Continue reading →

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DÉLICIEUX: PROVENÇAL OLIVE FOUGASSE, French Friday with Dorie

Published May 10, 2012 | By Mary

"STOP! DON'T TAKE ANOTHER BITE." ( I guess the bread was soooo tempting "we" could not even wait for Mary's photo op. Yeah, they look contrite!

Let’s see if I have this straight. In Italy, it’s focaccia. In France, fougasse. The names of both breads are derived from focus, the Latin word for “fireplace”. These flatbreads were originally cooked on a hot hearthstone or in ashes rather than an oven. Not often seen in a Parisian boulangerie, fougasse is “rooted in Provence,” as Dorie explains, “where olive oil trumps butter and rusticity reigns over prim, precise, and formal.”

The finished product. Think of this as a leaf from the Tree of Life.

In a word, fougasse may not be très chic or Parisian-sophistiqué but it sure is délicieux. Now, leave it to the French to get… Continue reading →

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