I’m willing to argue that “Scream” is the greatest slasher movie franchise of all time. Not only is the 1996 original a meta-horror classic, but prior to “Scream VI,” three of the five movies in the series were halfway decent. Can any other slasher property with at least five installments boast that kind of ratio […]

I have written this column for almost 20 years. This amounts to more than a thousand columns. Or if you prefer word count, more than half a million words. I have each column saved as a separate file on my computer. But I also have one massive file with all the columns in it. Each […]

Miso Roasted Radishes Roasting radishes mellows out their flavor in such an unexpected way! Good-for-your gut miso and apple cider vinegar coat the colorful and peppery radishes before they hit the heat of the oven. The shallots soften and caramelize beautifully for a melt-in-your-mouth contrast to the crunchy radishes. Serve along side roasted chicken or […]

What if you walked from the Oxford Hills to Boston? Hiking eight hours a day, you could make it in a week. But what if instead of striding along at a hardy pace, you did Tibetan Buddhist prostrations the entire way? You raise your hands like a tepee and set them on your head, bring […]

As popular as it is to complain about Hollywood’s lazy reliance on reboots, re-imaginings, spinoffs, and legacy sequels to older properties, all evidence suggests that “Rocky” continuation “Creed” has worked out for the best. I’m not just talking about the first “Creed” from 2015, but the entire “Creed” sub-franchise, including the first sequel from 2018, […]

Sheet pan chicken with apples I love making my whole dinner on one sheet pan. Line it with parchment and you have a delicious dinner with super easy cleanup. Ingredients: Yield: 4 to 6 servings 2 teaspoons fennel seeds 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 3 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt and black pepper 1 […]

A lot of the reviews I’ve seen for “Cocaine Bear” contain some variation on the line, “This movie delivers exactly what it promises.” I’m going to say that’s not entirely true. To be sure, there is a bear high on cocaine in this movie. Nobody is going to say that this movie delivers less than […]

Skillet Meat and Potatoes If you could combine shepherd’s pie and a potato gratin, you would have this dish! Great on a cold winter’s night. Ingredients: Yield: 4 to 6 servings 4 garlic cloves 1 cup heavy cream 2 thyme branches 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage 1 tablespoon olive oil, more as needed 1 […]

It was a winter campout. There was a scoutmaster, three dads, and three sons. We hiked into a snowy area and set up our camp. After a full day of winter-camping activities, we retired to our tents. Around midnight, it began to rain. Our tents, it turned out, were leaky, and soon all of us […]