Celia Wakefield's Lava Cakes

 JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: As many of you know, our dear Celia is in treatment for cancer, which means at times she's not feeling up to writing. (I often feel that way, and I don't even have any health excuse!) We're just after Valentines Day, and Fat Tuesday will be here in just a few days, so I went back into the archives to bring up a rich, indulgent, chocolate recipe, perfect for rounding out a romantic interlude or celebrating before the start of Lent. 

I hope you'll enjoy this rerun, and be inspired to tackle these delicious Lava Cakes. I'm sure Celia will be popping into the comments if she has the energy, so feel free to leave her a message!

 

 

You may remember Celia's delicious, impressive and easy summer dinner. Her lava cakes are the same way. It's a scrumptious 'restaurant' kind of dessert, but it turns out the only special thing you need to have on hand is not that special - individual ramekins. I got a set of six for $6 at Dollar  Tree, and you can probably find deals as good at the Christmas Tree Store. (Why do they have so much stuff unrelated to Christmas? I have no idea. But I've found it's a great place for low-cost glassware and, surprisingly, lamps.)

Celia suggests doing each step all the way through, and don't try to do more than one  thing at a time. To that I can add, focus, focus, focus. The second time she made this when I was a dinner guest, I was in the kitchen "helping" (ie, we were both talking nonstop and enjoying rather stiff drinks) and the inner part of the cake didn't remain gushy. This is a recipe that demands strict attention to the measurements and mixing. Celia is British, so she even includes grams for our Canadian and continental readers.

Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes For Two

These Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes for Two are the perfect small batch dessert! These lava cakes are incredibly easy to make and ready in less than 30 minutes. I found that the mix would fill three ramekins and still be a good size. This recipe can be doubled for 6 people.

 Prep Time10 minutes

 Cook Time  10 -14 minutes (at 10 minutes start checking)

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup (60 grams) unsalted butter
2 ounces semi-sweet or bitter chocolate chips

1/2 cup (60 grams) powdered sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup (32 grams) all-purpose flour - spoon out then level
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Spray two or three 6-ounce ramekins well with nonstick cooking spray and place on a baking sheet. Set aside.

Cut the butter into pieces, and add with the chocolate to a large microwave safe bowl (Pyrex or other glass works well).

Microwave in 30 second increments, making sure to stir well after each increment, until melted and smooth. (Do not over cook, recommend taking out after 30 seconds and working the chocolate into the butter with a spatula. It’s a better result for the chocolate).

Whisk the powdered sugar  into the chocolate / butter mixture until well combined.  Mix the eggs and vanilla together, then fold gently into the chocolate mixture until  combined.

Fold in the flour and espresso powder gently; do NOT over mix the batter. Evenly divide the batter between the prepared ramekins.

Bake at 425° for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are firm and the center is slightly soft (the center should look soft and won’t rise). 

Remove from the oven and allow to stand for a minute. Cover the ramekin with a small plate or bowl and invert. Careful, the ramekin is very hot. Add whipped cream or ice cream, serve, and enjoy!

So Taxing

 JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Happy Valentines Day to all who celebrate, but I’m not here to talk about that. If you want to read our thoughts on the holiday (and see examples of the delightful cartoons Hallie’s dear Jerry gave her every year) just follow the links. No, I’m here to talk about something that outlasts infatuation, obsession, love and even death - yes, I’m here to talk about taxes. (And if you’re thinking, surely, not death, than you haven’t ever handled an estate.)

 

Why taxes on the day devoted to romantic love? Because February 15th isn’t just the day for snatching up half-priced Russell Stover chocolate boxes. It’s also the date by which you should have your tax information in to your accountant if you want a guarantee they’ll be able to file your 1040 by April 15th. (By the way, many years Maine and Massachusetts file on April 17th or 18th, because we observe Patriots Day on the third Monday of the month. And what’s more patriotic that waiting til the last minute to file your taxes? Thanks, Paul Revere!)

