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Stirring the Pot: Dump Trucks and Donabes

Her grandson’s fascination with dump trucks has helped Ruthie Cohen to up her game in the kitchen. Now she considers “other methods and materials for cooking.” Led by “a little child with his toy bulldozer in hand,” she explores how a Japanese donabe and a Tunisian tagine can enrich your kitchen creations. Click here to read the full story.

Behind the Curtain: The Ways the Stage Teaches

Just as theater teaches us about ourselves and about the world we live in, local youth theater programs help students (of all ages) learn literacy, creativity, self-determination, critical-thinking skills, and empathy, writes Jennifer Pacenza. In her latest column for Limestone Post, she looks at how theater does much more than just entertain. Click here to read the full story.

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Behind the Curtain: Friends Play Female ‘Odd Couple’ in New MCCT Production

Longtime friends Sarah Mae Ruggles and Emily Bedwell have acted in the Monroe County Civic Theater for years, and now they play opposites in Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple (Female Version). Jen Pacenza looks Behind the Curtain at Olive and Florence in this hilarious performance playing at The Waldron this weekend. Click here to read the full story.

Stirring the Pot: Guiltless and Often Tastier Shortcuts

Sometimes, taking a shortcut will reveal something new and wonderful; sometimes it just gets the job done faster. In the kitchen, as Ruthie Cohen has discovered several times, something as simple as a jar of salsa could be your eureka moment. Click here to read the full story.

Stirring the Pot: Ode to an Auntie — The Blintz and the Brat

In this edition of Stirring the Pot, Ruthie Cohen recalls her childhood when great-aunt Lilly, “a contemporary of George Washington,” would visit from Florida. Although Aunt Lilly spoke in fractured English with a Yiddish accent, when she stepped in the kitchen she spoke through her cooking — eloquently and with love. Click here to read the full story.

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Destination Small Town: Vevay, a Small Town with Big Wine

Older than the state itself, Vevay, Indiana, was home of the first successful commercial winery in the United States. The town is also built for tourists — in the best possible way. Its 1,600 residents put on 16 festivals annually. Their flagship event, the Swiss Wine Festival, is August 25-28. Besides, how many towns have a song named after them? Click here to read the full story.

Stirring the Pot: Playing Favorites

Before every visit from her children, Ruthie Cohen receives “The Rider,” which contains all the dishes they want her to prepare during their stay. She joyfully complies with their requests — sometimes including a new dish or two — with dessert as the meal's finale. Click here to read the full story.

Stirring the Pot: Consider the Zucchini

Ruthie Cohen tells us to look at the familiar, the routine, the same old road, with a sense of wonder. “The surprise of rediscovery can be sweet and surprising,” she says. Consider the zucchini. Usually overlooked as a secondary ingredient or a side dish, this commonplace veggie has the makings of a star. Click here to read the full story.

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Stirring the Pot: Spring — Such Bounty, Such Joy

Spring brings such a fresh bounty of veggies and greens, the recipes are bound only by your mood and temperament, says Ruthie Cohen. “In food, in fashion, in life, we are always making choices, assembling, reassembling, collecting, discarding.” Making the everyday unique, making the timeless your own, she says, creates loveliness in the world. Click here to read the full story.

Destination Small Town: Old World Germany in Oldenburg

In our newest series, Destination Small Town, adventure-travel writer Michael Waterford explores intriguing places in Indiana. His first trip is to "ludicrously pleasant” Oldenburg. With Germanic heritage, a historic convent, and two restaurants on the Southeastern Indiana Chicken Tour (yes, it's a real thing), Oldenburg is a fantastic weekend getaway. Click here to read the full story.

Stirring the Pot: A Bowl of (Dried) Cherries

Being a friend is a privilege, says Ruthie Cohen. With some friends, talking about cooking and cherries can lead to talk of restaurants, yoga poses, children, grandchildren, and former husbands. For her, friendship is a hallowed institution — a lifeline in stormy seas and a place where we can be our best selves. Click here to read the full story.

Stirring the Pot: A Trio of Treats

Ruthie Cohen says volunteering at Habitat for Humanity is both humbling and empowering. But her biggest contribution isn’t hanging doors or framing sheds — although she has learned such skills (more or less). Rather, the skill she brings to the worksite has helped her find a home among her fellow volunteers. Click here to read the full story.