Serve by Design

Most of us would concur that hornets and other insects with stingers are not our favorites, and we usually can avoid and ignore them. Except perhaps when there is a new "Super Stinger" that poses an imminent threat to us and our food supply. Last fall. a menacing variety of the Asian Hornet was discovered in the Pacific Northwest. Swift action was taken by the Washington State Department of Agriculture in October to address this problem.  A group of scientists was dispatched to Blaine, Washington, to deal with a nest inhabited by 500 live specimens of the world's largest hornet growing to 2 inches long and nicknamed, the "murder hornet!" Its toxic venom can cause organ failure and death. These highly trained specialists also found 200 queens in the nest who were capable of mating and multiplying this threat and quickly it spreading to additional areas. This threatening species was first detected in the United States in December of 2019 and since then, scientists...

The Madame has made a small version of her signature dessert crumble in a casserole dish that is 19 x 13 cm. She said there were several pieces of fresh fruit - apricots, white peaches, strawberries and blueberries - that were languishing on the counter and that was her inspiration. I have been pestering her these days with a little annoying slogan about how everything in France seems smaller to my American eyes. My breakfast lament goes something like this... "Small cups, small bowls, small spoons, and small people." It is true that many older French are smaller in statue. They are also quite slender of build. I have hardly seen anyone, adult, youth or children, who are obese and that is a good condition for sure. Many Americans by comparison are far too heavy and out of shape. The apple crumble she prepared earlier in our visit was served in a very large casserole dish. In fact, she made two desserts of the same recipe days ago. The smaller one she gave to some neighborin...