 

I’ve become a little obsessive about this, because for YEARS I didn’t get my act together soon enough and had to file an extension. Embarrassingly, there were a few times when I didn’t make it in time for the extension! I know, it makes me groan and shake my head as well. Happily, I’ve been living into my goals to become more organized, and this is the third year I’ve gotten all my materials to my long-suffering accountant before February 15th!

 

 

How about you, Reds? Are you ahead of the curve when it comes to taxes, or are you begging your accountant to somehow fit you in on April 14th?

 

HALLIE EPHRON: Heavens no! But this is a timely reminder to get on the stick. It takes me about a half a day to pull everything together. And the magnificent fellow who files my taxes has been doing it for quite a few years. So it’s not a big deal… but it hangs over me. I’m much happier when it’s done.

 

DEBORAH CROMBIE: I applaud your industry, Julia! My accountant pretty much automatically files an extension for me, and I do my taxes in August, as my corporate return is due September 15th. Maybe one day I will emulate you!

 

JENN McKINLAY: I am either way ahead of the curve or way behind. This year looks to be behind…ah well. I did see a hilarious meme of someone turning in their tax forms to the IRS completely blacked out as in redacted. LOL. This year, I would like an accounting from the government telling me exactly where my money is going…ahem.

 

RHYS BOWEN:  one thing I am meticulous about is taxes. I have a spread sheet going all year so it’s only a question of the sum of each column plus the various investments, properties etc. I have spoken with various tax attorneys about ways to pay less or whether incorporating works but nobody has come up with brilliant ways to prevent me from buying a new stealth bomber every year! I also feel if the federal programs are being curtailed I’d like to know where my money is going !

 

 

 

LUCY BURDETTE: I wish I was more like you, Rhys. Right now I just have a big folder with everything crammed into it. John has been nagging me to get my part done, but we’ve had so much company (and more to come) that it’s hard to tackle. It’s never as bad as I think it will be…

 

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Yeah, I am relentlessly careful and on time about this, and every year I end up stomping around the house saying “what is this FOR?? What is this FOR??” and “WHY IS THIS SO MUCH!!” and “I bet fill-in-the-blank person doesn't pay this much. AHHHHHHH SO UNFAIR!”  I am happy to pitch in to pay for infrastructure and schools and school lunch and breakfast and medicine and education and a whole bunch of other stuff, sure, I am eager to help, but I cannot help but think about where this particular money is going.  We ought to be able to earmark it. Yeah, mine all goes to LIBRARIES and school lunches, okay? Check.

 

Okay, back to the question. Yes, I’ll have my stuff in on time to our lovely person who will add it all up.

 

 JULIA: How about you, Dear Readers? Are you Johnny-on-the-spot with your spreadsheets, or do you start thinking about your 1040 at noon on April 15? And Canadian readers: when are your taxes due to the CRA?

On The Move!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: It's moving day! No, not for me, thank God, but for my daughter and her family. My part is to be at their current house at 7:15 am (keep in mind it's an hour and twenty minute drive...) and watch my grandson "Paulie" while his mothers travel to Lewiston, Maine to sign the documents. Then, when they return, I'm taking their dogs - yes, again, but only for overnight this time. With their cat safely, if unhappily, locked in a room in the new place, this will clear the way for the local moving company to shift them 33 miles west.

 

 My last move, in 1994, was also with a baby - six weeks instead of four months. Also? I had a seventeen-month old (that's the person who qualifies for a mortgage now. Sure didn't imagine that back then!)

 

Ross and I also hired a moving company, and, like Victoria and her wife, tried to pack up as much as possible to make the process quicker (we were only going 16 miles west!) However, Ross was a lawyer working something like 14 hours a day, and what little management/organizational ability I had was utterly scrambled by motherhood. It didn't help that we didn't actually start the process until a week before the moving truck arrived, unlike my daughter-in-law, who bought dozens of boxes and began packing as soon as their offer was accepted.

 

 I recall the process only in glimpses, similar to the way people in a car only remember flashes of the terrible accident. There was the moment we were both up at 3am, trying to clean the kitchen while passing the fussy baby back and forth. At one point, I was nursing my son in the cab of the mover's truck, sobbing. For some reason, I have a clear memory of having no box in which to put the under-sink cleaning products, and deciding, "&#$% it, it'll just transfer with possession." Then nothing until Ross and I were standing in the main 40X20 foot room, saying to one another, "How are we ever going to fill all this space?" (Spoiler: we did.)

