Christmas | The Rambling Epicure

Pumpkin and Anchovy Pudding

Published by Jonell Galloway + Wednesday, December 27, 2017 Permalink 0

I baked my “yellow pumpkin,” my zucca gialla, which the greengrocer recommended as being the sweetest for my baked pumpkin pudding. While pulling out the seeds and flesh with my fingers, I noted some little hard, dark bits, so I pulled them out as best I could, all the time thinking it strange that they were there. When I went to my cutting board to get the chopped anchovies to add to my liver pâté, they were gone. I had kneaded them into my pumpkin. This may be the beginning of a new and improved (?) pudding. Some people like sweet and savory together, right?

The Mama Posts: Hanging out with My Mother

Published by Jonell Galloway + Friday, December 28, 2012 Permalink 0

Yes, you might have noted my absence over the last month. I’ve been hanging out with my mother in Kentucky.

She is still hanging in there. Her body may be shrunken and “miniature”, like the workings of a fine Swiss watch, but her heart beats strong like an ox. I’m not sure she was aware when the clock struck Christmas this year. She had already stepped far into another world where one speaks in the King James Version. She talks to God all day. “God, please help me. God, I doeth love thee. ”

Often I climb into her bed and hold her, talking of the old days and saying, “You’re the best Mommy in the whole wide world.” She strokes my cheek, and says, “I love thee,” and stops talking to God for a short while.

I’ll see you soon. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Jonell Galloway, Editor

David Downie: Christmas in Paris is All about Eating and Drinking, What Happened to Jesus?

Published by Jonell Galloway + Monday, December 19, 2011 Permalink 0

In most Christian countries, Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus, to more or lesser degrees. In consumer-driven countries, much of Jesus’ birthday is lost as people scurry around looking for the perfect Christmas gifts.

David Downie thinks Christmas in Paris is focused mostly on food, and just a little on Jesus. The more foie gras, smoked salmon, champagne, and everything else rich under the sun you can slide down your gullet, the better. It’s about good food, but also about excess. It’s about dressing up all pretty and going from one meal or party to another. It’s about having a crise de foie or “liver attack”, as the French call it, after the holidays.

Read David Downie’s take on it.

Make your own pumpkin pie spice for pies and lattes

Published by Jonell Galloway + Tuesday, November 22, 2011 Permalink 0

Save money on those pumpkin spice lattes by making your own pumpkin spice with this recipe. Click here to see recipe.

Find variations on this spice recipe here.

And if you get a craving for pumpkin pie spice lattes from time to time, here’s a low-calorie version. For an all-out version, whipped cream and all, you might go for this recipe. For a simple version using fresh pumpkin purée, click here.

Thanksgiving: The thanks we have to offer in these hard economic times

Published by Jonell Galloway + Tuesday, November 22, 2011 Permalink 0

by Jonell Galloway

Despite the gloom and doom we hear in the financial news, despite the news about obesity and general unhealthy eating in the U.S., there are things to be thankful for, and this week, it’s perhaps more important than anytime in our lifetimes to remember them.

The food world and eating habits were certainly worse 10 years ago than now. Awareness was less. And above all, hard economic times do not necessarily mean bad times for food. People starve during wars, but during hard economic times, they often tend to go back to basics. They raise vegetable gardens and chicken; at the moment we’re witnessing urban gardens popping up all over the country. They think before they buy, before they throw something in the shopping cart, and that often leads to healthier eating. Fresh, simple, healthy food will always be cheaper than processed and junk food. And then we have a Super First Lady in Michelle Obama is going all out for the future of our children, even planting a vegetable garden as a good example for them.

These are things to be thankful for, but once again, Mark Bittman’s list is better than mine, so I suggest you continue reading. Click here to read his heart-warming, thoughtful list.