Créme Brulee is a classic French dessert made from cream and egg yolks with a brittle caramelized sugar topping. The textual contrast of smooth, warm, creamy custard lying just beneath a fragile glassy sugar coating is culinary perfection for the senses.

Fermented Follies

Inspired by the book title, “He Said Beer, She Said Wine,” (DK Publishing 2008) and bored with the dark, cold days of winter, I set out to learn if “she” really says wine and “he” really says beer.

Habits to improve your health and honor the tenth anniversary of the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women campaign.

1. Dance! Dance! Dance! Aerobic exercise is good for the heart, it keeps you at a healthy weight, reduces plaque buildup in the arteries and lowers your blood pressure. No one is looking, so have some fun! If you don’t like dancing, walk your dog (or your neighbor’s), park further away when running errands and take the stairs instead of the elevator.

From the minute our first baby tooth erupts, we begin a relationship with dentistry that lasts a lifetime. But when do we take our children for the first time? What treatments will we need as we age? What can I do to get back the radiant smile of my 20's?

All shall be answered in this handy-dandy guide to caring for little teeth, big teeth and even moving teeth.

It’s confession time. For years, I’ve fantasized about having my own advice column. What a thrill it would be to receive angst-filled letters from loyal readers and then wave a magic wand of wisdom over their predicaments.

It’s not that I think I have magical wisdom. If true, my own life would be considerably less messy! But I do believe in the power of words, especially when they are from complete strangers. I could be that stranger!

I’d need a catchy pen name to establish credibility. “Dear Amy” is sort of dull and already taken. It’s also hardly anonymous. With a pseudonym, my personality could be the sweet grandma next door with timeless teachings. Or the witty girlfriend down the street with hilarious one-liners. I could even be the edgy, straightforward chic with a no-nonsense style.

“People get so excited about travel,” says Peggy Nixa, certified travel counselor and field manager for the Rochester/Burnsville AAA office. “And no wonder. It’s fun to see cultures and sights and make memories.”

According to Nixa, 90–95 percent of travel plans and decisions are made by women. With that in mind, Nixa organized a club four years ago in Burnsville specially designed for women of all ages interested in travel called Today’s Traveling Women (TTW). The club presents opportunities to learn about different destinations, gain travel tips and meet other women who love to travel.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. The smell of roast turkey wafts throughout the house. Sugar-crusted pecan pie waits on the hutch for coffee and conversation. Loved ones bustle in, shaking the last of fall off their coats, knowing the white chill of winter is just around the corner. It welcomes all ages and faiths. It is uniquely American, begun by people who built more graves than homes but who were thankful nonetheless. It quiets my Post-Modern grousing.

Q: We’re planning to get my elderly grandmother a pet for Christmas because she’s lonely. Is it better to get her an adult cat or a kitten?

A: While there are many reasons to give a pet as a gift, experts advise against doing so. Dogs and cats are a 10–15 year commitment and entail significant ongoing costs and care.

If you’re dreaming of something other than a white Christmas, look no further than Assisi Heights where the Sisters of Saint Francis will host Umbrian Christmas III on December 1, 2 and 8.

Representing Italy in location and spirit, this three-day celebration takes place in Assisi Height’s beautiful Romanesque setting and includes festivities reminiscent of Italy’s Umbrian hill towns.

Enjoy the sights, music and tastes of the Italian region, while engaging in the holiday ambiance of a special community event.