Yearly Archives: 2011

Rosemary, Black Pepper & Brown Butter Soda Bread

(From the archives.) This wonderful recipe was suggested by my friend Joanna last year.  I liked the idea of adding rosemary, fresh black pepper and browned butter to this quick bread base to create a decidedly non-traditional version.  The end result of the recipe was wonderful. A few notes: I found that my dough was […]

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dining room table - I like the recipe that you have here. I am really impressed. I would like to try this at home. Great job! I find it so tasty!

dining room table - I like the recipe that you have here. I am really impressed. I would like to try this at home. Great job! I find it so tasty!

Carrie - What a fun twist on an old favorite! This is on my baking list.

Carrie - What a fun twist on an old favorite! This is on my baking list.

Gemma - Enjoy dining room table and Carrie! I love this recipe.

Gemma - Enjoy dining room table and Carrie! I love this recipe.

Erin O'Brien - Why must I love bread so much? Yet another recipe to add to my growing collection of them… :)

Erin O'Brien - Why must I love bread so much? Yet another recipe to add to my growing collection of them… :)

Gemma - Mmm, I love bread too. It’s good for you, especially when you make your own! It’s amazing how many store offerings have crazy ingredients like HF-corn syrup sneaking into them.

Gemma - Mmm, I love bread too. It’s good for you, especially when you make your own! It’s amazing how many store offerings have crazy ingredients like HF-corn syrup sneaking into them.

Pea, Lemon & Crème Fraiche Pasta

  The snow is gone, my bike tires are filled, and I’m anxiously waiting for a spring day that isn’t too cold, windy or rainy. It’s a bit of project to get to a good grocery store here without a car. I look forward to the imminent biking days that will give me more freedom […]

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Pea, Lemon & Crème Fraiche Pasta

The snow is gone, my bike tires are filled, and I'm anxiously waiting for a spring day that isn't too cold, windy or rainy. It's a bit of project to get to a good grocery store here without a car. I look forward to the imminent biking days that will give me more freedom over […]

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Kate - This is just the type of dish I am craving lately!

Tom - I love both of these photos. They really capture those early days of spring.

ChefBlogDigest - Your recipe is worth a try. Thanks!

Gemma - Thank you Kate, Tom and ChefBlogDigest!

Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic Tahini Sauce

My second semester of graduate school is off to a busy start. I’m enrolled in four courses: Introduction to Databases, E-Government, Foundations of Information Processing (Python programming), and Libraries Information and Society (my last required course). The database and programming courses are very time consuming, but I’m keeping up and learning quite a bit. In […]

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Susan - Gorgeous photos. I’m an architect and I love visiting Chicago. Congrats to your mom.

Susan - Gorgeous photos. I’m an architect and I love visiting Chicago. Congrats to your mom.

Lucy - I love the Monadnack! Though, I think the Rookery is my favorite. ; )

Lucy - I love the Monadnack! Though, I think the Rookery is my favorite. ; )

Gemma - Thank you Susan. I’ll deliver the message. I’m proud of her.
The Rookery is beautiful, I agree Lucy.

Gemma - Thank you Susan. I’ll deliver the message. I’m proud of her.
The Rookery is beautiful, I agree Lucy.

Yvette - I made this tonight and it was wonderful. Thank you! I added a bit of cayenne pepper to the cauliflower along with the other spices. Delicious!

Yvette - I made this tonight and it was wonderful. Thank you! I added a bit of cayenne pepper to the cauliflower along with the other spices. Delicious!

Sprinzette @ Ginger and Almonds - I can’t believe I’ve only just come across your blog – it’s lovely. And I am really looking forward to having a proper look through your site.

Sprinzette @ Ginger and Almonds - I can’t believe I’ve only just come across your blog – it’s lovely. And I am really looking forward to having a proper look through your site.

RainyDayCottage - Time and time again I see cauliflower stepping up to be masked as something else. It’s nice to see it take center stage for once! Thanks for posting.

RainyDayCottage - Time and time again I see cauliflower stepping up to be masked as something else. It’s nice to see it take center stage for once! Thanks for posting.

Gemma - I like that addition Yvette, glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks Sprinzette!
Thanks Rainy Day Cottage — I absolutely agree.

Gemma - I like that addition Yvette, glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks Sprinzette!
Thanks Rainy Day Cottage — I absolutely agree.

Nishta - Mmmm…lovely! I usually served my roasted cauliflower with a yogurt-cilantro-curry powder sauce, so I’m excited to have a new way to try–happening tonight!

Nishta - Mmmm…lovely! I usually served my roasted cauliflower with a yogurt-cilantro-curry powder sauce, so I’m excited to have a new way to try–happening tonight!

Gemma - Yogurt-cilantro curry powder sauce sounds delicious(And a bit healthier). I hope you enjoyed this recipe Nishta!

Gemma - Yogurt-cilantro curry powder sauce sounds delicious(And a bit healthier). I hope you enjoyed this recipe Nishta!

New York City

Just after the new year, Nick and I traveled to New York to visit with my cousin Matt and his lovely wife Ana. The trip was a very generous birthday gift from Nick. We both love long-distance train travel and he booked us a sleeper car on the Lake Shore Limited for the journey from […]

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Monica - I’m planning a trip for April. Thanks for the Mast Brothers tour tip! Sounds like a great idea.

Monica - I’m planning a trip for April. Thanks for the Mast Brothers tour tip! Sounds like a great idea.

Erin O'Brien - Love the photos… am dying to see more!

Erin O'Brien - Love the photos… am dying to see more!

Gemma - Hi Monica, yes, the Mast Brothers tour was a lot of fun. It is a small place and the tour was very informal — but it was cheap and we ate our fill of artfully crafted chocolate. Definitely recommended.
Thanks Erin! It was a really wonderful trip. I have more photos posted on my Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dumin/

Gemma - Hi Monica, yes, the Mast Brothers tour was a lot of fun. It is a small place and the tour was very informal — but it was cheap and we ate our fill of artfully crafted chocolate. Definitely recommended.
Thanks Erin! It was a really wonderful trip. I have more photos posted on my Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dumin/

jenny - That’s my old bagel store in Astoria! Also I <3 Mugs.

jenny - That’s my old bagel store in Astoria! Also I <3 Mugs.

Gemma - Those were great bagels.

Gemma - Those were great bagels.

Mya Freese - Mya Freese

Very neat blog.Thanks Again. Much obliged.

Mya Freese - Mya Freese

Very neat blog.Thanks Again. Much obliged.

Lilyana Winbush - Lilyana Winbush

Major thankies for the blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Much obliged.

Lilyana Winbush - Lilyana Winbush

Major thankies for the blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Much obliged.

New Orleans » Pro Bono Baker - […] no secret that I have a special place in my heart for long-distance train travel. I take the City of New Orleans route between Chicago and Champaign several times a month, but this […]