My Other Writing

I don't think I've ever really posted anything on this blog about the writing that I do on a much more regular basis than blogging...

I do plenty of writing at my day job as a marketing supervisor, but since it's about business and financial issues, it's not always the most creative. That's why it's been a huge blessing to get to have a freelance contributing writer position with Feast Magazine. I first got involved with Feast as a freelance proofreader and shortly after got my first break at writing. Since then (early 2013), I've been a monthly contributor to the magazine's One On One column and written a few longer features each year. I love the opportunity to continue growing as a writer and journalist, meet some incredibly creative and talented chefs, bakers, restaurateurs and tastemakers in Missouri, and maintain a creative outlet.

If you'd like to follow along with what I'm writing about at any given time, you can check out my author page. Or read some of my favorites below:

• How 3 Regional Breweries are Redefining American Hard Cider
• The Story of Mead's Increasing Popularity in Missouri
• How Chefs are Revolutionizing the Neighborhood Butcher Shop
• Second Helpings

Fall on the Farm

Two weeks ago we were in Liberty to say bon voyage to Katie, Eric and Henry before they relocate to Amsterdam for a year (!). We also celebrated Cameron's birthday by giving our best shot at Breakout KC (we were 2 minutes away from completing the Szechuan Secret room. A super fun experience though (I won't say anything...don't want to give away any clues!).

We topped it all off with an evening at the farm on Saturday, complete with pumpkin carving, soup and chili, early birthday celebrations and a bon fire. Fall, please don't ever leave!

Homecoming 2015

M-I-Z...

...Z-O-U.

Campfire Dutch Oven Apple Crisp

Every fall, one of my favorite traditions since being married is going apple picking at Eckert's Farm in Belleville, Il. The first year we went, we naively came away with two bags filled with apples. They lasted us months - I'm pretty sure we moved into our second apartment with some of those apples in tow. They stayed fresh and delicious, mind you. But still, we overdid it. The second year we were smarter; but then we fell hard for their massive mums. Great price, so I felt less than guilty.

This year, year three, we were experienced and ready. We went early on a Saturday before we headed out for a camping trip. It was the chilliest it's been since we started going, but in the best kind of way - the sign that fall is really here. We got right onto the wagon, picked four varieties of apples (Braeburn, Cameo, Sun Crisp and Golden Delicious) in the right moderation and then made our way to the pumpkin field.




In years past we actually never picked a pumpkin, but this year, we happened to go on a weekend when pick-your-own pumpkins were half off. So there it was, our trap for the year. By Jonathan's guess, we had picked ourselves a 25-pounder. By the scale's more accurate measurements, she was 37. You got us again, Eckert's!

Later that afternoon we met up with our friends near Marble Creek Campgrounds. "Near" because the campgrounds were closed for renovations, but our friends had friends whose parents have some land and a small house nearby. So the afternoon was spent layered up by a campfire, breathing in fall and just relaxing. The perfect setting to christen our new dutch oven and make use of a few of our apples.

Campfire Dutch Oven Apple Crisp

• 5 Braeburn apples, sliced about 16 slices per apple
• 1/2 package (1.25 cups) Eckert's Apple Crisp Mix
• 6 tablespoons butter
• cinnamon and brown sugar
• a campfire (optional, but highly recommended)

We lined the Dutch oven with aluminum foil, which I highly recommend for easy cleanup. Jonathan melted a tablespoon of butter for the bottom, and I layered in the apple slices.

I sprinkled the apples with cinnamon, because the more the merrier in my book, before adding the apple crisp mix on top. Place the five tablespoons on top, evenly distribute, and top with brown sugar. Cover with lid and place on a layer of coals in the fire. Top with coals.

Rotate the Dutch oven after 10 minutes. After 10 more minutes, remove from fire. If you've got a nice caramelized topping forming, you've hit the jackpot! Allow the crisp to stop bubbling, or your mouth will be sorry; trust me.

If you have a pup nearby to eat up any fallen apple slices, all the better.

Maine Klamms: Drive to Bar Harbor

Drive from Portland to Bar Harbor - July 17

On Friday we enjoyed donuts from Holy Donut in Portland (authentic potato donuts) before packing up and heading to Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island. We stopped in Freeport along the way to check out the hometown of L.L.Bean. The campus of stores they have there is crazy - a home store, hunting/fishing store, outdoor sports store, apparel, outlet and a large grassy area for their summer concert series.

We checked out a few other stores in the cute town of Freeport before grabbing lunch. We decided on this trip that we want to take the amazing brioche roll that is used for lobster rolls and expand it's palette of fillings -- pulled pork rolls, anyone? Case in point, I had a yummy tarragon turkey salad with mandarins sandwich in Freeport that came in the traditional lobster roll bread, and it was so darn good!

