They say, “A half loaf is better than none”, but I say a half loaf is actually better than a whole loaf – if that half loaf is Artisan Style Bread from Lewis Bake Shop. It is the best sliced bread I have ever eaten. Recently, I have been seeing half-loaf breads offered in several grocery stores and the idea appeals to me since there are only 2 of us, and we don’t always have bread for toast and … [Read more...]

Early this spring, Nancy was headed to the Corner Store were heavy and round, perfect for a sandwich and were the best tasting tomatoes I have ever eaten – even better than Heirloom Tomatoes which I love. Big Boys are called “indeterminates”, which means they continue to grow and have fruit until the first frost. They can grow to heights exceeding 7 feet and they say it’s best to prune them and … [Read more...]

I discovered parchment paper late in life. I always assumed it was something used in unique baking recipes of Gourmet Chefs. Boy, was I wrong? I first started using parchment paper on cookie sheets, so the cookies wouldn’t stick to the pan. I bought it in pre-cut sheets, about the same size as the cookie sheet. Then, I noticed it worked for almost any dish where sticking or difficult clean-ups … [Read more...]

If you can’t go to the Outer Banks, bring the Outer Banks to you. That’s what we did a few years back. After a great four-day getaway, we stopped by Outer Banks Driftwood in Kill Devil Hills on our way back home and bought three pieces of beautiful driftwood. One is now overlooking our goldfish pond. It’s a classic cypress stump that washed up on shores of the Outer Banks, no telling how many … [Read more...]

I have sort of tip-toed my way into the world of air fryers. My daughter swore by hers. I saw a small one on sale at Aldi’s for about $30, so I bought it. I found it extremely handy for warming things up – like meat, breads, and fried foods – things that might get “wimpy” in a micro-wave. The little air fryer was quick and efficient and saved having to heat up the entire oven. A couple months … [Read more...]

For the past ten years or so my wife, Nancy, has done a little canning – mostly pickles, but she has also put up jellies, jams, tomatoes, peppers, and such. A couple years ago, I was struggling with Christmas ideas and decided to splurge and give her an electric canner. They were about $190, so I hoped she would like it. If nothing else, she wouldn’t have to heat up the entire kitchen trying to … [Read more...]

This is going to be awkward, “butt” here goes. When we were in Lancaster County a month or so back, we stayed at a really nice Air B&B cottage that happened to have a Tushy, a Bidet, installed on the toilet. Nancy read the instructions, which were simple, and used it first. She liked it and suggested I give it a try.  I did, and I was so impressed I bought a Tushy from Amazon as soon … [Read more...]

I got an email last week from Cheryl Seiber, a loyal reader of Cville Buzz and a fellow onion lover. Cheryl said she had bought some Candy Onions from a local farmers market (in Michigan) and they were so sweet and juicy, she ate a whole one raw before she could slice another for a sandwich. Candy Onions? I had never heard of them, but they sounded tempting. That very morning, Nancy … [Read more...]

My wife Nancy enjoys working in the yard – which has relieved me of many things I definitely do not enjoy. I mow the grass, piddle in the garden, suck up leaves in the fall and that’s about it. Nancy, though, will get out the weed-eater and trim up my work, she has about a hundred pots with flowers, three garden beds and she keeps our goldfish pond in pristine condition. For her, yard work is … [Read more...]