Q. “It seems like a new ancient grain—like quinoa and spelt—has a ‘moment’ each few years. What’s ‘on trend’ right now?” —Margo, Neenah A. According to the Whole Grain Council, the consumption of whole grains has doubled over the past 20 years. Although over-processed grain products are still the scourge of the western diet, more READ MORE
Art medium(s): Pressed flowers, organic materials, felt and polymer clay. How do you describe your art? The only art classes that I have taken were what was available in my high school days, which means a lot of what I make starts as an experiment. I would consider my art to be playful, simple and READ MORE
Jim Berg shot the photo he calls “Cathedral” near Jones Park, down the hill from College Avenue. “I was out looking for interesting landscapes (or cityscapes) with my camera and the lines of the chain link fence leading up the hill initially caught my eye,” he says. “Then I loved the way all the lines READ MORE
Q. “My family does a prime rib every Christmas. We struggle with it actually being medium rare despite the thermometer reading 130° F. What are we doing wrong?” —Larry, Kaukauna A. First, let’s discuss desired internal cooking temperatures for meats. If we consider 140° F as a baseline for medium, 15 degrees less is 125° READ MORE
Art medium(s): Printmaking, drawing, painting (watercolors), individual coloring pages and greeting cards that can be colored. How do you describe your art? Colorful, abstract and symbolic—not that realism is outside my grasp, I just find that my art is more about the message than the image. Were you always interested in following a creative path? READ MORE
It was before sunrise on a chilly December morning when Jeff Vaughan found the Appleton City Park tree lit up with “wonderful clouds forming above it in the sky.” “It was breathtaking… such a peaceful sight,” he remembers. “I set up my tripod and captured the moment. Then I just took a few minutes to READ MORE
Q. “My husband has a sensitive stomach. How do I make pasta sauces less acidic?” —Nora, Appleton A. Highly acidic foods include citrus fruit, buttermilk, wine, vinegar, coffee and tomatoes. Some foods are intentionally prepared with the addition of acid, particularly beverages like lemonade, soda and canned products like pickles and pickled vegetables. Some people READ MORE
Art medium(s): Oil. It comes in vibrant colors that can be blended or layered easily to get the effect I desire. It also dries slowly, allowing me to walk away and re-evaluate how I want to proceed. How do you describe your art? I would describe my art as realistic. Iw ould also describe my READ MORE
It was along the Wiouwash State Trail that Paul Kordus enjoyed the warm weather the day before a full moon. “I left on my bicycle from Neenah and rode down… to a point on the trail that runs along the shore of Lake Butte Des Morts. It was the nicest ride I did all year… READ MORE
Q. “Do you have experience rolling homemade sushi? I think it would be a fun date night option.” —Angela, Appleton A. While I have rolled sushi, it is not a common activity in my house. However, I can give you a few pointers. First, it is an important suggestion to pick up one or two READ MORE
