1. I visited Tait Farm in Centre Hall last week to find out what the local foodies do when the days get shorter. Root vegetables may not be as alluring as strawberries and sweet corn, but they’re also not as boring as you may think. Listen to my piece that aired this morning on WPSU-FM.
2. Did you catch the premiere episode of Brew Masters on the Discovery Channel? It’s our new favorite show. (And Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head is my new celebrity crush.)
3. Thanks to photographer Philip Mackenzie and to Kate and Minted for a generous gift certificate, our holiday cards are printed and ready to mail! Here’s a sneak peek.

What’s on your plate this week? Food or otherwise.

And I received, generally, the same response: astonishment, disappointment, outrage, and advice to see legal action.

The following day, after a phone call to the local newspaper, I posted this to Facebook:

And today this happened: A fellow blogger discovered her post in Cooks Source magazine (which, apparently, can’t currently handle the traffic it’s generated because the site will not load). I feel your pain, Monica Gaudio. But her story doesn’t end there. She contacted the magazine about the copyright infringement, asked for a public apology, and requested that compensation of $130 be donated to the Columbia School of Journalism. Here is the response she received:

“But honestly Monica, the web is considered “public domain” and you should be happy we just didn’t “lift” your whole article and put someone else’s name on it! It happens a lot, clearly more than you are aware of, especially on college campuses, and the workplace. If you took offence and are unhappy, I am sorry, but you as a professional should know that the article we used written by you was in very bad need of editing, and is much better now than was originally. Now it will work well for your portfolio. For that reason, I have a bit of a difficult time with your requests for monetary gain, albeit for such a fine (and very wealthy!) institution. We put some time into rewrites, you should compensate me! I never charge young writers for advice or rewriting poorly written pieces, and have many who write for me… ALWAYS for free!”

Excuse me? What? The Web is absolutely NOT public domain. But it seems as though magazines and newspapers think otherwise. I was going to wait to tell my story until the issue was completely resolved, but I can’t help but share it now, in light of today’s events.

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On our first anniversary we dined at LIFeSTYLE Trattoria in Bedford. And, of course, I blogged about the blueberry risotto, the tiramisu, and our gracious hosts. Two months later, we returned for a cooking demonstration in the same shop. It was wonderful to see the Italian shop owner again, and to meet his wife this time, too. And they were both very appreciative of the article I wrote about LIFeSTYLE — the article for the local newspaper. Problem is I didn’t write an article for the local newspaper.

I asked if he had a copy, and he retrieved one from their second floor apartment. He laid it in front of me, and my eyes immediately fell upon a photo of me and Nick. Followed by at least four other photos from my post. And, word-for-word, the story of our first anniversary dinner. But wait. There’s more.

Not only was I not contacted before this was published, but there was also no byline or photo credits or mention of our names or our blog. It took everything in me to stay composed during the remainder of that cooking demo. But when we returned to the privacy of our own car, I let it fly.

First I was furious; then I felt violated. I just couldn’t believe a newspaper would steal my words and my photos and, really, my personality. Needless to say, I was awake most of the night plotting my response.

The next afternoon I called the paper and asked to speak to the editor. After I said who I was and why I was calling, the line fell silent. But soon the conversation got interesting.

I asked how she found my article, and she said it was given to her by the shop owner. Given, I asked, as in he copied and pasted it into a document and sent it to you to print in your paper? No, she said. So you copied and pasted it and published it? Yeah, I thought so. She was very defensive and surprisingly unapologetic. Eventually she admitted that she doesn’t even work in the news department; she works in the advertising department. Well then I’m going to have to speak to the publisher, I said. And I’ll wait on the line.

A few minutes passed before the publisher picked up. He immediately said he’d like to remedy the situation by reprinting the article in its entirety with proper accreditation and compensation. I never did receive a formal apology or admittance of the major mistake. In fact, he barely gave me the opportunity to speak; he obviously knew the potential consequences. But that was fine. I just wanted credit where it was due. Although, admittedly, an “I’m sorry” would have been nice.

That night I emailed the article to him with corrections — because it was originally intended for my blog, not a general newspaper audience. I asked that he confirm receipt, let me know when it would run, and mail a copy to me.

One week passed with no response. I called and was connected to his voicemail. Another week passed with no response. So I left another voicemail. In the third voicemail, I said that if I didn’t hear from him by the following week, I would assume he had changed his mind about reprinting the piece and would have to seek alternative action.

