Month: December 2009

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what are you baking right now?

Holidays are for cooking and baking!
Holidays are for cooking and baking & sharing!

Well, nothing brings our family together faster than talk about what’s to make, bake and cook! I think there is something in the untold common family experience that centers around the fire and sharing and consuming a good meal. You really learn about people when you work with them over the fire in a barbecue or in a kitchen.

This holiday season we have a lot planned some are events with themes for fun:

our GREEK NIGHT

the wines (whites & reds and a sweet):

(special note: Greek  wines — other than Retsina — are tough to find, allow me to recommend wine.com)

Boutari 2007 Santorini ( before the meal)
Boutari 2007 Moschofilero
Boutari 2006 Naoussa
Archaia Clauss Mavrodaphne

the food:

Tiropetes (Greek Cheese filled philo)

Dolmades ( delicious grape vines stuffed with rice and meat)

Moussaka ( a sort of Greek Lasagna with layers of thinly slices and cooked eggplant and custard topping)

Baklava ( nothing else will do)

Honey Pie ( a secret recipe — a favorite from one of the Greek Islands)

Karla wants something to do with a Rabbit this season and everyone wants Turducken, a wide assortment of pies and even a Baked Alaska is also on the list. I am always amazed at how so much can be prepared and then it’s gone! We are planning some fun with Kristin, Karen and some friends with my sweet and spicy ribs and Mom’s favorite Chinese sweet & sour pork.

lots to do and lots of fun!

Roger

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beer commercials just gotta be fun

beer commercials need to be fun... if not funny!
beer commercials need to be fun... if not funny!

One of the fun things about having intelligent daughters is that they keep my brain active. My daughters have always been able to kept my pulse raising, increase my worry & anxiety and fray my nerves… and yes, my they have kept my brain limber.

This summer,  Karen made a presentation to the Reputation Institute on the poorly received 2009 Superbowl commercial. It’s was like showing up to a party with a unhappy pet skunk. Heineken’s message was laudable, but the placement in the Superbowl was ill conceived. Fortunately for Heineken, most people tuned out the commercial and when asked later about what they saw, few people reported seeing anything about Heineken.

Anyway, this provided endless discussion on Skype and eventually Karen took her idea and developed a great project. In the meantime, I took my favorite cartoon character “Dilbert” and made a better commercial… IMHO. I looked up at my drawing and it still makes me smile.

Thanks girls for always making me think… and smile.

Roger

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food for thought

food4thought 001

I remember with great fondness those people in my life who brought food to a gathering. Their unspoken generosity was always endearing. I particularly remember teachers and coaches who would celebrate an occasion or emphasize a lesson by breaking bread with the rest of us. What always amazed me is that I remembered everything and took a lot more away with me from the situation than I expected. That day, I would learn a lot and it would always bring a smile.

In our family, we have always found the best social lubricant is great food. Only the most stubbornly obstinate would not smile  over a piece of Baklava or a nutty-fudgy-brownie! So besides bringing chocolate for Halloween my three teachers (Laura and Karen … and Kristin soon) sometimes accentuate the positive in class with a sweet something.

Pictured above are wonderful brownies that Laura is taking to her honors students in Psychology class today.

Thanks to all the teachers who make this difference.

Roger