August 15, 2025 We went to a baseball game Monday night and had a blast. At Angel Stadium, the Angels beat the pants off the Dodgers. The weather was great, the food not so much, but hey, it was stadium food. Jim had roasted peanuts AND Crackerjacks AND a hot dog. Back to a healthier menu for the rest of the week. For the recipes this week, first up is a recipe the Gibson family (multi-generational Louisiana shrimpers) shared with me a few years ago: Shrimp & Grits Ya-Ya. FYI, I made it once with smoked Gouda ...Continue Reading

August 8, 2025 Hatch chile season is here and various markets around me are grilling the beauties each weekend. I plan to stock the freezer so that I have them on demand this winter. I love them almost as much as I love poblano peppers. I use them in chiles and stews, stuff them in tacos and burritos, and love them for making a tamale pie. Yum. For the recipes this week, first up is a New Orleans classic: The crab meat maison from Galatoire's, an institution in the French Quarter. Buy the best quality crab you ca ...Continue Reading

August 1, 2025 One of the reasons we left Louisiana was so that we'd be very unlikely to ever have to deal with a hurricane again. I had to laugh (wryly) earlier this week when we were shocked with a tsunami warning; we are on the ocean, and I'd not given a bit of thought to the other perils living on the water brings. The elevation does change dramatically within a mile up the coast, and less than that distance moving inland, so I now have a tsunami evacuation route mapped out mentally!  For the recipes thi ...Continue Reading

July 25, 2025 It's been another beautiful week, sunny and mid 70s here at the Shore. The coastal haze burned off enough one day to see Catalina Island, or at least the outline; it'll be clearer later in the year. There are dragon boat races in the bay behind us Saturday, along with a festival, and an astounding 62 mile round-strip water ski race from a couple miles up the beach, out to Catalina, and back. I can't even fathom what it would be like to waterski for 62 miles in the open ocean! For the recipes th ...Continue Reading

July 18, 2025 While much of the rest of the country swelters, we're sunny and mid 70s here at the Shore. There's a triathlon in the city this weekend, and the cycling portion will pass through our neighborhood; we'll have to plan our daily walk accordingly. Otherwise, an uneventful weekend lies ahead. For the recipes, first up, an easy broiled salmon recipe that I love for a quick weeknight dinner. It's also in my cookbook; the cookbook includes recipes for the parsley pilaf it's served over, and a marinated summ ...Continue Reading

July 11, 2025 The 4th of July vibe (here in Long Beach) was indeed reminiscent of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. There was a continuous parade of people going past our house to the beach, everyone happy and in a great mood. The greeting "Happy 4th!" was just as prevalent over the weekend as "Happy Mardi Gras!" is in the days leading up to Mardi Gras. Jim's birthday was this week and his family came down Sunday to help celebrate; we had brunch outdoors overlooking the ocean at Claire's then gathered ...Continue Reading

July 4, 2025 *Happy 4th of July! *The namesake "Long Beach" is just across Ocean Blvd to our left, and the beach all along Alamitos Bay is just two streets behind us, so our neighborhood has been busy for a few days, to put it mildly. As I write this on Thursday evening, crowds are gathering back there for a big fireworks display that takes place in this neighborhood on July 3rd each year. Tomorrow night we'll see the fireworks that the Queen Mary, about 4 miles up the beach, will stage. Kind neighbors ...Continue Reading

June 27, 2025 *Time is flying by— *We've been in Long Beach for 6 weeks this weekend. We're slowly settling in. I planted basil and hot peppers this week, and finally started hanging artwork on the walls. I'm still getting the new kitchen organized; not ready to have anyone for dinner yet, but I'm getting there!  For the recipes this week, I'm celebrating summer. I bought a good watermelon this week and it brought the first recipe, grilled shrimp and watermelon salad, to mind. Soaking the shrimp in seaf ...Continue Reading

June 20, 2025 *I got to spend time with family yesterday— *I started some bread dough Thursday night, proofed it in the fridge overnight, shaped focaccia in the morning, and transported it up to my niece's house for lunch. My great-nephews had researched how to use various sliced veggies to decorate and make focaccia art, I provided the palette and they did the art. We had a great day and great food and memories at the end of it. For the recipes this week, welcome to summer. First up, it's a grilled eggplant ...Continue Reading

June 13, 2025 *Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! *I hope you get something tasty to eat and have a great weekend. As I write this on Thursday afternoon, I'm contemplating what's for dinner; my new stove was delivered this morning and I'm beyond excited about it. It has 5 powerful gas burners with a center griddle, convection oven, and an air fry option. I've been cooking on an electric stove for 20 years, and I hope I've not forgotten how to use gas. There's definitely a pan of paella in the near futu ...Continue Reading