 

I've been in the same house since then, and friends and my children ask me if I consider getting someplace smaller, on one floor, say, and with MUCH less yard to maintain.  And that would be nice! But honestly? I'm not sure I've recovered from the last move yet.

 

Dear readers, what are your moving stories?

 

 

Hallie's going to Paris... c'mon along?!?!

 HALLIE EPHRON: I'm thrilled to report that I'll be teaching a 5-day master class on writing a mystery/suspense novel in (drum roll...) PARIS (31 May - 5 June 2026).

When the invitation to teach a master class at the 2026 WICE Paris Writers Workshop arrived, I pinched myself. 

I present at a lot of writing confeence, but it's not often that I get to teach a really intensive, down in the nitty-gritties, week-long master class on writing with a group SMALL enough (max 12). With plenty of time for me to get to know the writers in the room and for them to get to know each other. 

And Paris? Zoot alors!!

Then I scurried about making sure it was real... because, well, you know, sadly you've got to double and triple check everything that arrives via the Internet these days.

Turns out the Paris Writers Workshop, founded in 1989, is the oldest writers workshop in Europe. It's run by WICE ( Where Internationals Connect in English) which was started by a group of American expats back in 1978.

Earlier this week I caught up with Lorie Lichtlen, this year's workshop co-director. Thirty years ago, she came to Paris as a journalist and she's still there. More recently Lorie made her living writing for big businesses like Euro Disney. 


 
Lorie has been coming to the Paris Writers Workshop since 2014, and fondly recalls the year she got to learn from Carol Shields (that same year that Shields won the Pulitzer). 

She credits WICE for nurturing the creative nonfiction writer in her, and for introducing her to a community of writers. 

She was delighted to talk about this year's faculty - six of us - and their first time offering a master class on writing mystery and suspense.

To say I'm looking forward to this would be an understatement! Because I *love love love* Paris. And my happy place is teaching. 

The workshop will be held at the Paris College of Art, near the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées.

I'm hoping that some of the aspiring writers among our Red readers will be up for joining me in Paris. (No you do not need to speak French.)

And today's question: Do you have memories of Paris, or is it on your travel wish list?

 
REGISTER WICE Paris Writers Workshop - 31 May - 5 June 2026
https://wice-paris.org/paris-writers-workshop
Early bird registration until 2 March
PROGRAM 
https://www.wice-paris.org/pww2026_program 

PHOTO of the Arc de Triomphe By Kainet - Flickr: Arc de Triomphe HDR, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30352419 

It's the Olympic Fashion Event!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Well, it's another Olympic year, which must mean one important thing. It's time for my critique of the various competitors' national uniforms! After all, who better to judge the clothing thrill of victory and agony of defeat than I, a sixty-something out of shape woman whose only regular exercise is walking the dogs (except not now, q.v. yesterday's post, RUN AWAY FROM THE COLD.)

I do have one genuine qualification, which is I live in part of the country which gets cold and snowy every year, and thus I have to dress accordingly, and I get to see lots of other miserable sinners fellow citizens likewise showing off their frigid fashion chops. Let's get right into it!

 

Mongolia 

These awesome cashmere garments, based on traditional  Mongolian dress robes, have been universally hailed as best in show. And yes, cashmere fans, you can pre-order various pieces of these looks! I'm trying to figure out if I'd be supporting local Mongolian cashmere manufacturing or just appropriating culture if I wore these around Portland.

 

 

Italy 

Unlike other commentors, I'm fine with dragging the host country's uniforms - just see what I had to say about the French in 2024. But it feels bad to diss designer Giorgio Armani, who is 1) a legend and 2) dead. But let's face it, the only word for this gear is boring. It's black, it's white, and I've seen more creative ski wear on the Loon Mountain bunny slope.

