My Stories

Blog Post Photo, Hastings Park Racetrack
My Stories

At The Races

A long time Facebook friend, someone I communicate with often, lost her elderly, ailing mom not too long ago.  While spending the last days with her mother, she was sharing her feelings on Facebook.  I private messaged her a few times just to let her know how much I was thinking of her hoping it […]

Blog Post Photo Showing Parsnips, Beets, Potatoes, Carrots
My Stories

Not Parsnips Again??

“Winter” is definitely the key word here! Last weekend we made an unusually short foray to Riley Park where our Winter Farmer’s Market is held each Saturday.  Seems like at this time of year it’s short rations for local veggies…so the trips are short ones! Eating seasonally is a very good thing.  Fresh, local food, […]

Blog Post Photo of Doorway Arch, Alba, Piedmont, Italy
My Stories

Our Never Ending Italian Learning Curve!

I definitely think I need an eyebrow make-over! Everyone seems to have amazing, immaculately groomed ones, even some of the guys! It seems that one simply has to have amazing eyebrows!  Wonder what the next fad to strike will be? All the research I did sussing out delicious regional foods while preparing for our first […]

Blog Post Photo, Flaming Christmas Pudding
My Stories

Christmas at Number 5

Just a quick little post to show off our lovely “pot-luck” Christmas dinner! Christmas is about sharing with family but also being with good friends, so it was a pleasure to spend the evening with Andrea and Kevin.  Kevin decided it would be an excellent idea if he were to roast a prime rib using […]

Blog Post Photo for Pasta Rules & For Official Bolognese Sauce & Ragu Bolognese
My Stories

Pasta Rules!

I’m beginning to wonder if there’s something wrong with me!  Here’s why… An article I was recently reading in a local magazine included a photo not unlike this one, minus the basil leaf, of white spaghetti topped with a huge dollop of tomato sauce. And as soon as I saw it I had a visceral […]

Jar of Tomato-Apricot Chutney
My Stories

How To Be Your Own Worst Enemy

Who me? All it takes is a visit to Trout Lake Farmer’s Market on a lovely Saturday morning in July/August and we are now loaded us down with pounds of plum tomatoes among other goodies. I’ve been saying, over the past few months, or rather my husband has been banging on about how I need […]

Blog Post Photo Showing Hampton Court Kitchen
My Stories

Sweet or Savory?

 Yes Please!  My mother was known to tell people that she could bake anything inside a pie crust and her family would love it! And my Russian mama definitely had that down right! Although…it may have had something to do with the fact that MOM WAS AN ABSOLUTELY AWESOME PIE MAKER! And I don’t care […]

Blog Photo Post Bush of Blueberries
My Stories

They Call it the Blues

Here at #5 the kitchen is bursting with blueberries! The Gelderman family has come through yet again with another outstanding crop of berries and there are more to come next weekend. They grow two types of blueberries, one harvested in July and the other in August. Both are great but we find the August berries […]

Blog Post Photo, Barbecued Brisket, Corn on the Cob
My Stories

An End of July Birthday Dinner

And that means putting on those thinking caps figuring what to prepare for that special Leo celebrating a birthday.  In this case, me!!!  It’s no longer July…but it’s still summer and just think of all those people you can impress by inviting  them over to share an alfresco dinner! What that meant, here at #5 […]

Blog Post Photo, Ramps & Rhubarb, Spring
My Stories

2 “R’s” of Spring

Ramps and Rhubarb! We are happily up to our knees in both! We fired up the stove at #5 this week to stock up our larder and freezer using these delectable spring delicacies. You can’t go wrong with rhubarb muffins or rhubarb coffee cake.  A must in our house is making the annual batch of rhubarb ketchup. Ramps […]