He called the following day, said he’s been out of town, and told me the article ran on October 27th. He said he would mail a copy of the article to me, along with my check.

The end.

—

But it’s not the end. I have to wonder, after today’s revelation, how many other bloggers are in our boat? We research our writing, consider and craft our words, and credit our sources — just like every good journalist. Our time and our talent is not free for you to steal. I don’t care if you’re a low-budget community newspaper or a for-profit special interest magazine, you never ever have the right to take credit for another writer’s work.

Honestly, most of us would likely be thrilled to see our name in print — I know I would. Just please have the common courtesy to get our permission first.

So now I ask you, my fellow bloggers: What would you do if your words were stolen? And if you’re in the business of print, what are you going to do to regain our trust and the trust of your readers?

And for those of you interested in the social media response to copyright infringement, just take a look at the debauchery going down on Twitter and Facebook. You can go here for a reaction from a colleague, and you can also find the story on The Washington Post and The Guardian. And thanks to Smart Bitches, you can now add a new verb to your repertoire. I guarantee the commentary will grow exponentially by morning.

We celebrated Oktoberfest until the music ended and the tents turned up their lights — which meant we were all in need of a caffeine boost the next morning. Mary grabbed a latte on her way to the airport, and Nick and I met Anne and Carsten for breakfast before parting ways. We were sad to say goodbye, but plans are already being discussed for future visits!

From Munich, we headed back down the A7 towards the Alps. It was another overcast day, but the rolling fields were still vibrant shades of green.

We stopped briefly to stock up on sweets — Haribo and a Kinder Egg to share — and continued to follow the GPS through the tiny villages of Bavaria. And then we missed a turn. Well, that missed turn lead to our most favorite road of the trip. Don’t you love when that happens?

The road narrowed to one lane and weaved between farmhouses and livestock pastures. We even had to swerve at one point to avoid an oncoming tractor.

I do believe the happiest cows come from Bavaria — not from California.

And the heavy brass bells hanging from their necks aren’t just for show — it’s how the farmers keep track of their cows while they wonder through the Alps. Just listen to this.

The unpaved road through the Alps was lovely, but it did set back our schedule. We arrived in Hohenschwangau with just a few minutes to relax and regroup (I had to change out of my wedge boots and back into my Sketchers) before we began our climb to Neuschwanstein Castle.

The air was crisp, but the trail was steep, and before we reached the top, Nick had removed his jacket and I had slipped off my scarf.

Neuschwanstein Castle was commissioned by King Ludwig II during the 19th century. It’s romantic and dramatic and served as the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty’s Castle in Disneyland.

We toured the dining room, the study, the kitchen, the music hall, and the bedroom. We even saw the “royal throne,” which apparently, has only recently been opened to the public.

After our tour, we checked into Casa Patrizia, owned by a Romanian woman. We asked for a dinner recommendation, and she said the best place in town was just a block away. Score!

Dinner at Helmerhof was fantastic — my personal favorite of the week. The restaurant was cozy and filled with locals, and we followed suit with liters of Erdinger Urweisse and Koenig Ludwig Dunkel. I ordered the venison goulash, which was rich and flavorful, and Nick had a hearty helping of hirtenteller with pork, fried onions, bacon, and cheese spätzle. And the desserts were just too pretty to pass up.

Next up: Fussen, the end of the Romantic Road.

And sample pumpkin puree with chipotle brown butter.

And visit the pastry lab.

Where students bake kugelhopf and brioche and pretzel baguettes.

Yes, I’m getting more comfortable with a microphone in my hand.

{credit PCToday}

And I’m really starting to enjoy the meticulous work required to transform 3+ hours of recorded sound into a 5-minute story for radio.

Check out my latest piece for WPSU’s Local Food Journey, which aired on NPR in central Pennsylvania last Thursday.

Hours spent in the car: 15

Phone calls received during live TV pledge: 14

Tastes received in the kitchen of Le Jeune Chef: 5

Bowls of chocolate soup eaten: 1

Pumpkin spice lattes consumed: 3

Lattes spilled onto pants: 1

Homebrews bottled: 60 (thanks to Nick, Anna, and Ryan!)

Average age of patrons at The Horse You Came In On in Baltimore: 50

Oktoberfest beers sampled with my best friend: 4

Texts received from Nick while he was celebrating his cousin’s 21st birthday: 6

Pacifiers purchased as baby shower gifts: 4

Oohs and aahs over sweet onesies and footies: 30

Congratulations given to newly pregnant friend: 1 (which makes 4 this month)

Towns visited in Northern Virginia: 4

Wins for Nick’s alma mater, JMU: 1

Wins for Emily’s alma mater, Penn State: 0

Days until we leave for Germany: 10!

