Downtown Tom’s Water Bagels, second batch
Newly minted mad kitchen scientist Downtown Tom has been continuing his experiments with yeast, whole wheat flour, poppy seeds and flax seeds. reporting that his bagels are getting to be so good, he doesn’t think he’ll be able to eat store-bought bagels...
Downtown Tom’s handmade water bagels
I called my Dad (a.k.a. Downtown Tom) the other morning but he couldn’t talk – he was busy making bagels. Here is his story . . .
Flying for pancakes
Guest blogger Downtown Tom takes to the skies, searching the bi-state area for a pancake breakfast.
Ice cream bread is a real thing
(updated 9/28/2023) I thought the email that Downtown Tom forwarded me from a distant cousin was a joke – the one that said “ICE CREAM BREAD TWO INGREDIENT (no joke!)” in the subject line. He commented, “Don’t know if it’s a joke or...
Midnight in Juneau
Downtown Tom and Grandma Juju, and my sister’s family just got home from an Alaskan cruise, what sounds like a fabulous, relaxing time during which they waved at grizzly bears on the beach, watched whale flukes on Glacier Bay, hunted for John Brown’s...
Best barbecue sauce recipe
Years ago, maybe when Kid Two was a baby and my parents, Downtown Tom and Grandma Juju, were visiting, I got it in my head to make barbecue sauce. I remember glancing at a few recipes, getting the gist of it, then just going to town improvising with some mad...
Happy Birthday Grandma Juju!
Today is my mother’s 70th birthday. She loves flowers almost as much as she loves her grandchildren; since I couldn’t be there to celebrate in person, I was happy to find this clever floral birthday cake to fete her: She has been blessed with four...
Red wine pinto beans with smoky bacon.
My father – Downtown Tom – has been experimenting in the kitchen again. This time he took notes and pictures of his culinary success and snuck it on an attachment in an otherwise blank email. He’s just trying to see if I pay attention to the notes he...
How do you manage kids and junk food?
I read this great article on Zite this morning: My Kid Likes Junk Food And That’s Ok by registered dietician, writer, and mom Sally Kuzemchak. She makes the point that, no matter how much a parent wants and tries to keep their child away from junk food, it...
Eating with Uncle Sam
Downtown Tom first got me hooked on the National Archives, where you can see everything from the handwritten police blotter entry detailing Lincoln’s assassination to Dorothea Lange’s haunting photos to an image of the dinner menu from Nixon’s 1972...
The best doughnuts in Burlington, CO
Meet my mom and dad, Grandma Juju and Downtown Tom. Despite their four kids and seven grandkids, they’ve been channeling coolness ever since they moved from our childhood home to a rehabbed hat factory-turned-hipster loft in downtown St. Louis. They’ve...Welcome to my skillet!
I'm Maggie, a food-loving, curiosity-seeking, nature-loving mom. I'm here serving up bite-sized recipes, raves, and reviews about food and family, food and culture, food and the environment, and food and travel. Thanks for stopping by!