I’ve lived my whole life in Pennsylvania. And although Nick was born in Germany and raised in northern Virginia, he’s always felt at home here in the Keystone State. Both of his parents were raised here. Both of my parents were raised here. And we hope to raise our children here. There are many things to love about Pennsylvania: Hershey’s chocolate... Read more
Have you cooked with quinoa? If not, you should. Yes, it’s packed with protein and essential amino acids, but it’s also light and fluffy and mildly nutty. It provides the perfect canvas for a variety of fall flavor combinations: honey and berries, chicken stock and leafy greens, carrots and tart apples, even vegetarian meatballs. We turned our first batch of... Read more
Some folks attend fall festivals for the crafts, some to see the foliage, and others to watch the parade. But we go for the food. Last weekend we headed west to Ligonier for the small town’s annual three-day festival, which commemorates the 1758 battle of Fort Ligonier. We ate pumpkin whoopie pies (called “gobs” in western Pennsylvania), gyros, and sweet... Read more
We love to roast root vegetables during the cold weather months. We typically keep it simple and drizzle basting oil onto a baking stone full of butternut squash, parsnips, carrots, and cloves of garlic. (For a fancier version, try maple syrup and sage.) They warm our kitchen and warm our bellies. So we thought, why not roast stone fruits, too?... Read more
(We were so happy to get back in our kitchen after we returned from Germany. Time to start sharing some recipes! Trip recaps will resume shortly.) Squash is more than a front porch decoration placed alongside pumpkins and gourds. Acorn squash can be roasted with maple syrup and brown sugar; butternut squash can be baked with apples and Gorgonzola; and... Read more
(Previously: The many beers of Munich.) Nick has been dreaming of Oktoberfest since he was able to hold his own stein. It is Germany’s most famous festival, after all. The original Oktoberfest was held in Munich in 1810, which made this year its 200th anniversary. The first festival celebrated the marriage of Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) and Princess... Read more
(Previously: We visit Nick’s birthplace.) We were anxious to arrive at our next destination where one familiar friend and two new friends awaited us. Mary flew from Baltimore to London three days before, and after seeing Big Ben, Buckinghman Palace, and Stonehenge, she was ready for brezen and biers. And within two hours of arriving in Munich, we had both.... Read more
Time to hear from the other half of The Culinary Couple! As the old adage goes, home is where the Army sends you, and for three years Bad Tölz was home to the Wiley family. Bad Tölz is a quintessential Bavarian town located at the foothills of the Alps. It is also the birthplace of yours truly; what’s there not... Read more
I need to take a brief break from our Germany trip recaps to share with you the best cookie I have baked in recent memory. I am not exaggerating. I ate two last night and three today, and it’s barely past noon. I was thankful to learn when we got back onto American soil that the pumpkin shortage wasn’t as... Read more
(Previously: We explore the deserted streets of Rothenburg ob der Tauber by moonlight and walk the wall that surrounds the city.) The Alps After leaving Rothenburg ob der Tauber, we headed south. The sky was gray, and we could just barely make out the tops of the Alps from our car window. But there they were, in all of their... Read more