If you aren’t looking to go out this year for Valentine’s Day, consider having your own sweet and romantic Valentine’s Day celebration in the comforts of your home. You can go all out or keep things relaxed and low key—it’s up to you to decide what kind of date suits you and your love as a couple. You can craft a memorable Valentine’s evening at hom... »
Driving around the Lehigh Valley, you’ve doubtlessly noticed a handful of towns with names straight out of the Bible: Egypt, Nazareth, Emmaus, and (Mount) Bethel, for example. But perhaps the best known is the little town of Bethlehem, also known as “Christmas City USA.” It was founded on Christmas Eve 1741, when David Nitschmann and Count Nicolaus Zinzendorf established a... »
I grow lots of garlic. A fetish with growing different varieties in my garden – more than 600 exist from around the world – grew into a vocation as a part-time farmer, with around 40,000 cloves planted at the peak of that experiment. Garlic is planted in the fall for harvesting in mid-summer. So, by the time the holidays rolled around, I had next year’s crop in the ground ... »
Do you have a home office? Most households do, and it’s even more prevalent now, with many more people working remotely either full- or part-time. The ‘office’ can be as instant as wherever you sit down if you use a laptop computer, as your lap travels with you wherever you go! It can also be space that’s shared with others (e.g. kitchen counter, dining table), a specifi... »
The Feast of Seven Fishes has historical and religious origins that trace back to southern Italy. Many Roman Catholics traditionally avoid red meat on Christmas Eve, some avoiding food altogether and breaking their fast only after midnight mass. As the name implies, the Italian meal consists of (at least) seven seafood dishes, although some families go overboard (pardon th... »
Vintage Recipe Quest With the Wayback Machine set for 1993, we’re on a mission to recover a fondly remembered – and oddly named – recipe from yesteryear. The warm and soothing soup first appeared on the menu at the original iteration of The Shanty, when it occupied a notable historic hotel in Trexlertown. Tracking down the chef at that time, Mark Prostko – currently servin... »
Do you check your email before you’ve gotten out of bed? Do you have a Pavlovian response when your phone bings, buzzes or beeps? Have you interrupted a conversation, an intimate moment or a family meal with real live people because there’s a new post on Instagram? If you’ve answered “yes” to even one of these questions, you’re a good candidate for what is referred to as a... »
PHOTOS BY KONNOR DURANTE Christmas was always the most wonderful time of the year on the Koziar family farm in Jefferson Township, Berks County. “It was amazing, even to us,” says Sonia Koziar, co-owner of the world-famous Koziar’s Christmas Village near Bernville and one of four siblings who grew up on the farm, witnessing its transformation from a year-round agricultural... »
Scotch is a type of whisky produced in Scotland, typically from malt grains. (Bourbon, another type of whiskey, is mainly made from corn mash and produced in the United States.) The term “whisky” itself is an English version of the Scottish Gaelic “uisge beatha”—literally “water of life.” While there are many types of whiskys, Scotch and bourbon are the most popular. To b... »
Although a year-round menu staple since day one of Sette Luna’s opening in 2006, the siren song of this classic Italian zuppe crescendoes in chilly weather. Chef/owner Josh Palmer reports making up to 5 gallons a week to satisfy fans. After being introduced to the hearty and herbaceous soup at a Lake Placid ski resort one frigid January—prior to becoming a restaurateur—Pal... »
