The Art in Artichoke

Food has been used in art throughout history. Images of food items have been found in artifacts all over the world. As any cook knows, a meal prepared from scratch is a creative activity that can be elevated to a work of art visually and in taste. No wonder creative people tend to be great cooks as well! Organic ingredients (as opposed to engineered or processed prepared food) have a beauty that no human can replicate. An heirloom tomato can be a gnarly misshapen orb, but like an unusual face, has its own visual interest.....and then there's the taste.

From Better Homes and Gardens

The Dutch and Flemish Renaissance masters took food paintings to a new level. Still Life painting reached its apex in the 16th century when the accoutrements of wealth became more fashionable, and that included a richly conceived arrangement of food and wine.

Today, with a vast abundance of (and healthier!) ingredients, chefs have made "presentation" an art form that should match, but not out-weigh taste. Contrasts in color, shape, texture, and size of ingredients make a glorious collage before one bite. That's the fun of eating in a great restaurant: ambience along with the combination of beautiful presentation and explosion of flavors. Enjoying this alone or with good company....what could be better?

29 Casseroles

Scalloped potatoes partnered with canned-salmon loaf in their matching Pyrex dishes.

Opaque, gelatinous tomato aspic sat beside the crusted silent mound of macaroni and cheese.

Every entrée had it corresponding side-dish.

Exotic and foreign Italian Delight shared a plate with Iceberg lettuce salad and Italian dressing.

Sunday’s magnificent roast took center stage at the card table in front of Walter Cronkite’s The 20^th Century.

The white glass cookie jar with generic floral design was never without its chocolate chip, oatmeal, or icebox kin fresh from the oven.

Flaky Crisco crusts embraced apples, coconut, chocolate and banana cream, pumpkin, and the detested rhubarb.

Avocados and enchiladas were introduced on the patio to endless friends and relatives making the sojourn to Disneyland.

Soups made from humble legumes, summer and winter vegetables, were Saturday lunch, accompanied by their obligatory saltines and Wheat Thins topped by the odd duo of cheddar cheese and kippered herring.

Tuesday’s hash took up the slack of roast, potatoes and gravy.

Highbrow, 16-ingredient Chicken Gertrude made its appearance at the Ladies Lunch.

How many recipes made the cut into Hits of the Mrs. P.T.A. Cookbook and The Woman’s Club Our Treasured Recipes?

Cynthia L. Cavanaugh 11/10

And now.....The Reggie Life



Now, here's my pal, Birdy, who lives far away in a place called California. We haven't met, but I'm already in love with her. She has a really cool toy called the Orange Alien, that I don't have and now I want one. Birdy's a little older than me, but I like older girls....I just like girls.