I like to eat. No, scratch that. I love to eat. Most of the time, food that is really good for me, once in a while treats that are probably not so good for me but undeniably delicious. Just look at those beauties from Britts Donut Shop in Carolina Beach. Two donuts once every two years are not going to kill me or my waistline. They make those babies from scratch while you watch. Cash only. Each donut $1, including tax. Sister Moo, Favorite Niece and I decided to sit at the counter and eat ours this year (so we could watch them being made– all that lovely sugar coating dripping after they come out of the hot oil). Mercy me.

I have become quite picky, though, in my use of ingredients when I cook at home. No more cake mixes, very little in the way of prepackaged food. Bisquick is no longer found in my cupboard nor is Crisco. King Arthur’s all-purpose flour, aluminum-free baking powder, butter and whole-fat milk, cream or buttermilk are used to make my biscuits. Cooking for others is a labor of love. Eating really good food is one of life’s great pleasures, in my humble opinion. Homemade mac and cheese, pound cake, beef stew, vegetable soup, cornbread, rice and tuna salad… my favorite recipes tend to be rather eclectic. A mix of Appalachia, the South, and France. I have a ridiculous number of cook books. The only magazines I subscribe to are Our State and Cooks Illustrated. They test all of their recipes several times so I don’t have to! (I am also admittedly a bit lazy.) I don’t watch cooking shows on TV. I do sometimes watch a French series Qui sera le prochain grand pâtissier? I have a thing for pastry chefs, I guess… especially French ones. What can I say?

Pierre Hermé is my favorite (if you read this blog, you already know that!)–

His macarons are divine. Seriously, he will be the macaron-maker for angels someday. Not any time soon, I hope, though. In January, I had a chocolate-foie gras one (why didn’t I buy at least a half dozen??) that was one of the best things I have ever eaten. I may not watch cooking TV shows, but I do watch chef movies. Pierre is one of the judges in Kings of Pastry. (My 7th graders LOVE this film!)

A second favorite is Christophe Adam, king of éclairs, in my heart.

In March, I sampled his lovely framboise and vanilla cream éclair while at Galeries Lafayette. Miam.

While at Carolina Beach last week, Sister Moo, Favorite Niece and I went on a mission. To find the best crab dip. Niece loves crab and, well, I love eating. We tried it at four different restaurants. Each was quite different, served on different types of bread.

#1 Michael’s Seafood– good, Dijon-mustard taste served with soft pita bread (the best thing on their menu is the Seafood Chowder)

#2 Sea Witch- nice melty cheese on top, served with buttery toasted pita (my favorite)

#3 Havana’s- least favorite bread- fried pita?- dip with a strong mayo taste

#4 The Deck House- good dip, served with garlic toast- not bad, dip baked with bread crumbs on top (I prefer the cheese), bit of a spicy after taste which I liked

I am now at Sunset Beach with the Ex-Ex. We tried the dip at Crabby Oddwaters night before last. Served in a bread bowl, with toasted baguette slices on the side. It is good- the crab taste comes through on this one.

So there you have it. I have no crab dip recipes. Maybe I will try one when the crowd arrives in a couple of days. Bill’s Seafood is just across the bridge and I will be going there to buy shrimp for Frogmore Stew (thanks Uncle Beano and BFF) and Shrimp and Grits (boy, looking at the posts and various renditions of this recipe brought back some memories!) later this week. Anyone have a crab dip recipe to share??

Bon appétit! I hope that you have something delicious to eat today with someone you love. Feed people good food. It is a sure fire way to show them that you love them. Everyone on this earth should have access to good, healthy food. If I were in charge of the world…