My job in public media has taken me from the steps of the state capitol and into the farm fields of central Pennsylvania. I’ve appeared at events dressed as WordGirl and on live television with Curious George. And now I can add radio producer to my resume.

Thank you all for your comments on my previous post! Without further adieu, I give you my radio debut.

Go to WPSU’s Local Food Journey to listen and see photos from my afternoon at Way Fruit Farm.

P.S. Nick has a cameo!

I played the role of radio producer with a recorder around my neck, a microphone in my hand, and headphones holding back my bangs. Unfortunately, I discovered on Monday morning that the memory card which held all of my sound bytes was corrupt. I feared I had lost everything. But, alas! I have the smartest and most diligent colleagues, and they were able to recover enough audio to warrant my radio debut.

Of course I owed them a great big thank you. And of course I showed my gratitude with chocolate chip cookies.

This recipe comes from Jenna at Eat, Live, Run. She recently reminded her readers of her food philosophy, and I have to repeat it here before I share the recipe. She says, “I choose to cook with simple ingredients that celebrate how food should really taste.” And “I fully believe you can eat anything you want in moderation.” I couldn’t agree more, Jenna.

We eat spinach and oats and blueberries and chocolate. We buy real butter for our bread and real cream for our coffee. We like natural, wholesome (and local when possible) ingredients.

These chocolate chip cookies showcase one simple element in all its glory: butter.

Have you ever looked at the ingredients list on the butter in your fridge? My sister did recently, and she couldn’t pronounce half of the items on the list. She and my parents now buy a brand with a list that reads: cream. Can’t get much simpler than that, right?

To make these cookies, first brown 10 tablespoons of real butter. Your kitchen will seriously smell like a candy factory. And just wait until you blend it with sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. It transforms itself into a sticky, smooth caramel consistency.

The resulting cookie has a greater depth of flavor than what comes from the recipe on the back of a bag of chocolate chips. They were such a hit with my colleagues that they asked what else they need fix to get more baked goods.

For those who want to know, my radio story will air tomorrow on WPSU during Morning Edition. Yes, I’ll be sandwiched between Steve and Renee, and I am so psyched. Although I do think it will be a bit surreal to hear my own voice during my morning commute. I’ll post a link after it airs!

Nick is in New York training for his new job, but he decided to drive home on Friday night. He walked in the door just in time for sausage and lentil soup, red wine, and the Olympics. On Saturday we bought decorative pillows for our bed and picture frames for our walls. Then he assembled his new workbench in the garage while I filled our new hutch in the dining room. We are nesting. And this is exactly where I dreamed of being six months ago.

I love you, Nick. And I love building a home with you. Here’s to many more milestones.

Also: Our love story started in a lab and intensified in a kitchen. Read more.

There were more kisses.

And a few moments alone before our wedding party joined us on the patio.

Then there were hugs. Lots of hugs.

And then we took hands as husband and wife and walked back down the stairs to greet our parents, our grandparents, our aunts and uncles and cousins, our friends. The closer we got to them, the more clearly we heard them.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2bAEVyzFl8&hl=en&fs=1&]

(YouTube)

It was spontaneous and transcendent and one of the most significant moments of the day. Because, really, all you need is love. Love is all you need. We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

(Photo Credits to Robert Winton)

This first clip captures all of us gingerly walking down the slippery stairs. Please pay special attention to the following:

• The flash of red umbrella in the top right corner as Nick is walking his parents down the stairs. That’s me and my Dad!
• My stumble! Yes, I stumbled. And it’s so appropriate. (I fell walking up the stairs at the Pennsylvania State Capitol on my second date with Nick.) I think I missed a step when I was close enough for my eyes to focus on Nick’s. Fortunately, I had my Dad to lean on.

Susan Savia provided the perfect music accompanient to our procession. Unfortunately, due to the rain, she had to play under the canopy of the tent, and so it was difficult to hear her from the top of the stairs. The camera didn’t capture much of the music, so I added the tracks separately.

• Nick and the Groomsmen: Here Comes the Sun
• Bridesmaids: ‘Twas a Day (Susan Savia original)
• Bride and her Father: Pachelbel Canon in D

Next: Ceremony Details