The $17 Time Machine

A little over a year and a half ago, I dug out a drawing I’d penciled back in the mid-1980s and finally inked it. Finishing that 40-year-old piece lit a fire under me. I started filling sketchbooks with new drawings and notebooks with ideas. About a month ago I began my morning ritual: one dedicated hour each day writing the story. I’m now well into the first draft.

It might become a prose novel, an illustrated story, or even a comic book—I’m still figuring that out. But as I write and draw, I keep needing reference and inspiration for the period details.

The story is set in a high school sometime between 1978 and 1982. I considered watching movies from that era like Foxes or Fast Times at Ridgemont High, but they felt filtered through Hollywood casting and art direction. The kids were a little too perfect, missing that raw, authentic awkwardness of real teenagers.

So I thought about tracking down my old high school’s yearbooks. Logistically, that quickly proved impractical. Then I remembered the great modern elephant graveyard where people unload their pasts: eBay.

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Blueberry Kuchen

Blueberry Kuchen is a style of coffee cake, Kuchen being the German word for cake. The foundation is a springy cake, with juicy blueberries, and a simple crumb topping made of flour, sugar, and butter. It’s easy to make and the perfect snack to serve with coffee or tea. Continue reading

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Caturday

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If They Ask Me, I Would Write a Book…

Aztec 500 typewriter
Well, nobody asked me, but I’m writing anyway. It may become a book. It may be an illustrated story. It might even end up as a comic. Whatever form it takes, I’ve made a habit of throwing words down on the virtual page every morning with a hot cup of black coffee. Continue reading

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Mocha Fudge Cake

Recently, a reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer put up a post on social media about the legacy of The Frog Commissary Cookbook and the people who continue to use the book. That would be me! The Frog Commissary Cookbook was published in 1985, back then – I was waiting tables at Frog after a brief stint working on the line in the kitchen.

It is such a well rounded cookbook with chapters on hors d’oeuvres, soups, salads, seafood/meat/poultry entrees, pasta, pizza, sandwiches, side dishes, bread, muffins, and desserts. Their carrot cake is legendary, as are their strawberry heart tarts, and chocolate mousse cake with Grand Mariner custard sauce. Forty one years later, it’s still one of my favorite cookbooks – none of the recipes feel dated.

Father’s Day was approaching, and I wanted to bake something special for Joe. I began to flip through the dessert section and came upon their Mocha Fudge cake. It’s a flourless and insanely rich chocolate dream. I served it with whipped cream and fresh strawberries – a small slice of Heaven! You can find used copies on eBay and Amazon, and there is a Kindle version too. I highly recommend it!

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Caturday

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Friday Five – Number Two Hundred Thirty

Two hundred and thirty in a continued series creating a collage using five elements.

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Crazy Crust Blueberry Pie

This is a pie, minus the typical roll out crust. You basically make something similar to a pancake batter, pour it into a pan, and spoon the cooked blueberries in the center. Perfect for when you’re craving a fruit dessert without the hassle. Continue reading

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Caturday

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