Tuesday mornings with Ernie—Jon Schuller
I have a dear friend, Ernie. We’ve known each other for over 35 years. Ernie lives in Kissimmee, Florida near Orlando. I live in Charlotte, North Carolina. We speak on the phone every Tuesday morning. Ernie’s like an older brother, a mentor, the proverbial “Dutch Uncle” who listens and gives you sage advice. He’s smart, clever, has a prodigious memory and writes a weekly email newsletter to family and friends alike.read more

All choked up—Elizabeth Pancamo
Depending upon where you live, Spring has sprung, or is at least very close to it. There is a freshness to everything. That most definitely includes what I serve at home, and what I offer for menus to clients wanting to cater their spring gatherings. Along with that freshness is an almost intrinsic need of mine to mimic the eye pleasing ready-for-market items on display. This is where artichokes come to mind.read more

Transitions: in the movies, not in eyeglasses—Jon Schuller
Playing a role in a film can be quite demanding on the actor. This isn’t an earth-shaking statement but I am always impressed how it’s actually done. To shoot and re-shoot scene after scene, with different camera angles or lighting, and still maintain the exact look the director wants every time is difficult. Some actors accomplish this with apparent ease every time in every film.read more

Would the real Country Captain please come forward?—Elizabeth Pancamo
Alright, Country Captain isn’t a “who,” but a wonderfully different and comforting “what.” The chill of March is still quite evident, and, yes, my inspiration needing to be fed, Country Captain intrigued me. I want some sort of stew, but am tired of beef, and the now mundane flavors of braised meats and wine. I’ve simply had enough. Country Captain has been on my mind for days and days. As usually happens to me when giving thought to many dishes, a recipe for it pops up in one of my magazines. I picked up the latest issue of Bon Appetit, and what did I discover? Yep … another version (albeit, updated with their twist) of Country Captain. This one includes cauliflower and peas. I’m willing to give that one a shot, but having younger kids, I’m thinking it would be more prudent of me to stick with the old tried and true recipes. All three kids here seem to have aversions to both cauliflower and peas.read more