Writing about food since 2004.

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  • A Dirty Little Secret

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    The time has come for a confession. Forgive me readers, for I have sinned. A lot.I have been advertising myself as a “gourmet”–an amateur one, at that, but still–and yet my “gourmet” status is about to become severely compromised. I wake up in the morning craving not a Bouillabaisse or a Vichyssoise. I pine not…

  • The Thursday Night Dinner Song: “Dinner: The Musical”

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    Book, Music and Lyrics: The Amateur GourmetDinner Monologues: JoshFeaturing: The Amateur Gourmet, Josh and KatyDownload file

  • How I Survived The Blackout: A Journal

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    WEDNESDAY FEB. 25 2004, 10:53 PMI am making guacamole. Lauren is watching Will and Grace. Suddenly, and without anyone warning, the electricty snaps off. We are in utter darkness.10:54 PMI begin screaming like a girl. Lauren smacks me across the face. She misses and knocks over a lamp. “Get a hold of yourself!” she yells.10:55…

  • Kumquats

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    It may or may not be a strange fruit, but in my life I have never had a kumquat. So I bought a plastic tub of them tonight at Whole Foods:After my scrumptious “home cooked” meal, I popped the lid off and washed them. Then I read the label: “Edible skin and tart pulp.”Great! So,…

  • Favorite Easy Dinner

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    This is a variation on my mother’s recipe for chicken. The recipe goes like this:1. Go to Publix.2. Buy an already roasted chicken.3. Go home.4. Eat it.In my version, I retain a greater morsel of self-respect. First of all I buy my chicken from Whole Foods. Granted, I probably spend a dollar or two more,…

  • Blog And You Shall Receive

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    Last week I received a very nice e-mail from an editor at National Georgraphic Traveler. He told me that he enjoyed my website and that in his line of work he received many stacks of food books that just lay around. Would I like him to send some to me?I wrote back: “Yes, Oh God,…

  • My Favorite Pastry

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    This is my favorite pastry:What is it called? That depends on who you ask. In the California Farmer’s Market, this was called a Raspberry Princess. At Alon’s Bakery, where I purchased this beautiful specimen, it was called “Fruit Bar.” I call it: Piece Of Heaven. But I’m biased. After all, this is my favorite pastry.What…

  • My Site WILL Go On!

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    Now I’ve really made it:The Celine Dion Fan Forum links my cupcakes.

  • Johnny’s Pizza (Atlanta)

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    Tonight Lauren and I ordered a pizza. The first idea was to order from Savage Pizza but the Savages refused to deliver to Emory.”Sorry man,” a Savage said on the phone. “We don’t go out that far.”So we went for Johnny’s. The official name is “Johnny’s New York Pizza,” but that is perhaps a misnomer.…

  • Starter Me Up?

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    I spent the afternoon reading 68 pages of Nancy Silverton’s Breads from the La Brea Bakery. This was one of my birthday gifts, and I was very excited about diving in and making delicious bread. Turns out that “diving in” happens in bread-making the way pyrotechnics happen at a PGA tournament. (Forgive that last sentence,…