Lisa Johnson, Author at Anali's Next Amendment

{You Pick Six} An Interview with Public Relations Consultant: Chris Lyons

July 30, 2020September 21, 2015 by Lisa Johnson 3 Comments

If you’ve enjoyed learning about the latest restaurants, recent grocery store openings, and generally all things food related in the New England area, Chris Lyons Communications might have been behind the news.

She is a public relations consultant and entrepreneur who knows how to get things done and spread the word. She gets us bloggers involved and sometimes feeds us too!

I always enjoy learning more about the local food scene from Chris, so let’s learn a little more about her for the fourth part of the interview series, You Pick Six.

* * *

What is a favorite simple recipe to prepare at home?
Make your favorite meatloaf recipe, but instead of just pushing it into a pan, flatten in into an oblong (on wax paper) and layer on whatever vegetables and cheese you have in the fridge. Last week I used whole leaf spinach, sauteed leeks and burrata. Using the wax paper, roll the meat into a thick cylinder, seal the edges, and bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Slices prettily and is good cold too.

What is a favorite dessert?
Anything made with cooked milk: dulce de leche, caramel, butterscotch.

What is a favorite snack?
I always crave sugar, never salt, and prefer things that are chewy. I love fruit leather, gummies and gumdrops, salt water taffy, DOTS.

What are some of your pet peeves in the kitchen?
I hate peeling things — apples, potatoes, cukes, etc.

What is a favorite cookbook?
Anything written by Cathy Walthers, a private chef and multi-cookbook author based on Martha’s Vineyard. Her “Raising the Salad Bar” is a minor classic.

Tell me about where you grew up.
I was born in Brooklyn and grew up mostly on Long Island, so the foods I feel most connected to emotionally are deli meats (I still adore olive loaf), full dill pickles, seeded rye bread, bagels, diner breakfasts and halvah. I’m the most Jewish WASP you’ll ever meet.

* * *

Thank you so much for participating Chris!

+ + +
Photos provided by Public Relations Consultant Chris Lyons.

Recently Read: Inside Alzheimer’s

July 30, 2020September 19, 2015 by Lisa Johnson 4 Comments

Some topics you hope to never need to know too much about. They are difficult and sad. Most of us are juggling very busy lives in the best of times.

But bad luck, accidents, political upheaval, war and disease can burst in without a warning and disrupt what order and peace we may have been able to achieve. So many bad things can happen that I still feel blessed and thankful to have led a relatively easy and comfortable life.

But this past winter, amid work chaos and struggling to get around in the snow, my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. It has been a very difficult adjustment for me and my family. We continue to adjust and adapt.

It’s a process and a journey. Definitely not one that any of us would have chosen or predicted. Especially since my brother, my only sibling, has developmental delay and other physical issues.

There is not a lot of solace with this illness. Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease. I’ve struggled to learn how to continue communicating with my Dad. I feel helpless and lost sometimes.

He is in very early stages and still knows who I am and is sometimes very much himself. Except for not really. We can’t talk quite the same way we used to and I have to be careful to try and not upset him.

I was looking for books to read and found Inside Alzheimer’s by Nancy Pearce. It is a beautifully written, inspiring and uplifting book. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for answers about dealing with a loved one who has dementia. The tagline of the book is How to Hear and Honor Connections with a Person who has Dementia. Below is an excerpt from her website.

There is a person inside Alzheimer’s and any of the other dementias—a person, just like the rest of us. The person, no matter how progressed the dementia, maintains the ability to feel the joy and satisfaction that comes from being in the rhythm of human connection with others. The disease does, however, diminish that person’s ability to reach out in familiar ways which poses challenges for those of us who want to stay connected.

For over 25 years, I interacted with persons who have dementia and paid attention—looking hard at each interaction for the ways in which she (or he) had been affected by me, by others, and by the world even as she progressed through the disease. Each person guided me during all of the connections and disconnections toward understanding that connection is not so much about knowing what to do or say as it is about learning the ways in which we can “be with” the person in her world so that we can allow her strengths to emerge. Being in the moment and engaging the person with dementia in her world offers constant surprises and gifts of wisdom, insight and compassion—each of us moves beyond isolation and hopelessness; each of us empowered to move forward, to grow.

When I started reading this book I thought I would feel even worse than I already did, but more informed. Instead, I felt uplifted and confident that there would still be some good times ahead. I really needed to believe this, because I didn’t know how to cope otherwise.

The author writes about interactions that she has had over the years working with Alzheimer’s patients. She showed a lot of humor and joy along with the difficulty. I so needed to hear this.

Since my father’s diagnosis, we still have many good times together. He still has his deep intelligence, sharp wit and love of good food. Sometimes I feel like he is even more open and loving towards me and my brother now than before. Like a barrier has come down.

The future scares me, so I try not to dwell on it and focus on the good that exists now. The present really is a gift.

{You Pick Six} An Interview with Writer + Cheese Maker: Korsha Wilson

September 5, 2020September 14, 2015 by Lisa Johnson 2 Comments

Have you ever met a cheese maker? Well, you’re about to! While, she is now a former cheese maker, it’s still quite a unique skill set to bring to the table, especially as a food writer.

