Posh Poverty: The Secret to a Successful Life

Welcome to the Kitchen here at the Alamo. I ate in restaurants from the time I was 14 years old and earning my own money. But now, in exile, and on a limited budget, I cook. Not just because I’m poor, but because it is one way to enjoy the life of what I call “posh poverty”.

The kitchen here is not the grand vista of the penthouse atop the Temple Building in the ROC where once we entertained in lavish, wanton splendor beyond our means. Nor is it the marvelous kitchen in Maplewood with the red ceramic tile and the six-burner stove. No, here it is a modest place of comfort with insufficient counter space, a tiny refrigerator, an unrelenting clogged sink and a distinct lack of room to cook. But it is where I spend an inordinate amount of time cooking, trying new taste adventures, and enjoying some of the most gratifying times of my life, creating for myself and my few guests. These recipes are mine.