The New Year

Well. 2008 has been an experience.  Work was pretty good until the economic disaster struck. And it hit all of us food writers where we live and eat. Or eat and live. Will we have enough work next year so that we can eat and live? That is the question. Cook book publishers are buying nothing new and do not want calls, manuscripts or anything do do with us food writers.  Thank God for magazines and the newspapers that remain. I will be teaching a great deal more this year.   I guess I should not be too bummed as I do have some projects booked for 2009. I look forward to my work at the CIA in Napa and my restaurant consulting .  My Tapas book will be out in the Spring. But as a workaholic and someone who needs to be occupied with a great project all the time, I am hoping that the opportunity will arise and I will have a new book contract in the coming year.  And a new agent too.

Meanwhile I want to wish you all a Happy Healthy New Year. May you recover some of your retirement account and keep busy . We wish Barack well and hope he can make the changes we need.  It is time to stay home and eat the fruits of your labor. Shop wisely and enjoy your time in the kitchen. Here is to the light at the end of the Bush tunnel.