Back on the road, we weaved in and out of small towns as Highway 1 took us all the way up to the island. We got to the West Street Hotel in Bar Harbor in late afternoon. The hotel was one of my favorite things about our trip. I was nervous to see if the place lived up to the cute pictures I had seen, but it absolutely did. The hotel is decorated in a contemporary nautical theme, our room had a great porch overlooking the shops and the harbor, there is a gorgeous rooftop pool (again, was too cold to enjoy for long) and nightly cookies and milk served in the kitchen area on every floor. Spoiled rotten, we were. 

Bar Harbor is a cute coastal town, kind of frozen in time yet all the buildings are in such pristine condition that it seems like they were just placed there. That first night, we enjoyed dinner at McKay's Public House. We ate out on their patio and enjoyed the perfect summer night. After splitting baked brie and the McKay's salad, Jonathan had the pork porterhouse special of night and I enjoyed a creole-inspired take on steamed mussels and fries. For dessert? Say it with me, "blueberry..." pie! Delicious. We checked out some shops after dinner, and even happened upon another couple from St. Louis (the woman and Jonathan were both reaching for a Missouri cup in a shop -- serendipity at it's finest).

Maine Klamms: Portland

It's already back-to-school time, so it's as good a time as any to finally post about our trip to Maine. Hey, it was only a month ago...

I'll split it up over a few days so it's not text + photo overload all at once. We flew into Portland late on July 15. It's a little surreal flying into a town where you've never been, driving to your hotel in pitch black and waking up the next morning to look out the window and see the ocean!

Portland, ME - July 16

Portland is a darling New England town. We stayed at the Holiday Inn by the Bay, which saved us a little money but still kept us conveniently close to the water, shops and restaurants in Portland's Old Port. Thursday morning we had breakfast at Marcy's Diner (now infamous because of this). The servers will tell you that the must-try menu item is the diner's grilled muffins. Seeing as how we were in Maine and I'd read all about the state's amazing blueberries, I made it a goal to order blueberry items every chance we got. So one grilled blueberry muffin, please!

After breakfast, we walked the streets that are dotted with lots of local stores, coffee and ice cream shops, and endless restaurants. Oh, I forgot to mention how PERFECT the weather was this day! Clear blue skies, a slight chill in the morning ... oh Maine, you know how to do summer.

I researched the heck out of restaurants before this trip, so I knew that I wanted to make a pitstop at Duckfat, if not just for their fries. We stopped for an early lunch and split a way-too-big order of Belgian fries (fried in duck fat, as the restaurant name implies) served with truffle ketchup and lemon herb mayo -- yum! We also shared a duck confit sandwich per the waiter's recommendation -- it was a very unique combo of duck confit, kimchi and a cilantro-lime mayo. Again, delish. We also each enjoyed a house made soda -- orange crush for him, jolly rancher for her.

After walking and shopping around some more, we went back to our room to throw on our swimsuits and drove about 20 minutes south of the city to Crescent Bay Beach in Cape Elizabeth. Oh, I also forgot to mention the car rental guy convinced us to upgrade to a silver Mustang convertible instead of our Jetta. I was perfectly fine with our Jetta, Jonathan went for the convertible ... he was right -- lots more fun ;) The beach had pretty views and was barely crowded. The water was far too cold to swim in (a reoccurring theme of the trip), but lying out and just relaxing felt great.

On our drive back to Portland we stopped at several light houses along the coast and took the required Maine selfie. We had passed two ice cream stands on our way to the beach, so we knew we had to hit up one on our way back. We stopped at Kettle Cove Creamery, and I'm still dreaming about the cone I ate: chocolate raspberry + blueberry pie (I told you - anything blueberry, I'm ordering it). Blueberry pie ice cream ... I must find a way to recreate you! That was by far the best ice cream I had the whole trip, and we ate ice cream every. single. day. Sometimes twice ;)

At one of our lighthouse stops we shared a lobster roll and Maine Root blueberry soda from the food truck Bite Into Maine. It was the perfect setting to enjoy a traditional Maine meal. Once we made it back to our hotel and changed, we went to dinner at Portland Lobster Co. and each got bowls of clam chowder. After dinner we checked out the Novare Res Bier Cafe. I'm not a beer drinker so I decided to try Maine Mead Works Ram Island Tea Mead, particularly because I wrote this article on Missouri mead not too long ago. To be honest, I wasn't a big fan, but I still want to give other meads a chance.

Then it was time for a nightcap - ice cream, that is ; ) We shared a cup from Mt. Desert Island Ice Cream across the street, and then called it a night.