 

 

Norway 

Some fashion journalists find the these uniforms too traditional, and therefore dull, but I disagree. There's a classic winter sports look, and nobody does it better than the Norwegians, which isn't that surprising. Plus, did you know Dale of Norway isn't some California guy who founded a sweater company, which is what I always thought? No! Turns out Dale (two syllables) is a town in Vestland, and they still make their garments there! I don't know why NBC isn't talking about this.

 

 

Canada 

Oh, Canada. We love you so. And I know lululemon originated in Vancouver, but it's owned by an American private equity firm now (boo!) so why are you letting them dress you this way? The oversized-but-not-in-an-interesting-way parkas and the quilted pants I can live with, but the puffy maple leaf that looks like a body part I can't mention on this blog? Does the company have something on you? Blink twice if you need to be rescued.

 

 

 Brazil  

Now THIS is how you do winter avant-gard. Brazil has sent a record-breaking 14 athletes to Cortina, and they have come to slay. The down skirt and shorts, the cape-like coat and the slashed parka; it's both stunning and warm. Would I wear these? Would you? No. But I bet Youngest would totally rock this look. Speaking of which:

 

 The Netherlands 

Nederlanders, I'm so grateful for your embrace of my daughter, for the fine education she's getting in your country, and for your totally hot prime minister and his equally hot husband. But we need to talk about your orange obsession. I understand, the House of Orange and all that, but 1) nobody even knows what colors your flag has and 2) you look like walking hazard cones. On the other hand, you go well with your neighbor

 

Belgium 

Whose athletes are all dressed in safety yellow, presumably for working around the hazard cones.

 

France

I'm genuinely on the fence about the Gallic uniforms. On the one hand, kudos for finding a colorway that feels like winter, and not falling back on the national flag. If you check out their other uniforms, they've gone for a cool street wear-inspired vibe that I can absolutely see taking off when it hits stores. And the opening ceremony parkas are more of the same - but with a lot of pockets. A LOT of pockets. I keep thinking of the poor women competitors with snaps and logos positioned exactly over les poitrines. Well, French design isn't always practical.

 

 

Haiti

Haiti is another small country punching way above it's weight. It's sending two alpine skiiers to Cortina, but the real talk is about artist/designer Stella Jean's hand painted uniforms. She originally planned a portrait of Toussaint Louverture, but the Olympic committee found the image of someone who threw off slavery and freed his nation from colonization "too political." The Olympic committee evidently has never heard of the Streisand Effect, because the story behind the clothing is in every news article I could find.

 

 

Germany

As many of you know, I spent several years of my childhood Germany. My family enjoyed going on volksmarches, organized walking/gentle hiking through the countries beautiful but often damp forests. Which is why I instantly recognized the bucket hat and free-with-purchase Adidas ponchos worn by the Olympic team. The off-duty costume isn't any better; it's an Adidas hoodie that says "Germany" in what looks like the cheap-o lettering you get when you send your high school sweatshirts out to be personalized. Fortunately, Nike did a better job with the hockey jerseys, featuring the always-intimidating Bundeswappen (coat of arms.) 

 

Now it's your turn, dear readers. What are your winners and losers in the Olympic style event?

Run Away From the Cold, Run Away!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: It's so cold. That's it, that's the blog. It's just so. Damn. Cold. In much of the East Coast, it's felt like the mythical Fimbulwinter heralding the start of Ragnarok since the beginning of December. And it's not just here in New England; almost everyone in the states has been hit with at least  a period of miserable cold, ice and snow. 

 

 

Except where Jenn lives: Jenn, I don't hate you for your 80°/27° temperatures. I'm just going to show up at your door, suitcase in hand, next January 15th. Don't tell me you don't have room, I know the Hooligans have moved out.

 

The thing is, I know how to deal with cold. I've taken all the steps I can to keep the heat in and the frigid breezes out of This Old House. I've put a portiere over the front door, closed off the unused center hall, hung curtains where I usually don't have them and have draft stoppers at the cellar, family room and back doors. I even got baby-proofing outlet plugs to seal up the exterior outlets.

