Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Dessert in the desert

Years ago, I learned the difference between "dessert" and "desert," and how to not mistake one spelling for the other.

"Dessert," the teacher reminded us, "has two S's, for sugar and spice (and everything nice). Desert, on the other hand, has just one S. It is all sand."
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: ,

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

a.k.a. Hope Hill



A visit to Death Valley, a first visit, requires good preparation.

This means packing food, for walks through sand dunes and salt formations, for hikes through Mosaic, Golden and Titus canyons, for surfaces 282 feet below sea level and 11,049 feet above.

On the list:

Cranberry Bread

Scharffen Berger Chocolates

Cherry-Cabernet Brownies

HobNobs

Raspberry Newtons

Dried Mango Slices

Sun-Maid Raisins

Honey-Roasted Peanuts

Pink Peanut M&Ms

Mandarin Oranges

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches

For a national park where daytime temperatures top 100 degrees F in the summer, this also means packing water. Lots and lots of water.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

About Me

is a writer and reviewer on the West Coast whose essays and articles have appeared in publications such as the Oakland Tribune, the San Francisco Chronicle, Budget Travel, Brown Alumni Magazine, Saveur, Relish, Gastronomica, Best Food Writing 2002, www.theatlantic.com, www.npr.org and www.culinate.com. She has a bachelor's in English from Brown and a master's in literary nonfiction from the University of Oregon. Send comments, questions and suggestions to: mschristinaeng@gmail.com.

Books I am Reading

  • "James and the Giant Peach" by Roald Dahl
  • "Manhood for Amateurs" by Michael Chabon
  • "The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook" by Michelle and Philip Wojtowicz and Michael Gilson
  • "Rustic Fruit Desserts" by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson
  • "Toast: The Story of a Boy's Hunger" by Nigel Slater
  • "Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life" by Jamie Oliver
  • "The Gastronomical Me" by M.F.K. Fisher
  • "Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China" by Fuchsia Dunlop
  • "My China: A Feast for All the Senses" by Kylie Kwong
  • "Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China" by Jen Lin-Liu
  • "Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance" by Barack Obama

Films and TV Shows I am Watching

  • "Jiro Dreams of Sushi"
  • "Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death"
  • "Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie"
  • "Waitress" with Keri Russell
  • "The Future of Food" by Deborah Koons Garcia
  • "Food, Inc."

Labels

Archive