Author: Katharine Rose

Peace, Love and War

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Leo Tolstoy War and PeaceAs part of our celebration of “all things Russia” for Valentine’s Day, be sure to read our post in Rose’s Ridge, “From Russia With Love,” and try our recipes of Russian dishes from Around The Table. Also learn some interesting facts and view beautiful pictures here.

“What makes the 19th century Russian writers so distinctive” writes Francine Prose in New York Times’ ‘Bookends’ from November 25, 2014, “is the force, the directness, the honesty and accuracy with which they depicted the most essential aspects of human experience – childbirth, childhood, death, first love, marriage, happiness, loneliness, betrayal, poverty, wealth, war and peace…”

Born to a prominent family in the Russian nobility, Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) was regarded as a “virtually untouchable genius” whose two great works, War and Peace (1865-1869) and Anna Karenina (1875-1877) “combine unprecedented depth of characterization and keenness of observation with a profound interest in the philosophical underpinnings of everyday life.”* Read more

From Russia With Love

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Leo Tolstoy Russia“Love,” Leo Tolstoy once said, “is life.” And love, like life, is multifaceted – it can be both beautiful and tragic in its complexity and mysteriousness.

As we approach this Valentine’s Day, with New England buried in Siberia-like snow, we can’t help but turn to Russia – a country whose complexity and mystery is just as vast and profound as the intricacy of love.

Winston Churchill, in a 1939 radio address, described it best when he said: “I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma…”

And Fyodor Tyutcheve (1803-1873), one of Russia’s greatest 19th century poets, said: “Russia cannot be understood with the mind alone…” Read more

Snuggle Up With “Red Sparrow”

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Red Sparrow ReviewPlease note: ATG is “traveling” this week along “Rose’s Ridge” in another “realm” – we’ll be back at the “table” next week!

Until then: With all of the winter storms snuggle up with a good Russian Spy Novel: Red Sparrow – a 2013 classic spy thriller by Jason Matthew, a veteran CIA officer with  over 30 years as an officer of the CIA’s former Operations Directorate  now known as the National Clandestine Service. It will transport you into the James Bond-esque world of secret operations and clandestine meetings in far-flung exotic places. And as an extra the author provides authentic Russian recipes, such as chicken Kiev and Schchi (Russian Cabbage Soup), that tantalize your culinary Russian imagination.

Skiing at Sugarbush

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Please note: ATG is “traveling” this week along “Rose’s Ridge” in another “realm” – we’ll be back at the “table” next week!

Until then: Visit Sugarbush in Warren, Vermont for a day of skiing! Ski down the mountain to a Parisian Bistro, “Chez Henri“, for a hearty french-inspired  lunch. Opened for 50 years since 1964, Henri is still serving “a slice of Paris in the Green Mountains.”

Sugarbush, Vermont
Photo taken by Madeline Huemme
Sugarbush, Vermont
Photo taken by Madeline Huemme
Sugarbush, Vermont
Photo taken by Madeline Huemme

Colosseums to Stadiums

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Colosseum Rome ItalyWhile these American gladiators are getting ready to faceoff in a much anticipated – but unusually “deflated” – Super Bowl XLIX, we’re taking a moment to journey over to Rome, Italy where the world’s first gladiators took the “field” nearly two thousands years ago in the Roman Colosseum.

Built in A.D. 70-72, the Colosseum was a gift to the Roman people from Emperor Vespasian, who decreed the construction of a “new amphitheater where the public could enjoy gladiatorial combats and other forms of entertainment.” Read more

Super Dishes for the Super Bowl

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superbowl appetizer ideas

Try our “Super” dishes for the Super Bowl, including recipes for corn dip, homemade chicken tenders, and “super” chili for hot dogs, chile, cheese and fries!

Nearly 13 years ago, on February 3, 2002, the New England Patriots and St. Louis Rams took the field at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans for Super Bowl XXXVI.

It was nearly 5 months after the September 11th attacks and, after a powerful rendition of the National Anthem from Mariah Carey and coin toss by George Bush and Roger Staubach, Tom Brady led the Patriots to a 20-17 victory that, in many ways, symbolized America’s resilience, strength and determination. Read more

American Gladiators

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Deflategate New England Patriots “In addition to the hopes and dreams of his team, the quarterback carries the flag for entire cities, regions, and metaphorically, ways of life,” writes Kofi Bofah in his article from Wall St. Cheat Sheet, “The 10 Greatest NFL Quarterbacks of All Time” (December 2014). He continues:

“The pressure is unreal, considering the fact that sports-obsessed Americans look to the gridiron gladiator strength, controlled violence, and an escape from the routine fare of the daily grind. The quarterback is viewed as the one member of the entourage that combines leadership, intelligence, and strategic thought alongside brute force to control games and emerge victorious…

“…Sports fans, of course, recognize that the greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time emerge as icons that define cities, dynasties, and eras…indeed, the term “Quarterback” entices the imagination to personify ‘all that is right’ with America.”

It is in the spirit of excitement and anticipation of Super Bowl XLIX that we put forth ATG’s top quarterback picks from the past, followed by our favorite quotes of theirs: Read more

Meanwhile, Over On This Court

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Deflategate New England PatriotsIn the midst of every winter, I eagerly anticipate the excitement and hype that comes from two major sporting events. One, perhaps not surprisingly, is the Super Bowl – in all its splendid, commercialized and global glory – and the other, perhaps less celebrated by the general public, is the Australian Open Tennis Championship – one of the four major Grand Slams that takes place each year in the middle of January.

In the past week, however, the excitement of the Super Bowl has been quickly “deflated” with talk of the Patriot’s latest “cheating” scandal involving their handling of a “deflated” football allegedly used to help them secure their victory over the Indianapolis Colts at the AFC Championship game. Read more