Fall 2012

You’ll find a video recipe at the bottom of the post.

Anywho, I’m from Wisconsin. Unlike many southern states, we have four distinct seasons. In the fall… well… the leaves fall. I can imagine Mr. T saying, “I pity the fool who lives in a state that doesn’t experience a real fall!” I’ve loved fall since childhood. There are some pictures hiding at my folk’s house of my sister, my adorable younger brother, and me jumping in, burying ourselves, and otherwise making a mess of our parents neatly raked leaves. Maybe I’ll find them and put ‘em up next fall for ya’ll. I bet lots of my cheesehead friends have similar pictures. It was part of growing up in America’s Dairyland. Those are some fond memories.

I love memories. Are your memories filled with smells? Mine are. I can still smell the sweet perfume of leaves decaying and that wonderfully peculiar fragrance that happens in cold weather. It’s like creation takes on the aroma of chill. Leaves start flying around these parts, and folks fire up their wood stoves and fireplaces making the day even yummier. If you were really lucky, mom and dad wouldn’t tan your hide for making a mess of all the leaves, but instead bring out a thermos full of the nectar of the Fall Gods, hot chocolate. Holy Smokin’Joe! I tell ya. The smell of leaves, chill, wood smoke, and hot chocolate would take me to a magical place.

I’m older now and you won’t catch me burying myself in and throwing around fall leaves. No need to feel sorry for me though. I still love fall. I still feel the magic. See, some folks HATE raking leaves- it is a lot of work. Not me. I get out into the fall air, start raking, and those aromas affectionately attack my senses and boom, I’m that little kid again. Luckily, someone had their fireplace going when I took these pics. If you have never experienced a real fall, you should put it on your bucket list. Visit Wisconsin while the leaves are changing. The colors will take your breath away. If you take your time and drink it all in, it might even astound you.

My beautiful wife bagging leaves.

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This next video is not about cooking and recipes.

It’s called 16×9 Child Labour: The Dark Side of Chocolate. It’s about some of the unfair practices that happen in the chocolate industry. I just wanted to prepare you for a serious video. Wouldn’t want you to go click on it and expect a fun, feel good video on chocolate. Watch if you want to, or don’t. It’s 8 minutes long.