Renee Davidson

Get Lucky in 2009

Each year on New Year's Day, no matter how hung over I am, I host a brunch. Continuing a long family tradition, I serve black-eyed

• By Renee Davidson
Each year on New Year's Day, no matter how hung over I am, I host a brunch. Continuing a long family tradition, I serve black-eyed peas, collard greens and pork chops. In my family, these foods are considered lucky when you eat them to start off the year. The greens represent dollar bills, and the black-eyed peas symbolize coins. The pork is supposed to be for health, but I've always found that claim rather dubious. There are other stories explaining why Southerners eat black-eyed peas, greens and pork on New Year's Day. One scenario blames it on the "War Between the States," during which Union soldiers regularly burned crops and raided Southern kitchens. Black-eyed peas were considered livestock feed, so the soldiers ignored fields of them. When they were finished taking or destroying everything they considered edible, Southerners made do with the rejects, which meant black-eyed peas, greens and hog jowls. So, for some Southern families, these foods are served in remembrance of their Confederate ancestors.

Get Lucky in 2009

Each year on New Year's Day, no matter how hung over I am, I host a brunch. Continuing a long family tradition, I serve black-eyed

• By Renee Davidson
Each year on New Year's Day, no matter how hung over I am, I host a brunch. Continuing a long family tradition, I serve black-eyed peas, collard greens and pork chops. In my family, these foods are considered lucky when you eat them to start off the year. The greens represent dollar bills, and the black-eyed peas symbolize coins. The pork is supposed to be for health, but I've always found that claim rather dubious. There are other stories explaining why Southerners eat black-eyed peas, greens and pork on New Year's Day. One scenario blames it on the "War Between the States," during which Union soldiers regularly burned crops and raided Southern kitchens. Black-eyed peas were considered livestock feed, so the soldiers ignored fields of them. When they were finished taking or destroying everything they considered edible, Southerners made do with the rejects, which meant black-eyed peas, greens and hog jowls. So, for some Southern families, these foods are served in remembrance of their Confederate ancestors.

Getting in Touch With My Inner Geek at Gallifrey: A weekend with my fellow Doctor Who fanatics

• By Renee Davidson
A deadly Dalek threatens to EX-TER-MI-NATE other convention-goers. Why aren't they scared?Question: What's geekier than a Star Trek convention? Answer: The 19th annual Doctor Who convention, held a few weeks ago in Southern California. So what was I doing there with more than 1,000 sci-fi geeks at the LAX Marriott hotel? I was looking for a story, but I was also fulfilling a childhood fantasy. I discovered Doctor Who in the late 1970s during the "dark ages" before cable TV. As a latchkey kid, I watched the super campy series after school on PBS. I loved everything about it: the psychedelic intro, the British humor, the tin-foil aliens. It was like tripping on acid at the tender age of 10. The campy, sci-fi series first hit British airwaves in 1963, running for two and a half decades before being cancelled abruptly in 1989.

Gourmet Ski Food

A Clif Bar and a Camelbak might be all you need to survive a Nordic ski trip to a local shelter, but why stop there?

• By Renee Davidson
A Clif Bar and a Camelbak might be all you need to survive a Nordic ski trip to a local shelter, but why stop there? As long as you're carrying a pack, you might as well fill it with something delicious to beat the bonk. Since local ski shelters have woodstoves, creating a gourmet feast in the forest is actually quite simple. Start a fire: The ski shelters are stocked with split firewood, but you still need kindling. Before you leave the house, wrap a small bundle of sticks in a section of newspaper. (I'd be honored if you used this page, in fact.) Take along a thermos: Or two, if you've got 'em. Fill the first Thermos with homemade hot cocoa, or pick up a chocolate & peanut butter latte (my favorite) on the way up the hill.

Gourmet Ski Food

A Clif Bar and a Camelbak might be all you need to survive a Nordic ski trip to a local shelter, but why stop there?

• By Renee Davidson
A Clif Bar and a Camelbak might be all you need to survive a Nordic ski trip to a local shelter, but why stop there? As long as you're carrying a pack, you might as well fill it with something delicious to beat the bonk. Since local ski shelters have woodstoves, creating a gourmet feast in the forest is actually quite simple. Start a fire: The ski shelters are stocked with split firewood, but you still need kindling. Before you leave the house, wrap a small bundle of sticks in a section of newspaper. (I'd be honored if you used this page, in fact.) Take along a thermos: Or two, if you've got 'em. Fill the first Thermos with homemade hot cocoa, or pick up a chocolate & peanut butter latte (my favorite) on the way up the hill.