Comments on: Truman Capote and the Food Bank http://diannej.com/blog/2009/12/truman-capote-and-the-food-bank/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed Pithy snippets about food writing Thu, 17 May 2012 08:48:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: diannejacob http://diannej.com/blog/2009/12/truman-capote-and-the-food-bank/comment-page-1/#comment-2039 diannejacob Wed, 30 Dec 2009 03:34:40 +0000 http://diannej.com/blog/?p=1724#comment-2039 Hi Tracey, the strata sounds fantastic. I've never heard of a combination like that one. I hope you get to read the whole essay some time. Hi Tracey, the strata sounds fantastic. I’ve never heard of a combination like that one.

I hope you get to read the whole essay some time.

]]> By: Tracey Meloni http://diannej.com/blog/2009/12/truman-capote-and-the-food-bank/comment-page-1/#comment-2031 Tracey Meloni Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:59:07 +0000 http://diannej.com/blog/?p=1724#comment-2031 This is a wonderful post - I had not read Capote's piece before, and it triggered memories. My mother, known far and wide as the World's Second Worst Cook (we always try to leave first place open for new contenders) was, surprisingly, a master at sublime fruitcake. Her recipe was coveted, her treats begun long ahead. She debunked the theory that there are only six fruitcakes in the world, and people just keep giving them to each other. Next to her scent and its memories, her fruitcake is the thing I miss most about her at Christmas. These days I settle for Christmas Strata, my Italian husband's mother's secret recipe (they all are - she never wrote anything down and measurement were vague at best). It begins, of course, with panettone, glazed chestnuts, then layers of pancetta and Gorgonzola - and some liberal spirits. We had ours on Boxing Day this year. Thanks for a great addition to the holiday files. This is a wonderful post – I had not read Capote’s piece before, and it triggered memories.

My mother, known far and wide as the World’s Second Worst Cook (we always try to leave first place open for new contenders) was, surprisingly, a master at sublime fruitcake. Her recipe was coveted, her treats begun long ahead. She debunked the theory that there are only six fruitcakes in the world, and people just keep giving them to each other. Next to her scent and its memories, her fruitcake is the thing I miss most about her at Christmas.

These days I settle for Christmas Strata, my Italian husband’s mother’s secret recipe (they all are – she never wrote anything down and measurement were vague at best). It begins, of course, with panettone, glazed chestnuts, then layers of pancetta and Gorgonzola – and some liberal spirits. We had ours on Boxing Day this year.

Thanks for a great addition to the holiday files.

]]> By: Jamie http://diannej.com/blog/2009/12/truman-capote-and-the-food-bank/comment-page-1/#comment-1995 Jamie Sun, 27 Dec 2009 14:12:00 +0000 http://diannej.com/blog/?p=1724#comment-1995 I have an old, beat-up photocopy of this wonderful story that I made during my college years. I used to pull it out and read it every year but haven't for a while. Now I must go and look for it again. Thank you for reminding me of it. And food banks are truly a wonderful way for everyone to play Santa - all year long. They are very active in France. Happy holidays to you and yours! I have an old, beat-up photocopy of this wonderful story that I made during my college years. I used to pull it out and read it every year but haven’t for a while. Now I must go and look for it again. Thank you for reminding me of it.

And food banks are truly a wonderful way for everyone to play Santa – all year long. They are very active in France.

Happy holidays to you and yours!

]]> By: Lucy http://diannej.com/blog/2009/12/truman-capote-and-the-food-bank/comment-page-1/#comment-1988 Lucy Sun, 27 Dec 2009 02:11:47 +0000 http://diannej.com/blog/?p=1724#comment-1988 "A Christmas Memory" is read every year in our house. I love Mr. Haha Jones - so terrifying! and Buddy's friend and her dog, and the homemade kites. A perfectly written story, and probably the nicest piece every written about fruitcakes. Thanks for the reminder about food banks, the need is great in my community, too. “A Christmas Memory” is read every year in our house. I love Mr. Haha Jones – so terrifying! and Buddy’s friend and her dog, and the homemade kites. A perfectly written story, and probably the nicest piece every written about fruitcakes. Thanks for the reminder about food banks, the need is great in my community, too.

