Giving Thanks

Giving Thanks

There were always pies. Pumpkin custard, of course, but also double-crusted apple. Lemon custard with a golden-tipped meringue (my mother’s favorite) might be added, though there were only six of us. If our Thanksgiving feast was going to be shared with relatives,...
Tricks and Treats

Tricks and Treats

We climbed cement stairs to the porch of one of the row homes in our modest neighborhood and knocked enthusiastically, shouting “Trick or treat!” Our mother had created our simple costumes at minimal expense. Nevertheless, we thrilled at the opportunity to don another...
An Epicure in Andalusia

An Epicure in Andalusia

There is something about the people of Andalusia that mirrors their regional cuisine: They are approachable, delightful, and subtly but deeply complex. From the Seville Airport to downtown Seville, after my day of international flight, my taxi driver sang classical...
All for the Love of Reading

All for the Love of Reading

When I was young, my father would open a Golden Book, and we would enter another world together. His reading always pulled me into the story. There was a pause before the first words and an orientation that the initial illustration provided, giving my mind a moment to...