Hi. I’m Isabel, I cook and scribble. I make a lot of food and do a lot of writing, and Bread & Courage is what I have to show for it. It started as a simple food blog called TASTE but evolved into something more—a place where I express my love of food, community and the environment. Thanks for spending some time here—and be in touch!
Recently, I had a chill. Last Sunday, I believe it was. I may have behaved a bit badly on Saturday and warranted it. But whether it was the inklings of an illness, or just a bit of a post-champagne grog, I’ll never know: the soup I made that day cleared all of my troubles [...]
If you get tired of turkey with stuffing, chutney and green beans (in a few days), give this a whirl. It makes the bird fresh again.
Tarragon Turkey Salad
1 lb turkey meat, shredded
3/4 c mayo
2 ribs of celery, chopped
1/2 c chopped tarragon
Sea salt and fresh pepper
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Place shredded turkey and mayo in a bowl and mix [...]
The best pecan pies come from south of the Mason Dixon line, and different states have their own style. I am really fond of the Texas version (especially the pie from Good Company), but I also have an affinity for Georgia pies. As a kid, I spent a lot of summers near Macon. We used [...]
I’m in St. Louis today, wishing I could stay here for three weeks. My mama-in-law is ready for Thanksgiving: there are lots of little china pilgrims and turkeys and American Indians sitting quietly together on windowsills and bookshelves. It’s almost enough to gloss over the bloody battles and trails of tears. I try not to [...]
I grew up in an old farm house, deep in the woods of Northern Connecticut. It was built in 1787 and hasn’t been modernized much since, except for the addition of electricity and plumbing in the 1950s. My father, who grew up in the house with his mom and brother, remembers getting his backside stuck [...]
I really miss local apples. I got spoiled as a kid—we grew up within walking distance of an apple farm, and in October came the McIntosh. First pulled from the low hanging branches of their little, scraggly trees; then dropped into baskets; then stuffed into pockets, into mouths. Some of them made it to the [...]
