Critiques, Cravings and Conundrums From the Madison Food and Dining Scene
Small DishesOctober 2012
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10/28/12Bourbon: Big & Bold!Besides food, genealogy is probably my biggest passion. My roots are deep in Kentucky, and not surprisingly, steeped in bourbon. Both sides of my family settled in Kentucky before it became a state and include more than a few whiskey makers (both legal and otherwise) and a lot of whiskey drinkers. That said, until recently I was not a bourbon fan, more inclined to favor gin and vodka as my tipple of choice. It wasn’t that I didn’t like its taste, it was just so …so overbearing. I learned firsthand how bourbon was made in high school when I toured the now defunct Glenmore Distillery in Owensboro, Kentucky. It all begins with the mash—mostly corn, but with wheat and sometime rye added as well—rye produces a heartier,... |
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10/14/12Pumpkin EaterFor many years, I was unequivocally convinced that there was but one worthwhile use for a pumpkin: a jack-o’-lantern. From my culinary point of view, it was nothing more than a big squash and bigger wasn’t better. The only squash I liked were the summer varieties, green zucchinis and yellow crooknecks, the smaller the better. The problem with all the fall varieties was they lived up to their name, being mushy and bland. Back then, I wouldn’t even touch pumpkin pie. I’d been forced to eat one-too-many Thanksgiving dinners where the most popular dessert for everyone else was forced on me. My mother use to bake the life out of it—she had a propensity for making sure everything was done—yet, mysteriously her... |
I found my interest in writing by accident. My training and first job was as a graphic designer. Unemployed, the only employment I could find in advertising at that time was as a copywriter. Somehow, I convinced Richard Newman & Associates to hire me. Later I learned they were desperate. Madison has been my home off and on since 1957 (nonstop for the past 31 years). I write about food, which I love. – Dan Curd
