About Me

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My friends call me the "grammar goddess." Really. ;-) I own a freelance writing, editing and tutoring business. Previously, I served three years as food editor for The Morning Sun in Mt. Pleasant, which kindled my interest in food writing. My other areas of expertise in writing include features, community news, architecture/construction and engraving/personalization. I have a frightening number of cookbooks and watch too many DIY, HGTV, Food Network, Cooking Channel and Antiques Roadshow (BBC and PBS versions) shows. And I tweak nearly every recipe I make.

Saturday, August 22, 2015

The burning question: waffles or pancakes?


I just read an interesting post on Washington Post's Wonkblog, shared via Facebook by Real Simple

Here's the premise: Waffle House is heavily preferred in the South, though it's been slowly creeping north. You won't find one in Michigan though, and where you don't find it may be affected by franchising laws. IHOP rules here, supposedly. 
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But apparently that's mostly in three major areas: southeast Michigan's tricounty area as  well as the Lansing and Grand Rapids areas. 

The rest are probably scattered in decent-sized population pockets (I do know there's one in Saginaw and another in Mt. Pleasant, for example. Both have colleges in town or nearby, though, so that may account for IHOP's presence.) 


My father likes both, but he did live in southern Ohio for a while. I usually prefer pancakes, but as a kid, loved the Belgian waffles Big Boy served with strawberries and whipped cream.

So do you follow the trend that's implied in the article and prefer pancakes? Or do you like waffles better? Please leave a message in the comments!

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

The next new, gluten-free flour is ... coffee flour

Yes, I've been missing in action again.

It was nothing less than an article about coffee flour on Mind Body Green and a second article from Discover Magazine indicating when it would be available to the general public that led me to write a new post.

Coffee flour, hmm? How is it no one came up with this long ago?

It is:
1. Gluten-free
2. Sustainable (after the seeds are extracted, the flour is made from the remaining fruit, which previously went to waste)
3. A source of additional income for coffee growers

According to the CoffeeFlour® website, it is high in fiber (five times that of whole wheat flour). It also has:
  • 84 percent less fat than coconut flour
  • Three times the protein of kale (per gram)
  • Higher amounts of iron than any grain/cereal in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) database
Note: The caffeine content varies by the variety, concentration and recipe details. (More coffee flour = more caffeine, presumably.)

Coffee flour should be available in stores next year, according to these sources.