Candy cane cream cheese did not exist before today. Google the concept and see for yourself. The phrase turns up false narratives, like cream cheese cookies shaped like candy canes, or a candy cane-shaped Danish with cream cheese and cherry filling. Delicious, yes. But candy cane cream cheese? For a bagel? Nosir. Here’s our recipe. … Continue reading Christmas Cream Cheese
Christmas
An Indian King from the East
Every year brings new challenges to our myths. This year, astronomers turn our attention to the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn low in the night sky, an event said to have occurred two thousand and twenty years ago at the birth of Jesus Christ. The three wise men, we are made to understand, found … Continue reading An Indian King from the East
Don Turkey & Key Lime Pie
Me bloggy familiars: recognize this? We made such pies a few years back. And we ate those discs of lemony lime so again Kodachrome the tarty goodness in oven-baked form. After Don Turkey loses his head we’ll top ‘em with cream. Whipping it first! (Did I say, Don Turkey, THE Donald Turkey? Pardon me, pardon … Continue reading Don Turkey & Key Lime Pie
Mexico Time
We are waiting on a shuttle from the Cancun airport (CUN) to Puerto Morelos, half an hour south. The driver checks on some paperwork after shoving a couple dozen suitcases into the rear. Sweating in the sun, he reviews his clipboard, makes a call, consults his coworkers dressed in matching tropical shirts. The Americans behind … Continue reading Mexico Time
What’s for Dinner? Butter.
The whole house smells like butter. And onions. Butter and onions. As well it should: our five-person assembly line this morning put together one full gross of pierogi. That's 144 butter-filled, butter-fried dumplings. With 12 for dinner, that's a dozen pierogi apiece. So what, exactly, is a pierogi? Depends who you ask. If you ask … Continue reading What’s for Dinner? Butter.
Peace & Light on Christmas Eve
The word PEACE stretches out in silver letters beneath the lighted garland on our mantel. Tomorrow we’ll build a fire there and friends will gather round for warmth and cheer. The shortest day of the year has come and gone, & our side of the world now turns toward light. Will the light show our … Continue reading Peace & Light on Christmas Eve
Good Will Toward All
Of all the Christmas albums out there, my favorite by far is the Vince Guaraldi Trio's A Charlie Brown Christmas. And of all the attempts to push back on the commercialization of Christmas, my favorite comes from Linus. While the other kids seem to have all the moral fiber of a Fox News host, young … Continue reading Good Will Toward All
Trivial Armchair Protest #1
I like Starbucks’ red cup and I’m glad they dressed themselves up for the holidays. I’m annoyed that Nordstrom's is bragging about not dressing up sooner. They sell clothes, after all: if anyone should dress up sooner, it's them. I’m also tired of people casting judgments about how others recognize and celebrate or do not … Continue reading Trivial Armchair Protest #1
Christmas at Pilchard’s Diner
I enjoyed co-authoring the following piece with my son. Poor kid’s got Christmas on the brain. No harm; so do I. Merry Christmas, everyone. Christmas at Pilchard’s Diner Pilchard worked as a short order cook in his own diner on the outskirts of town. The patrons were a rough mix of millworkers and truck drivers, … Continue reading Christmas at Pilchard’s Diner
Ben East Books 