Last summer while eating lunch at a Drive the District food blogger event, I met Korsha Wilson. I was fascinated to learn back then that she made cheese for a living and also writes about food.

Some of her older writings were at The Industry Press, where people in the Boston area restaurant industry shared their stories.

As a writer, her repertoire is constantly expanding. She’s written for Eater, New York Times Food, Civil Eats, Food & Wine and more. Follow her on Twitter to find her latest articles.

Let’s learn a little more about this prolific food writer, as Korsha answers six questions for the third part in the interview series, You Pick Six.

* * *

What is a favorite snack?
I’m obsessed with french fries. I get cravings for them on a very regular basis and am constantly seeking out restaurants and bars that make them well. A good french fry (crispy and salty with great potato flavor) is surprisingly hard to find.

What is a favorite food movie?
Eat Drink Man Woman is one of the most underrated food movies in my opinion. It really captures the the beauty of preparing a meal for loved ones. Ratatouille is one of my all-time favorite movies and I think it does the best job of illustrating food’s ability to create connection. Also, there’s a bad ass female chef as one of the central characters and she has the same name as my mom.

What do you think that most people don’t understand about food?
I think a lot of people in this country feel like their love of food isn’t valid if it isn’t ‘fine dining.’ The proliferation of food media has led to the general public having a lot more food knowledge but it has also led to people feeling like food has to include certain ingredients or be cooked a certain way to be ‘good’. The food world is made up of everything that everyone eats. Period. Food belongs to everyone and everyone has a valid palate. I meet a lot of people who are afraid to tell me what they like to eat or cook because they assume that since I went to culinary school and worked in restaurants that all of the food that I eat is high-end or expensive. If you’re using great ingredients and cooking with care, whatever you’re cooking is going to be delicious and it’s worthy of being talked about.

What is the best meal you ever had and where was it?
That’s tough. I believe that every restaurant experience or every meal you make at home is different depending on your mood and other factors. My most recent favorite meal was at a small restaurant in Genoa, Italy.

After a day of sightseeing, my boyfriend and I had a drink at a local bar and asked the bartender where to have a good dinner. Instead of just giving us his answer, he asked the rest of the bar patrons and the kitchen staff what they thought and they all agreed that we should go to Locanda Spinola, a new restaurant nearby. Long story short, it was amazing. Homemade pastas, simply prepared fresh seafood and local wine. The service was so hospitable and warm! My boyfriend and I stayed after our dinner (and after the restaurant closed) drinking beer with the staff and talking about restaurants in the U.S. and Italy. It was wonderful.

How did food become an important part of your life?
Food was always an important part of family gatherings. I’m lucky to have grown up with great cooks on both sides of my family and I learned early that food is a way to communicate love. That pushed me to go to culinary school and journalism school, work in restaurants and write about food for a living.

Tell me about what you’re working on now.
I am currently working on lots and lots of freelance writing. Haha. Ultimately, I would like to contribute to a more diverse food media landscape and explore different media projects. I’ll keep you posted on how that goes.

* * *

Thank you so much for participating Korsha!

+ + +
Photos provided by Korsha Wilson.

Quote of the Week: Yogi Birthday

July 30, 2020September 13, 2015 by Lisa Johnson

Dîner en Blanc: Boston

July 30, 2020September 12, 2015 by Lisa Johnson

Despite the rain and the big football game, this past Thursday evening, more than 1,500 people showed up for Boston’s annual Dîner en Blanc. I remember hearing about it a few years ago and being absolutely enchanted by the idea and the stunning photos.

However, I’ve never actually been to the event. I like the idea more in theory than in practice. You must dress up completely in white. I don’t have a suitable outfit for the occasion and would need to buy one to attend. It hasn’t been a priority purchase to happen.

Also, you need to be very spontaneous. The location of the dinner is a secret. You find out at the last minute and then quickly make your way there carrying all that you’ll need for your meal.

I like a bit more of a heads up. But that’s just me. Lots of people in Boston and all over the world have a great time at this event. Luckily I was given some great pictures to share with you. It does look like a good time.

Dîner en Blanc was started more than 27 years ago in Paris by François Pasquier with just a small group of friends. The Boston event took place at City Hall Plaza.

“Originally, we had planned for the dinner to be set up on the wide steps of the Plaza, with the band and DJ completely outside,” said Bryer Davis, co-host of Dîner en Blanc – Boston. “But as the weather worsened throughout the day, we knew we had to make a late call. Thanks to the incredibly helpful team at City Hall and our tireless volunteers, we moved last minute under the cover of the City Hall courtyard. It turned out to be the perfect spot for Dîner en Blanc and was better than we ever imagined!” The White Heat Swing Orchestra got the party started and welcomed guests as they arrived.

Then everyone started decorating their tables and setting up their elegant picnics, while enjoying wine and champagne. It looks like guests were quite creative with their table settings and enjoyed some very good food.
Dinner started with the traditional waving of the white napkin. Each guest received an LED sparkler, and the party twinkled with tiny lights as guests headed to the dance floor, where they danced to the musical stylings of DJ Nixx.

If you didn’t get to attend this year, there’s always next year. Just get your white outfit ready!