 

 

But it all gets so... old after a while. It's been over a month since the nighttime low has been over 10°/-12°. We've had multiple cold weather advisories, thanks these "where are they coming from?" gales delivering wind chill factors of -20°/-29°. I swear, the national weather service has taken to issuing warnings like, "Don't go out! The wind will strip the flesh from your bones!"

 

I've taken to watching videos of Palm Beach, FL and Palm Springs, CA.  I haven't quite managed to close my eyes and convince myself I'm there, but I'm going to keep on trying. I'm working on a proposal/outline for the next Clare and Russ mystery, which will take place in January, and I'm seriously considering having them vacation in (Julia googles 'hottest places in the US in February) Miami or the Kohalo Coast on the Big Island. I can always change it back to the freezing Adirondacks in editing, right? 

 

Dear Readers, how are you dealing with the weather? 

 

Singing Those Veterinary Blues

Karen-in-Ohio made an excellent point, asking how families manage the kind of expenses that pets can incur. There are hundreds of small charities out there helping owners with overwhelming medical bills. If you search for "charities to help pay vet bills in -my state-" you'll quickly see what's out there. If you're an animal lover, looking for a way to help folks in straightened times, this is an excellent way to do so.  

 

 

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Those of you who are regular visitors to JRW will remember the saga of Walker, the $15,000 cat. I was discussing the epic while a guest at Hallie’s house, and she pointed out it was more like $17,000, with the USDA certification fee, the in-cabin airline pet fees, and having to buy Youngest a brand new ticket when we discovered Jet Blue didn’t allow pets to travel IN the plane. So for now, Walker will be known as the $17,000 cat. That’s $26,265 CAD, for our northern friends.


I say for now, because I recently discovered Walkers stubborn refusal to put on weight is due to a hyperactive thyroid. Easily cured by giving him two pills a day (at the current cost of $200 a year) for the rest of his life, which should be another 13 to 17 years, if he doesn’t escape the house again and fling himself under a passing vehicle. OR I can solve the problem at one go with a radioactive iodine treatment for $1,700 - $2,000.


Dear readers, I invite you to picture my face upon hearing this.


Reds, have any of you gone to absurd lengths to keep a pet healthy? Does anyone have a veterinary tale as unbelievable as mine?


RHYS BOWEN: My daughter’s dog just tore an ACL. This involves surgery at UC Davis veterinary hospital, plus constant monitoring for two weeks, plus being confined to a small area so that she doesn’t overuse the leg. A month before surgery she tore the second ACL. That surgery will be two months after the first one. And believe me, neither is cheap. I gather the ACL tear is a common problem of the breed. My other daughter who has a delightful mutt sniffed and said, “Pure breeds!”


DEBORAH CROMBIE: Our German shepherd Jasmine hasn’t quite caught up with Walker, but it’s close–like maybe a new sofa and a trip to England amount on the good old Citibank card. What happened to her was so bizarre that I don’t think you can blame it on the breed. We will probably never know what caused the infection in her neck, and it wasn’t a sudden decision to commit to surgery or a course of treatment, it was one trip to the vet, another to the pet ER, then another to the vet, etc., etc. The good news is that after three months, even though she still has a couple of staples and still has a wrap around her neck and a soft e-collar, she’s almost completely healed. I sure wish we’d had pet insurance!


HALLIE EPHRON: I’ve never had a dog, and cats only briefly before being hospitalized with asthma and having to give those sweetie-pies up. But I get it. A pet is a commitment, a chore and a delight. Heck, we took our hamster to the vet when he came down with testicular cancer. Of course we did.



JULIA: Hallie, I'm trying SO hard not to laugh at the idea of hamster testicles...


HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Oh, my darling cat Lola lived to be 20, and in her most senior years, she was often at the vet. She would NOT get into the cat carrier to go there, though. She would stick her legs straight out wide, stiff, like a cartoon cat, and refuse. The only way to get her to the vet was to put her on my shoulder where she;d ride like a parrot. Of course, I would have done anything for her, even at the end, where she was still fine, but frail, and would eat only fresh ground turkey or chopped up fresh shrimp. Fine with me, whatever she wanted.



