A Note to Friends

Being a grandmother, in my case Noni, is so rich. I am grateful that four of my grandchildren are in my neighborhood, with my son and a daughter just a stone’s throw away. They grandchildren range in age from one to nine, two girls and two boys. A fifth, the oldest, is in college in Alaska. Daughter Kathy is in South Carolina and has a beautiful dog, no kids.

Cooking classes are going great. I teach a class at a private school in Beverly Farms, ages 6 to 9. I love it. In the Summer I have a cooking camp, again for kids. For the past few months, I have been giving a course called the “Cuisine of the Poor” for adults. Pasta, gnocchi, risotto, polenta etc. with an emphasis on lovely, inexpensive to prepare food for the challenging economy. These classes are being held every other Wednesday at Ned’s Groceria in Gloucester.

My husband Todd is a radio talk host. He co-hosts the morning drive show on WRKO with Tom Finneran, the former Speaker of the House. The highlight of my day is listening to him for three and a half hours every morning. He is funny!

I’d like to share with you some new books that I think are very worth owning, not necessarily having to do with cooking. If you’re looking for a creative project, ”1000 Jewelry Inspirations” by Sandra Salamony is terrific. I recently took a class on making a necklace and I want to do more.

“150 Most Effective Ways to Boost Your Energy” and “The Healthiest Meals on Earth,” both by Johnny Bowden, beautifully address what meals to eat and why.

“Cooking with Beer” by Alison Boteler. Beer offers such a cooking convenience… pork shoulder, chicken wings are enhanced by this simple ingredient that infuses so much flavor. She also wrote “Cooking with Wine,” an ingredient we already know as a vital cooking ingredient. This book, however, will expand your repetoire. Both books are small and great to bring along on a vacation.

Speaking of books, I have had many e mails about my book. Some of you might know that I wrote one for my 20^th Anniversary at the restaurant. I am working on another and hopefully will have it finished and available in the next six months.

Please stay in touch – my email is rosalie@rosaliecooks.com.

Lots of Love, Rosalie