Rebecca263

Matt was a VERY special person. He PM'd me about some funny bit and we kept up our correspondence via emails, periodically sending each other bon mots, book opinions and funny asides. He invited Kiddle and me to join in some outings, but we've been spare in our outings this past year, and we never met up with M.X. (our name for Matt)in person. I'm really touched to read everyone's writings on Matt, and how he connected with so many of us. I've learned so much about this charming young man that I didn't know before, and I'm not surprised one bit at the glowing memories everyone has of him. He was a fine man. I know that I am better for having known him, even brielfy. Dear Matt, may you be having a great meal while reading a fantastic endless novel, followed by a night of excellent drinking and fun. See you soon.

My Kiddla receives Saveur, Gourmet and Bon Appetit, and she enjoys Saveur and Gourmet. It's good to hear that Mr. Oseland doesn't intend to lighten the quality at Saveur. We hope that he WILL lighten the incidence of grammatical errors in the magazine!

Hi folks! In our house lately we've been having a lot of Caffeine Free Diet Coke, it helps with my nausea a great deal. However, Kiddle has finished testing the Cherry Vanilla Pepsi Jazz, and she adores it! She says that it has a "chemical candy" flavor that she really likes. Weird kid. I can't try it, as I'm not allowed the caffeine right now, so we're relying on her opinion.

I have a dear friend who is a noted artist and an anarchist of note, as well. This very well known man owns one pair of shoes, and they are sneakers. He always wears the same 'uniform', a dark cotton t-shirt and a pair of Iron Levi's. He's eaten at many VERY chi-chi places, and if anyone ever looked askance at his wardrobe, I've certainly never seen it. But, I'd like to, he's brilliant in awkward situations.

Shabbat Shalom, my online friends! This has been a terrible time for us. Yesterday I didn't even feel like breaking my fast at the end of the day. Today my boyfriend flew in for a long visit. Kiddle and I are so glad to have him near at this difficult time. I gathered my energy and cooked a full meal, with lots of help from kiddle!: Baked Cod With a Marjoram/Chickpea Flour Crust Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes dressed with Olive Oil Sauteed White Onions Steamed String Beans Baby Mixed Green Salad with Garden Grown Tomato and Cucumber Balsamic/Grapefruit Dressing Wein's Bakery Challah(terrible this week, bland and doughy)) No dessert, our sweetness is in being together while the world seems to crash all around us. I pray for better times for all of us.

We only eat steel cut oats at home. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, we adore oats! The oddest concoction we add is dried tomatoes, a bit of sea salt and a dash of olive oil... it's comfort food! PS: My boyfriend eats his with a huge knob of butter swirled in, I just always thought that was the way 'white' folks do it.

Happy Birthday, and here are wishes for you to have at least 93 more!

I've been handling my nausea by drinking immense amounts of Caffeine Free Diet Coke. One of my oncologists says that the only good thing, in the respect that no one caught the T-Cell Lymphoma during my other treatments, is that I had a year of steroids and the accompanying weight gain, before this cancer was discovered. I have a lot of extra weight to hold me up. I'd give it up in a heartbeat to have had the extra year to fight, though. I'm a single mom, and I just can't leave yet!

I am so glad to be reading this blog! You both have great taste in food and pets! That fruit tart looks beautiful. I'd love to eat it with some fresh whipped cream, I tihnk that rustic and very juicy sounds delicious! BTW, the niece? What a cute little curly top!

Well, we could start an exchange, I need a new laptop and a portable hard drive! Need some Pepsi or some odd TastyCakes?

Hahaha! I am so frugal, you've got to be kidding! Actually, in the research arena I am everyone's favorite Mary Sunshine and I get a LOT of free product in the guise of feedback/research... lucky us. Of course, I find it odd that I'm so appreciated by these companies, because I do not have nomral tastes or normal habits by any stretch, and I am constantly shooting down ideas that someone more "mainstream" would probably prefer. Of course, I always add that opinion into my reports, so maybe they just like my thorough writing style? Sometimes we call our house "The James Joyce School of The Run On Thought".

We just got 4 six packs of the Black Cherry Vanilla type flavor in the mail yesterday. Kiddle will report on it later today... for me it's a water day, not even flavored is allowed, wah!

WhiteTruffleChick, you've got to get together with some eGulleters next time, let your joyful teen fend for herself wherever you end up. Just say"Here's the menu, go to town" and let us eat and enjoy with you! I met up with MartStEl and we had a great meal together!

You're asking me for help with kibbeh? Kibbeh and matzoh balls, my downfall. These are the 2 foods that I can not make well, no matter what. Still, I'd say, do you crack the rice first? That's my shortcut to getting the shell to be less flimsy.

Kibbe'hamoud? Where's my bowl? We're having the vegetable stew I put up last week. Shabbat Shalom!

Hey! We'll be in Philly too tomorrow! I'll have the 16 year old Kiddle and her friend Chipmunk in tow. I've already decided to give the progeny money and let them roam the RTM for lunch. That's really always a win win situation, and Kiddle, being the little foodie, usually buys very little lunch and spends her money on something to take home-last time it was some really good balsamic that I would NEVER spend the dough on myself! Of course, now I'm in love with the stuff, dag nab it!

We always make the following: Cookie Lollipops(various cookies with a pretzel log stuck into them for a handle), Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Logs rolled in different things like raisins or jimmies(kids love to pretend these are cigars) and my own personal favorite- Chocolate Chip Studded Banana Bread, sliced and whole loaves. I usually write up a few cards with the recipes on them for concerned parents, and to give away if someone buys a good amount. I have to tell you, the banana bread slices are always a hit, but the silly pretzels are the biggest money maker. We made dark chocolate dipped dried fruit rings a few years back, but it was messy. The vegan moms love those, though!

Hey, you're still 20! Plenty of youthful energy to draw from, kiddo! Go for it! edited by me:oops, you're already 21! Maybe you're getting tired in your old age.

Those copper pans and that amazing pepper mill are wonderful finds! Today, nothing of interest for eGullet, excepting a small Lalique plate, edged in leaves, $2.00, and more importantly, a paperback copy of The Turkish Kitchen by Acar Yayinlari... in English! Ten cents.

So happy for you! I use raw sugar in my ibrik, what do you prefer?

Don't go crazy until AFTER we've seen the post party photos! I think that you can cut 2 meat dishes and still do well in that department. That will leave you some leeway for other things. Also, in my world, desserts and breads don't count! They're essentials, so I see them as ACCOMPANIMENTS to the 21!

Just a heads up for you, tabbouleh is full of wheat. Bulghur IS wheat.

Diet Coca Cola is the only flavor for me, I'm going to marry the next boy who offers to buy me my own Slurpee machine and keep it stocked with that 'crack' of the frozen beverage world! OK, that's only if I don't get an offer from a boy with an easy to pronounce/spell/write last name, first.

I follow all of your posts with glee, and I am glad that you will be sharing this occasion with us on eGullet. Kudos to you on all of your recent happy developments!

The BEST thing after chemo(other than a good bit of Morphine) is a diet Slurpee. It's excellent for nausea and if you DO have to "send it back"- the return trip isn't terrible. I am mapping out every 7-11 in New Brunswick for my upcoming rounds! Every cloud has a silver lining!