As for giving Walker pills, Julia, good luck with that. Lola would gobble up whatever I gave her to try to hide her pills–lamb, tuna, chicken–then swallow dramatically, then daintily spit out the pill.



JULIA: I've bought some fancy pill pockets, Hank - we'll see how well they work.


JENN McKINLAY: Oof, I’ve had some pricey vet bills when the schnauzer had his cancerous toe removed and when one of our dogs went into kidney failure while we were traveling and we kept her on dialysis until we could get back (only because she wasn’t suffering and we returned within days). I’ve always had pets and I believe as their person our deal is that I take care of them to the best of my abilities and as long as their quality of life is at the forefront of every decision. Since I like my critters more than most people, paying for their care is a no-brainer. LOL.


LUCY BURDETTE: Agree with the others–paying exorbitant sums for medical care as needed is part of the deal when acquiring a pet. After we adopted Tonka the Aussie, who was “free” because his teeth were not show-dog quality, he tore his rotator cuff three weeks into our tenure. The breeder told us to bring him back, she’d exchange him for another dog. Can you imagine? After three weeks we were hopelessly in love. So we paid for the $3000 surgery and many other procedures over the year. Money well spent for the joy he brought!



JULIA: This reminds me of the Mastercard ads: Pet Food - $30, Pet Cataract Surgery - $3000, Having a best friend for life: Priceless. How do you feel about it, dear readers?

Debs' Hodgepodge Sunday, February Version

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Somehow Super Bowl Sunday has rolled around again! How did this happen? And, um, who exactly is playing?

Sorry, Pats and Hawks out there, just kidding. I don't watch much football, but when I do, I call myself a Kansas City Chiefs fan. (Sorry, you Cowboys lovers. I am a contrary Dallasite.) But I am, as always, in the Super Bowl for the ads, the half time show, and the snacks.

This year it's not just because Bad Bunny is on the bill (although Benito can sing to me anytime) but because I am a big fan of Green Day, who are opening the show. Maybe Kincaid/James readers will remember that in THE SOUND OF BROKEN GLASS, when Andy is supposed to be auditioning for a record producer, it's Green Day's Good Riddance that he plays. I love Billy Joe Armstrong and I'm sure he'll be his usual, um, irreverent self.

As for snacks, I'm having a hard time coming up with something for just two people (and that's assuming I can make my husband sit down and watch the game with me.) But I am tempted by this recipe for nostalgia's sake, Million Dollar Dip, made famous by Dallas's own Neiman Marcus. And maybe we'll treat ourselves to a once-a-year Bloody Mary!

We won't be snuggling up in front of the fire, however–we are in the 70s here in north Texas and will be for the rest of this week. Sending hugs to those of you digging out from more snow, and hoping you are not yet tired of chili.

Not to rub it in, but I was thrilled to get out to the farmers market yesterday, the first time since before Christmas. Apparently everyone else in my town felt the same way because the market was heaving and things were selling out by nine o'clock!

It always cheers me up to see people and dogs, and I was desperate for my favorite salad greens. Not to mention the best latte around!

It will get cold again, never fear, but meanwhile there are the Winter Olympics to watch, so we can imagine snow and ice even if we don't have it.

How about it, lovely REDDIES, what's in your Sunday line-up? Superbowl? Dip? Cheering for Ilia Malinin in the Men's Free Skate?

P.S. One last thing--a grammar question! Should "farmers market" have an apostrophe? (Plural.) My city chooses not to use one. 

Who's Your Top Dog?

DEBORAH CROMBIE: I have a rant! I was so aggravated on Tuesday this week when I couldn't find any way to watch the Westminster Dog Show. We have broadcast TV (antenna!) and we have lots of streaming services (too many!) but none of our options carried the show. Apparently, it was on FS1, which is Fox Sports on cable, and on Hulu+, which is streaming but ouchy expensive. So, I sulked, and tried to keep up with the New York Times live updates, but no pictures, so boo. Here's this year's winner (photo courtesy of Westminster Kennel Club), a gorgeous, sassy doberman called Penny. (Or, officially, GCHP CH Connquest Best Of Both Worlds.)

