All choked up—Elizabeth Pancamo
Depending upon where you live, Spring has sprung, or is at least very close to it. There is a freshness to everything. That most definitely includes what I serve at home, and what I offer for menus to clients wanting to cater their spring gatherings. Along with that freshness is an almost intrinsic need of mine to mimic the eye pleasing ready-for-market items on display. This is where artichokes come to mind.read more

Super Bowl party food—Elizabeth Pancamo
Ahhh, the Super Bowl. Some die hard football fans may consider this blasphemous to say, but I couldn’t care less about the big game. It may be due to my distaste over the years of cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles (Pronounced “Iggles” for the most loyal, multi-generational fans - you know who you are) only to be let down. The disappointment over a not so stellar season is fine, but in case you never noticed, Philadelphia fans don‘t always display the most sportsman-like behavior read more

Baby, it's cold outside—Elizabeth Pancamo
All of you residing in the North may think I’ve become a big wus, but now that we are in the midst of our most severe cold snap this season, I realize I have been conditioned to much milder days than the predicted highs in the upper 20s and 30s of the coming week. Thankfully, I never parted with...read more

Hello, breakfast!—Elizabeth Pancamo
Bananas Foster is one of my favorite desserts. There are few desserts, if any, that I would ever choose if given an option. Something about the bananas being sautéed and coated in the butter and brown sugar, that splash of dark rum, vanilla, and then...read more

My 'traditional' Christmas dinner—Elizabeth Pancamo
Have I mentioned that I married an Italian family? Oh, yeah, I guess I have. Trust me, in my little world, that's a hard one to even imagine forgetting. And, have you heard the news? It's Christmas time! Italians and Christmas - oh, the visions of food that can come to mind. read more

The 'must haves'—Elizabeth Pancamo
Many thanks to all of you who felt compelled to contribute your thoughts and memories of your Thanksgiving Must Haves. I received input from not only my own generation, but also from many of you a generation or two ahead of me.

Some of the most sentimental, nostalgic foods we come to expect at our tables are incredibly dated - as in foods having their origins being served on tables during the 1930’s, 40’s, and 50’s. There are of course the updated twists on vegetables and side dishes, preparations of the bird itself, and preferences over...read more

The debate begins: cast iron versus non-stick and other cookware—Elizabeth Pancamo
Being in need of inspiration, where else would any half witted aspiring writer look in this time of technology and social networking? Facebook, of course!

Quite the unscientific research was underway via my wall post, and responses came in as direct comments, the more private portal of my Facebook “inbox,” and even spilling over into email. Food, and so much related to it seems to be just as much a part of me as breathing. From the looks of...read more

What are your Thanksgiving "must haves"?—Elizabeth Pancamo

Halloween is upon us, yet thoughts of more substantial holidays are carrying much more influence. Spending some time in a local home improvement store sparked the embers that smolder all year long for everything related to decorating, food, and entertaining over the roughly six weeks that comprise “The Holidays.” Being accompanied by a wide-eyed 4-year-old helps a bit in that department, too. The ridiculously enormous, inflatable yard ornaments, pre-lit Christmas trees, and musical displays caught his fancy, while I took...read more

Butternut Squash soup—Elizabeth Pancamo
The autumn chill is definitely in the air (snow has already made an appearance in some parts of the country.) With the chill comes a yearning for foods that provide that soul warming effect. The first food that comes to mind for me...read more

Halloween on a Saturday this year...could be fun—Elizabeth Pancamo
Truth be known, I don’t care one bit for Halloween. Being the mother of three boys, however, I have no intention of depriving them of celebrating this holiday of Pagan origins. Although, the opportunity to plan for ways to entertain, or prepare food, and to get creative in decorating my front porch is always welcome. It’s the annoyance of...read more

Now I want to have a dinner party?—Elizabeth Pancamo
This time of year my tastes are wandering into a territory that should likely be reserved for evenings when nothing short of a crackling fire (whether indoors or out) will do. Right away, I imagine warming glasses of red wine complementing wonderfully rich and satisfying meals, enhanced by the amber glow of flames. Uh, oh. Now I’m in the mood to plan a party...read more

Chicken Marbella—Elizabeth Pancamo
Food, thoughts of food, and combinations of flavors rarely never leave my mind. Even in the most unexpected places, something to do with food pops up, and I am drawn to it. Facebook isn’t even a safe haven, should I ever feel the need to escape my visions of anything epicurean. I have acquired a handful of friends on Facebook with whom questions, suggestions, recipes, and entire party ideas are routinely exchanged. Perhaps it would come as no surprise that...read more

An apple for the teacher—Elizabeth Pancamo
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." "There's always one bad apple in every bunch." "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." "Let's not compare apples to oranges." "Don't upset the apple cart." And, lest we forget Peter Brady...read more

Italian rice balls—Elizabeth Pancamo
I discovered something early on in my kitchen experiences — I rarely, if at all, follow a recipe. Oh, don't get me wrong, I have probably over 100 cookbooks, not to mention the hundreds of handwritten and clipped recipes kept in various books and binders. I will follow a recipe exactly when baking, but otherwise, I usually just... read more

End of summer sirens—Elizabeth Pancamo
This is my favorite time of the month. The time when my new food magazines arrive! I pour over them almost as soon as I pull them from the mailbox, taking mental notes over what looks good, interesting, and...read more

Surprises from the pantry—Elizabeth Pancamo
One my family's "comfort foods" made me consider how some of the very common ingredients kept in my pantry make some dishes really great. They could be mixed in, sprinkled on top, just a coating, or even as a pie crust. Here are my favorites, the various ways they can be used, and not necessarily...read more

The party will flow with your mood—Elizabeth Pancamo
A gathering, whether just some family, friends, or a larger party—it doesn't matter, but things simply need to flow, as though assuming a rhythm from beginning to end. Almost like telling a story, with an introduction, a beginning, a middle, building to a climax, and hopefully...read more