Baseball

“I wrote 63 songs this year. They’re all about Jeter.” Just kidding. The game we love, the players we hate, and more.

Culture and Criticism

From Norman Mailer to Wendy Pepper — everything on film, TV, books, music, and snacks (shut up, raisins), plus the Girls’ Bike Club.

Donors Choose and Contests

Helping public schools, winning prizes, sending a crazy lady in a tomato costume out in public.

Stories, True and Otherwise

Monologues, travelogues, fiction, and fart humor. And hens. Don’t forget the hens.

The Vine

The Tomato Nation advice column addresses your questions on etiquette, grammar, romance, and pet misbehavior. Ask The Readers about books or fashion today!

The Vine: December 2, 2003
December 2, 2003 · No Comment

Sars,
This is a genius idea.I’d like to ask Keckler a simple question: How do I
cook chicken breasts in the oven so that they aren’t too dry, or so pink that
my small intestine cramps just looking …

The Famous Ghost Monologues, No. 16: Noreen Anders LaSalle
December 1, 2003 · No Comment

When the living come for a visit, they don’t always talk. A lot of times, they stand there, at attention, and they stare at the headstone because they don’t know what else to look at, …

The Vine: November 26, 2003
November 26, 2003 · No Comment

Hi Stephanie:
I am asking really nicely if you can give me some help.It’s a very basic question, but one I feel sure others have as well.
I’ve heard the debate of red wine with beef, white …

The Vine: November 25, 2003
November 25, 2003 · No Comment

Dear Sars and Chef Stephanie,
First, Sars, love your site, Ghost Monologues, and The Vine.
My question for your Chef expert is this: I am considering making a
cheesecake for Thanksgiving this year.This is my first try at …

Wild Turkey
November 24, 2003 · 8 Comments

You like Thanksgiving done the same way your family did it as a kid — exactly the same way. You want dinner served at the exact same time you had it as a kid, with …

The Vine: November 21, 2003
November 21, 2003 · No Comment

Hello,
This isn’t so much about food itself but about etiquette about food.Do you professional food people enjoy receiving gifts of homemade food from non-professionals?I’m wondering about the success I’ll have giving a friend who bakes …

The Vine: November 20, 2003
November 20, 2003 · No Comment

Hello Expert!
Can you tell me why, oh why, my popovers do not pop? I’ve tried starting them in a cold oven, and a hot oven. I’ve tried heating up the pan first, I’ve tried using …

The Vine: November 19, 2003
November 19, 2003 · No Comment

I have a confession: I’m afraid of fish.I blame my parents and all the nasty processed fishsticks they tried to feed me when I was a kid.
I’m trying to eat healthier and I’ve read all …

The Vine: November 18, 2003
November 18, 2003 · No Comment

Dear Sars and Stephanie —
What a great idea!Thanks so much for this opportunity.
My question is about knives.What types and brands do you recommend
for the budget-conscious home chef? What do I really need in my kitchen?
Sincerely,
Chopping …

The Famous Ghost Monologues, No. 15: Corporal Josiah Hibbin Prager and Captain Chimney Rock Patterson
November 17, 2003 · No Comment

Prager: I thought surely I’d bear a mark.
Patterson: As big as a plate, that hole.
Prager: As big as a plate. The boy just kept shooting.
Patterson: We’d frightened him.
Prager: I suppose. Flushed him out.
Patterson: Took half …