Though not all-inclusive, here's an ever-growing collection of fan-favorite essays all in one place, organized by topic--
FOOD & COOKERY, WINE, SHOPPING, PRIME RIB,
THE SUPER BOWL, PRODUCT REVIEWS, RANTS,
& (NON-POLITICAL) POLITICS.
Before the Internet, looking stuff up was actual work.
--FOOD & COOKERY--
Recipes, history, sourcing, and more.
(RE)CONSIDER THE OYSTER (01/05/22)
History, recipes, and more. Yes, you CAN eat oysters year-round.
POTATO HEAVEN (03/02/22)
Potato Casserole with Gruyère, garlic, & cream... oh, my!
A FANCY STEAKHOUSE DINNER AT HOME (02/10/22)
Fancy dinners can be better AND cheaper at home.
ONION JAM (06/21/22)
A long and labor-intensive simmer rids the lowly bulb of its tear gas and celebrates a soul-melting trio of sweetness, tang, and umami.
CRY, BABY, CRY-- THE WORLD OF ONIONS (07/27/2022)
Like the subtle thump of a rock’n’roll bass line, onions put the soul in soul food, the rave in the gravy, and the comfort in comfort food.
IN SEARCH OF FETTUCINE ALFREDO (05/17/22)
Wherein a dish created for an anemic new mom became an exalted culinary classic.
FIVE EASY PIECES (08/31/22)
A dear friend asked me to work up a small handful of recipes worth mastering.
The age-old recipe for homemade crème fraîche suddenly stopped working, and DannyM. wanted to know why.
THE IMMINENT BEEF REBELLION (04/16/24)
The price of top-quality beef is becoming prohibitive... what can replace a great steak?
(MUCH more to come.)
--SOUPS--
GAZPACHO! (07/11/22)
A quick and easy recipe for a hot-weather treat.
FRENCH ONION SOUP (06/21/22)
An ancient Parisian stable that fortified workingmen and soothed hangovers enjoyed newfound popularity after WWII.
A TRIO OF WINTER SOUPS (02/27/23)
A soup for your long-forgotten inner child, another for the amazing person you've become, and a third for your wider, more regal future self.
A TRIO OF SPRING SOUPS (05/01/23)
Winter soups are for warming us up. Spring soups should wake up our palates and guide us toward summer.
(MUCH more to come.)
--WINE--
Grapes-as-people, my local region, & more.
CHAMPAGNE (OR NOT) (01/01/22)
Buy high-quality (and French-inspired) American bubbly and save big bucks.
LISA, THE MERLOT GIRL (01/19/22)
A "one that got away" tale intertwined with the history of Merlot.
HOW TO BUY $60 WINE FOR $20 (03/16/22)
To me, buying wine at 67% off beats paying full price and being too rich to care.
Arguably the two greatest red varieties, and they couldn't be much more different.
THE ROYAL SISTERHOOD (06/13/22)
Chardonnay, Riesling, & Sauvignon Blanc... three sharply distinct sisters.
WASHINGTON STATE WINES (11/02/22)
Longer & cooler ripening weather than Napa creates wines way too good to ignore.
GEWÜRZTRAMINER! (A Love Story) (04/29/23)
A wine worth taking seriously... in spite of itself.
A (SURPRISINGLY) DELICIOUS CHARDONNAY (04/18/24)
Can a "mass-produced" wine be fabulous? YES!
SATAN'S SWEET SYRUP (06/26/23)
Buying and tasting the œnological equivalent of HOTEL CALIFORNIA.
And a REGION now worth taking seriously.
(MUCH More to come.)
--SHOPPING--
How to buy great stuff cheap, new OR used.
SHOP LIKE A PRO (04/04/22)
Restaurant Depot... go big or go home.
GOOD SWEATER HUNTING (01/20/22)
Sometimes "pre-owned" is cheaper AND better than new.
HOW TO BUY $60 WINE FOR $20 (03/16/22)
Buying wine at 67% off trumps paying full price because you're too rich to care.
GARAGE-YARD-TAG SALE SEASON (06/20/22)
The blood sport of neighborhood bargain hunting.
CAR SHOPPING WITH DANNYM. (07/18/22)
How to get the best possible price on your next ride.
(MUCH More to come.)
--PRIME RIB--
PRIME RIB DEMYSTIFIED (12/07/22)
Through research and multiple trials, we cracked the code.
FAUX JUS-- $170 GRAVY?? (08/23/23)
Relax, folks... it's enough for 6-8 family feasts with 6 or more guests each.
THE BEST PRIME RIB EVER (11/29/23)
And then we made it even better.
CHARLIE DON'T SURF & TURF (02/28/24)
A belated birthday dinner borrows a menu from classic cinema.
On a whim, DannyM. thows a frozen prime rib in the oven at 170º to see what would happen.
--THE SUPER BOWL--
"America's Biggest Unofficial Holiday" requires special food and coverage.
THE BIG BIRD BOWL (02/02/22)
What if PBS were to air the Super Bowl? We predict hilarity... and a healthier menu.
SUPER BOWL LVII (57) PREVIEW (02/06/23)
Game ON! Food & drink suggestions, and more.
SUPER BOWL LVIII (58) FOOD: (02/06/24)
Chili, guacamole, & more!
(MUCH More to come.)
--PRODUCT REVIEWS--
DannyM.'s favorite exercise machine EVER.
(Yes, it can.)
PRODUCT REVIEW # 2-- BBQ SAUCE (06/29/22)
Commercial barbecue sauce that's actually worth buying.
Whoever said, "They don't make'em like they used to!" was guilty of understatement.
When one door closes, does another open? Sometimes.
--(NON-POLITICAL) POLITICS--
NOTHING AGAINST CHEERLEADERS... (05/19/22)
Sadly, most people treat politics like high school basketball.
MARBURY V. MADISON, 1803: (02/16/24)
The Cleverest Negotiating Trick in the History of the World.
(MUCH More to come.)
--RANTS--
Perfectly good (or even GREAT) products regularly disappear from the store shelves, replaced by crap.
When you think about it, our current system makes the best sense.
AN ODE TO WHITE HOTS (04/26/23)
Guest poet DavidF. waxes poetic on a topic well familiar to Rochesterians.
HOW TO FREAKING DRIVE (03/02/24)
Because cars and babies don't come with instructions.
THE RETURN OF DAVIDF., POET (03/18/24)
He's baaaack... and he's still brilliant.
And it is widely regarded as a work of fiction.
THE GREAT NOTHING-BURGER OF 2024 (04/10/24)
The eclipse happened; the predicted disruption of civilization never materialized.
(MUCH More to come.)
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