I couldn't find a photo of the Best in Breed German shepherd, but you can see him at about 22 minutes in this video of the herding group. What a beautiful boy!

I adore dog shows. I think it's fascinating to see the variations in all the different breeds. Of course, I have my favorites--German shepherds, obviously. I also love all the Herding Group, the Working Group, and the Hunting Group, especially the spaniels, but I have cheered for little bichons and terriers and all manner of dogs.

This made me think about why we love the dogs that we love. We have had German shepherds (Jasmine, who will be twelve on Valentine's Day (ish) is our 4th) because Rick's family kept a friend's German Shepherd for a few months when he was about four. From then on, the GSD was the perfect dog for him and there is no substitute.

I love them, too, but as you might guess from the dog I gave Gemma in my books, I have a big place in my heart for cocker spaniels, both the English and the American varieties. A cocker was my first dog as an adult, brought home by my ex-husband as a six-week-old puppy--as a surprise! Here I am with my darling boy, Taffy, in my author photo on the back flap of DREAMING OF THE BONES.

Where Kit's little rescue terrier, Tess, comes from I don't know, as we've never had terriers in our family, but I can tell you that she looks like a Norwich terrier.

Dog genetics are endlessly fascinating to me. My daughter, Kayti, and her family adopted a rescue puppy after Christmas. Her name is Tillie and she's missing one of her front legs--it had to be amputated due to a bad break. Look at her little face!!

Kayti sent off her DNA to be tested and while waiting for the results, she did a fundraiser for the rescue organization, giving people a chance to guess Tillie's lineage.  

You can see that we were all convinced there was terrier or schnauzer in there! We were so wrong.

Here are Tillie's DNA test results.

Tillie and Jasmine are cousins!

Dear REDs and readers, do you have a favorite dog breed? And, if so, why?

Cooking with a Little Help

DEBORAH CROMBIE: I know quite a few of us have been cooking-challenged in the last couple of weeks. When you can't get out to the store, for whatever reason (iced in for a week here!) you have to get creative. So did I pull out my favorite cookbooks as I was perusing the pantry and planning meals?

Uh, nope, I'm a little embarrassed to admit. I searched for recipes online. Don't get me wrong–I love cookbooks. But I'm more likely to read them than I am to actually cook from them. I've almost finished reading the copy of Samin Nosrat's GOOD THINGS I got for Christmas, but have I made anything from it? Oops, no, although I even bought the special vinegar for one of her salad dressings... Maybe tomorrow...

I do, however, have favorite online cooking sites that I use practically every day. 

#1 is New York Times Cooking.

I know it's a subscription, but to me it is absolutely worth it. I love that I can save recipes in my searchable Recipe Box. And I really love the comments from other readers. They can be incredibly helpful and have often made the difference between a recipe that is just okay and one that goes on instant dinner repeat.

#2 is Jeanine Donofrio's LOVE & LEMONS. I actually have one of her cookbooks that I never think to open. We're not vegetarian but I'm always trying to ramp up our fruit, veggie, and grain proportions, and she's a terrific resource on how to cook all of those things.

#3 is another vegetarian site, COOKIE + KATE. If one of your New Year's resolutions is to eat healthier, this will inspire you.

I also subscribe to The Washington Post's Eat Voraciously column (free with the paper's digital subscription) and I subscribe to Mark Bittman's substack, The Bittman Project which does require a small fee but is a great resource for healthy eating and food news.

And of course there is Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, who can be relied upon for many a great recipe. (Short ribs, anyone? Yum, I think, with this cold weather, those might need to go on my menu this week…)

Darling REDs, do you turn to favorite internet cooking gurus in a pinch, or do you actually use your trusty cookbooks?

LUCY BURDETTE: I requested and received 3 cookbooks for Christmas and Birthday, including Good Things. I’ve only made one recipe from Dorie Greenspan’s cake book. John wonders why I need cookbooks when I get everything online? BIG SHRUG. I’m an addict!

