Peckerwood Manor

Ina Garten is hands down my favorite chef. She is who I count on when I want delicious, cozy meals, when I am entertaining, or when I want to nurture someone I love. Her food is comfort food, never extra fancy or full of incongruent flavors; hers is for when you want to eat restaurant quality without too much fuss or labor. Do I love her versions of dishes, best of all, 100 percent of the time? No, but I am never disappointed, rarely have to adjust, and always feel satisfied. Joan's on 3rd in LA reminds me of a place Ina would like, and everyone who knows me, including Joan, knows I have to eat there as much as possible when I am in LA.  Ina Rosenberg Garten was born on February 2, 1948, in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Stamford, Connecticut, in a household that valued academic excellence above all else. Her father, Charles H. Rosenberg, was a surgeon, and her mother, Florence, was a dietitian. Despite her natural inclination towards science, Ina's love for cooking was stro...

Nigella's show, Nigella Bites, was a comfort show for me for a few years. It was on BBC America, and I would make sure my godfather programmed his nifty DVR to catch it weekly. I turned others onto it, and we would watch Nigella and the OG Iron Chef. I thought she was sexy and gorgeous, so it wasn't all about the food. I crushed on her for a bit, but then I became very interested in her textures and British combinations. Brits aren't known for cuisine or culinary genius, but here was Nigella putting together things that looked tasty and inviting. I decided to highlight her because she became an international star and embraced her homey recipes and love of cozy homemade meals. Also, she was slightly plump, which means she ate what she made, which I liked.  Brief biography: Nigella Lawson is a respected English food writer and television cook. I call her a cook, not a chef, and I use that term as a compliment. Many people have the title chef and cook uninspired food in restau...

The Holiday Season has a hooker worn out. My kids are off from school, and with my son home, I needed to spend all my extra time with each of them. I didn't write much, but I have an article for next week on Caturday as usual. I will work on one for the Pups. My next Cafe article will be about budget fast meals and what to stock in your pantry. I hope for the celebrity news to get juicy again. So much Taylor Swift/koven/reality stars news is everywhere. I will be back with my article, some serious and some light. Don't worry, we will keep this place going. We are here to stay. You all are a treasure in my life. Love to each one of you, and I mean everyone. 

Unfortunately for me, my Thanksgiving was a bust because I have a nasty cold that has been going around, and I am stuck in bed with no appetite, which is so rare that I knew something was wrong. The Covid test is negative, but I am going to take another one. Anyway, the menu was vast with everything, including my mashed potato recipe and cranberry ginger orange zest sauce. Where did I go? To Wyoming to lay in a bed far away from everyone else because no one wants this monster cold.  Peckerites, let me live vicariously through you. What did you eat? Was it fun? Did you survive intact? I use this recipe for leftover turkey, freeze some and instant lunch or dinner. I do change it some, and I will share it.  Turkey Tetrazzini 4 to 6 servings Ingredients • 12 ounces egg noodles, spaghetti, linguini or other pasta • 12 ounces mushrooms, sliced (about 4 to 5 cups) • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour • 1 1/2 cups milk • 1/4 cup heavy cream • 2 cups chi...

It would be great if we shared some sites with each other to help your fellow hors eat some good stuff. I have a list and a James Beard recipe to share. His book is like The Joy of Cooking, kicked up 3 levels for American Recipes-mine had to be replaced from being splattered and worn. I still use cookbooks offline because some of my titles aren't online. I have an old Greek cookbook written in Greek; my friend in California's mother's writing can be seen in between the lines as she translated for me and added her own two cents. I have my binder of recipes from people that I love, and I bullied many cooks into giving me their recipes. Several are from my Vietnamese BFF's mom, loads from Mexico, South America, and African American, and some ripped out of magazines. You might never leave my house if I ever make you matzoh ball soup. It is that good. These are laminated, and they move wherever I move. I collect vintage cookbooks and have old books from Julia Child and the G...