The Long Island Express, otherwise known as the Hurricane of 1938, was a category 3 hurricane when it made landfall. It swept away...

Halloween’s passed us by, but here’s a tale of horror from the late eighteenth century: a visit to the drugstore. This advertisement...

Marylanders recognize this scene. The wet smear of spice-reddened shattered carapace across moist newspaper says it all: it must be the...

Fall vegetables: the bounty at the market threatens to overwhelm the Manhattan apartment suggestion of a kitchen. Mine’s 24 sq. feet....

Beer. Mmmm. Recently, my friend Ms McC and I travelled to Maryland for a eighteenth century event at Fort Frederick State Park (see my...

Last weekend, I pushed it. I bought two tomatoes at the local farmer’s market on 67th street. New York state tomatoes are okay (they...

One of many meals I’ve eaten while dining alone. Dusseldorf. RL Fifield, 2012. I can travel a fair amount for my job. Anyone who travels...

Seattle. RL Fifield, 2012. It wasn’t supposed to be like that. Brilliant sun and a cloudless sky marked my days in Seattle. Like San...

We have some pigeons who decided to make a nest on our window sill. I found them too late – when I knocked on the window to get the hen...

Mr. V’s family lives on the opposite side of the state, on the Atlantic coast.  Beaches, suburbia, and hot weather don’t do much for me. ...

Inari sushi – sweetened deep fried tofu skin stuffed with rice dressed with rice vinegar, salt, and sugar. Photo by miwa_in_oz There is...

“Maid service is getting harder and harder to find at any price and only too often, even if you pay top wages, you will have to put up...

RL Fifield 2011. Mountains. The Canadian version of Seattle. West coast cool.  I’d heard so much about it, and while the mountains are...

Yes, beer in museums. Now on at The New York Historical Society, Beer Here: Brewing New York History reminds the visitor of the...

Get a sharp knife, some scissors, and good luck. I remember the first time I opened Martha Stewart’s Hors d’Oeuvres Handbook.  I laughed...

It’s not all sauerbraten and rouladen. I was pleasantly surprised by incredible salads, grilled fish, and lots of mushrooms while in...

I’ll have the Scollop of Oysters, hartychokes, cold lobster, and olive pudding! Winterthur has in their collections the Dinner Book of...

Yes, Luxembourg is a tiny country, but I wish I’d spent more than an evening there. In Europe, if you are stuck at the airport hotel,...

Hallo Dusseldorf! Near the Kunstpalace. Last week found me in Germany and Luxembourg. Dusseldorf, like many cities affected by World War...

Swank at The Green Mill. RL Fifield 2012. During our recent trip to see Jeremy W.(of Le Cafe Witteveen) and Tina S. in their Chicago...