Tag: learned

What I wish I’d known before I had to learn it.

Never allow what you cannot do to control what you can do.”
— Rabbi Avi Weiss

Blades Runner

THIS IS THE TALE OF a third-degree separation from two of the most prestigious knifemakers in Europe. In addition to regular sharpening and honing, home cooks are supposed to have their knives professionally sharpened once yearly. Thus, one recent Friday,…

Bonite a la Maison A.

ALBACORE GETS ALL THE PRESS when it comes to canned tuna, but skipjack is the preference ’round here due to its richer flavor. (Think of it as a “white meat / dark meat” thing.) And the preference for preparing an…

Birds of a Feather

THE SMALL BOY AT SONOMA Plaza came running up to the ducks. Great, I snarled to myself. Just what we need — another damn kid chasing the local waterfowl. Why can’t they leave the birds in peace? As I considered…

Teachable Moment

WHILE HITCHHIKING BETWEEN PLACERVILLE AND South Lake Tahoe in 1985, my ride — who had just unsuccessfully offered a friendly beer — taught me a valuable lesson on which I still reflect constantly: “When you’re on the road, and someone…

Be not ashamed to learn truth from any source.”
— Rabbi Shlomo ibn Gabirol (1021-1058)

IF YOU CAN’T EXPLAIN IT simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
— Albert Einstein