I love New York Times Cooking, Once Upon a Chef, Sally’s Baking Addiction, King Arthur, and most recently, Alexandra’s Kitchen. And more…

DEBS: Oh, I use Once Upon a Chef, too!

HALLIE EPHRON: My go-to source is The New York Times Cooking, too. But I also find myself dipping back into the first cookbook I ever used: The Joy of Cooking. It’s cover has decayed and many of the pages are stained, but it’s so easy to follow, simple and reliable. I’m not a fan of recipes that include obscure ingredients or fancy equipment. (No air fryer or sous vide or crockpot even …)

And then there are all the recipes I’ve cut out or printed over the years, which I keep in a series of manila folders (Mains, Desserts, Soups…)

DEBS: For some reason, I've never really cooked from Joy, even though I have the 1970s edition and the newer one. You Joy fans will have to list me some of your favorites to try.

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Ladies, I have to confess. I cook because I like to eat. Any small stirrings of cooking as a creative act were trampled underfoot by thirty years of making dinners (and lunches) for a family of five. If I could hire someone to make delicious, healthy meals for me, I’d do it in a minute, and I’d never open the oven again except to re-heat take-out pizza.

That being said, if I am looking for a recipe for a dish I’ve never made before, my technique is to search with a list of the main ingredients, see what pops up, and then sort the recipes by the number of reviews and how many stars each one received. Then I go back and forth, reading several of them. Sometimes, I choose just one. Other times, I mix and match. If a dish was a success, I’ll bookmark it, which is the modern version of the manila folders with newspaper and magazine clippings which I, like Hallie, collected.

Where are they now? I guess we’ll find out when my Swedish Death Cleaning is complete.

DEBS: Julia, mine in are the kitchen bookshelf, and I do actually use some of them!

RHYS BOWEN:  I have become anti-cooking. After fifty years of feeding a family every night all I want is a personal chef to call me when dinner is on the table and delight my senses. But one thing I do still enjoy is making soups in the winter. My friend Susan Shea gave me a lovely book called Sunday Soups for Christmas and I have already tried a couple of them.

I do save recipes I see online but I have to confess that my rule for trying them is now how good they might taste but how many ingredients they have. If I scan down and read “first grate the ginger, crush the garlic and saute the xxx then put aside while you…”  No. My favorite meals these days are things like lamb chops, asparagus and new potatoes or pan fried petrale sole. 

DEBS: So many of the NYT recipes tell you that you can make them in 30 minutes. I will tell you that THEY LIE. I used to think I was just a really bad cook because things would take me at least twice as long, but I see other people in the NYT comments saying that they lie! Maybe in a professional kitchen, with someone to prep...

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: I think I get a newsletter from–All Recipes? Which I never make anything from, but I get ideas. Like–oh, I have chicken and mushrooms, and that’s an interesting way to put them together. And then I do it my way. Sometimes I enter the ingredients I have, and see what it comes with that’s different. I am less and less inclined to try something complicated. I have NO time for that.

I do have a stash of cookbooks, though, and if I need any advice, I go to Mark Bittman or the Blue Strawberry Cookbook. They always know.  I will never give up my young-bride compilation of recipes clipped from the Washington post and who knows where else, some in handwriting on  peoples index cards and some weird copies from an office copier (I bet) and all taped with now-yellowed and brittle scotch tape into spiral steno pads. I bet it has chicken divan and fondue sauces and chicken Kiev and french onion soup (Julia Child's) and boeuf bourguignon and fettucini Alfredo.Things like that.

Recently I calculated that in the time I’ve been married to Jonathan I have probably cooked 7500 dinners. Just saying.

JENN McKINLAY: I don’t cook so while I love looking at cookbooks — the Magnolia Bakery cookbook is divine! — I handed my apron to the Hub during the pandemic and never took it back. So recipe searching isn’t for me, although I will ask the Hub to cook chicken or fish or whatever I’m hankering and he is wonderfully accommodating and a much better cook than I am. 

DEBS: How about it, dear readers? Do you reach for a cookbook, look up a dinner recipe online--or order out!