]]> By: diannejacob http://diannej.com/blog/2009/12/truman-capote-and-the-food-bank/comment-page-1/#comment-1955 diannejacob Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:37:00 +0000 http://diannej.com/blog/?p=1724#comment-1955 You are most welcome, and thank you for suggesting it, Stephanie. You are most welcome, and thank you for suggesting it, Stephanie.

]]> By: Stephanie - Wasabimon http://diannej.com/blog/2009/12/truman-capote-and-the-food-bank/comment-page-1/#comment-1953 Stephanie - Wasabimon Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:03:31 +0000 http://diannej.com/blog/?p=1724#comment-1953 What a wonderful, perfect story. It hit me at just the right moment, and filled me up. Thank you! What a wonderful, perfect story. It hit me at just the right moment, and filled me up. Thank you!

]]> By: diannejacob http://diannej.com/blog/2009/12/truman-capote-and-the-food-bank/comment-page-1/#comment-1952 diannejacob Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:50:29 +0000 http://diannej.com/blog/?p=1724#comment-1952 Thank you Rosemary. How fitting that you were making fruitcake when this post came out. It's gorgeous! Thank you Rosemary. How fitting that you were making fruitcake when this post came out. It’s gorgeous!

]]> By: Rosemary http://diannej.com/blog/2009/12/truman-capote-and-the-food-bank/comment-page-1/#comment-1951 Rosemary Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:11:22 +0000 http://diannej.com/blog/?p=1724#comment-1951 Excellent post, and it prompted me to donate. I was baking fruitcake today http://tinyurl.com/yk3xs2k a 1950's recipe from my mom that I adapted for Sun-Maid Raisins. It's pretty, and many people who think they don't like fruitcake often like this one! Excellent post, and it prompted me to donate. I was baking fruitcake today http://tinyurl.com/yk3xs2k a 1950′s recipe from my mom that I adapted for Sun-Maid Raisins. It’s pretty, and many people who think they don’t like fruitcake often like this one!

]]> By: diannejacob http://diannej.com/blog/2009/12/truman-capote-and-the-food-bank/comment-page-1/#comment-1950 diannejacob Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:00:44 +0000 http://diannej.com/blog/?p=1724#comment-1950 Janice, what a worthwhile program. I like the idea of gift cards where people can buy the groceries they need. Janice, what a worthwhile program. I like the idea of gift cards where people can buy the groceries they need.

]]> By: Janice http://diannej.com/blog/2009/12/truman-capote-and-the-food-bank/comment-page-1/#comment-1947 Janice Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:57:03 +0000 http://diannej.com/blog/?p=1724#comment-1947 Thank you for the wonderful Christmas blog post. I like your idea of the donation to the food bank, but this year I tried something different with our community college adopt-a-family program. I bought scrip from one of the local Catholic Diocese schools. The way it works is you purchase a gift card for a certain amount of money, in my case, I bought a Basha's card for $10. The recipient of the card gets $10 worth of groceries and can refill the card and the school gets a percentage of the value of the card. You give the gift card to the recipient and a gift to the school with no extra outlay of cash. The schools use the money to pay teachers, reduce students tuition or buy needed supplies. It's a win-win situation. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year, and please keep on writing and tweeting. Thank you for the wonderful Christmas blog post.

I like your idea of the donation to the food bank, but this year I tried something different with our community college adopt-a-family program. I bought scrip from one of the local Catholic Diocese schools. The way it works is you purchase a gift card for a certain amount of money, in my case, I bought a Basha’s card for $10. The recipient of the card gets $10 worth of groceries and can refill the card and the school gets a percentage of the value of the card. You give the gift card to the recipient and a gift to the school with no extra outlay of cash. The schools use the money to pay teachers, reduce students tuition or buy needed supplies. It’s a win-win situation.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year, and please keep on writing and tweeting.

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