Feature Articles
Welcome to our Table of Contents!
Articles are divided into categories below. Each has a brief introduction.
Read and enjoy! Remember to share posts across your favorite social media platforms! And absolutely leave a comment for each article! That’s to say: we have questions; you have answers; so, share with the class!
Some Basics
Here’s your primer and roadmap to this site. Included are an overview of the article categories. Also find our terms of service. By continuing on this site and its links, you’re agreeing that you’ve read it, get it, and are okay with it. Keep coming back to these posts to stay on top of our ongoing changes.
Finding your way around a new neighborhood can sometimes be confusing. Even more so when new developments keep popping up regularly. Voilà! Your roadmap! Your primer! Get an in-depth tour of the categories themselves along with tour-guide suggestions for ports of call.
In the spirit of full disclosure, consider this the Terms of Service (What Have I Gotten Myself Into?) message with less legalese and allegedly more panache. That’s right—panache!
Food for Thought
Like your favorite deli counter or bakery, here are free samples from the Ian Makay’s Food for Thought series. In addition to whetting your appetite for the books, new tidbits beyond the books’ themselves give you some extra flavor to savor.
A Martini, Shaken, Not Stirred
A Bond-ing experience that looks at the famous fictional master spy and his drink(s) of choice. Also, drink in a brief overview of the venerable classic itself, the martini.
“All eating is an act of trust; when you eat fugu, it’s just that the stakes are higher.” Slice up some sushi and give the story of this little fish some food for thought.
This Recipe Box entry features a pocket-friendly version of liquid lunch created by one of America’s favorite comics. Oh … You might this twice before packing this in your pocket.
Paula Deen, Barbara Walters, Anthony Bourdain, and Miss Piggy walk into a metaphorical bar. Here’s what that looks like as Deen shares her views on dieting and gets into some hot water.
Steak really is Michael Symon’s favorite vegetable! But that doesn’t define Chef Symon. A health-conscious carnivore, he’s also created a program for those with autoimmune diseases, like him. In addition, he’s also a hunger hero whose nonprofit foundation gives back to the community.
Foodstuffs
“Foodstuff” refers to anything edible that made it to your mouth and the tools that helped get it there. That covers a lot of ground! And so will we! Foodstuffs is the place for fun facts from the culinary world along with recipes, edibles, cooking techniques, ingredients, and products.
We need to start taking the “die” out of diet and the “loss” out of weight loss. Mention the word “diet” today and people typically think about a magic bullet or quick fix to slenderize when it should be about creating a healthier lifestyle.
Easter and those springtime holidays have passed, and we’ve got a problem, Houston. … The hard-boiled truth is we’ve got too many eggs! Some observations and solutions that are eggs-actly what we need!
Quotes, Quips, & Miscellany
My passion for quotes, quips, history, trivia, and the like, extends far beyond the boundaries of the culinary world. So does my endless curiosity with … well … curiosities. Here are articles (food-adjacent and otherwise) not contained in the Food for Thought series itself … for now.
Egg art is a spring thing! And it’s not just about Easter! While there’s controversy over which came first—the chicken or the egg—there’s no doubt the egg preceded its adornment. Moreover, it’s far from the kid stuff many associate with it today.
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. …. The man who never reads lives only one.” From dancing with dragons to giving gamers a fantasy adventure, George Martin’s work extends far beyond Game of Thrones. Dubbed “the American Tolkien”, as a writer and more, he also has lived a thousand lives.
The origins of celebrations, holidays, and their culinary connections were at the heart of my published work “back in the day”. Here, then, a Halloween, Samhain, Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead), All Saints’, All Souls’ Days treat I wrote for Saveur.
Ask Mak
Not a public therapy session or tell-all, these are the answers to those questions people often ask me about me. Given the whole “reference writer” thing, posts here also examine the nuances of deciphering facts from not facts in a lighthearted way. Feel free to send your own queries or observations on the Contact page.
Why My Fascination With Quotes?
Like peanuts, potato chips, or popcorn, sometimes you just can’t get enough of them! Quotes and I have that sort of relationship. Here’s the story behind that and the answer to that question.
When there’s a few decades between books it’s only natural that people are curious about the reason. The very short answer—Stuff happened! A somewhat more satisfying summary starts right here.
Before technology brought information into our homes and phones, there were libraries—My happy place for many years! Where else would a reference writer want to be? Yet, what passes for “the facts” these days definitely leaves something to be desired.
Pass the Plate
Society needs you! Giving back has been a mantra of mine for as long as I can remember. But no one of us can do it alone. Here are some ways and places where you can make a difference!
Norman Rockwell images of family and community intertwine for me every year from October thirty-first through January first. In this season of giving, here’s just a thought on passing the plate.
