A Mother’s Acceptance of a Picky Eater
By Veronica MacDonald Ditko
An Accidental Anthropologist
When I had a newborn, I invited a friend over for lunch. Her son was about 18 months older than mine. She gave him chocolate milk.
I thought to myself, “I’m not going to give my kids chocolate milk; if they don’t like the real [...]
By Veronica MacDonald Ditko
An Accidental Anthropologist
My son thinks a piece of tape will solve anything. This includes broken plastic toys, beloved pictures his younger brother has snipped to smithereens, and holes in his clothing. I tell him tape doesn’t fix everything as I half-heartedly try to stick a radiator back on a truck. Then I [...]
A Wholly Holy Month is March
By Veronica MacDonald Ditko
An Accidental Anthropologist
March is a saintly month. Western Europe hosts lots of celebrations during the month from Ireland’s St. Patrick to Sicily’s San Giuseppe. And we mustn’t forget Wales’ St. David and Cornwall’s St. Piran (or Perran).
These probably all stem from celebrations for the spring equinox, which [...]
Your Morning Vice – A Colada if You’re in Ecuador
By Veronica MacDonald Ditko
An Accidental Anthropologist
It is the thick of winter now, warm days are distant memory, and one of the most comforting things is a hot beverage cradled in your hands. Here in Jersey, coffee is pretty much a morning religion. You can make it [...]
Beauty Queens
Libba Bray
Libba Bray is either an unconquerable genius or a total loony-toon. Either way, she’s hilarious. Beauty Queens is a must-read, and if you can get it on audio (read by the author!), all the better. Think: the television series Lost, the movie Miss Congeniality, thrown in with some Lord of [...]
Is Smaller Better?
By Veronica MacDonald Ditko
An Accidental Anthropologist
The last miniature quiche was passed under our noses at a wedding and everyone lunged at the tempting hors d’oeuvre. Then came the tiny kebobs with a Thai peanut sauce. Each tray brought smaller more scrumptious bites of food that normally come in larger sizes.
Which made me think, [...]
Christmas Food for Thought and Song
By Veronica MacDonald Ditko
An Accidental Anthropologist
No one can deny the holidays are steeped in age-old traditions (well, unless you are an ardent follower of Festivus!). What’s interesting is that many foods mentioned in Christmas songs are foreign to most Americans. But they sure do sound good.
The Nutcracker, written by Pyotr [...]
Catching Up with Ketchup
By Veronica MacDonald Ditko
An Accidental Anthropologist
I pour a little red goop on the plate, and my youngest son inevitably says, “More!” My husband and I watch in disbelief as he readily dips anything in ketchup. Neither of us likes it very much. It was actually a bonding thing when we first met.
“Want [...]
Symbol of Harvest is Greek to Me
By Veronica MacDonald Ditko
An Accidental Anthropologist
When you think fall, what do you think of – school, football, foliage, pumpkins and apples? There are many things that symbolize fall in New Jersey but one found prominently on logos would be the cornucopia.
I’ve had a long history with the idea of [...]
By Veronica MacDonald Ditko
An Accidental Anthropologist
Meal preparation often falls to mothers, and has been so since the dawn of hunters and gatherers. Call her Mom, Maid, Nanny, Grandma, Oma, or Tita, as my friend called her Filipino aunt– I’m sure these women have had to get a little creative with picky eaters.
School lunches in our [...]
