I've had a lot of very strong-willed women influence me in this lifetime. But my grams: her friends called her Duchess, her real name was Rosalind Kolker; is one of the people that I miss the most. She graduated Alephi University and became an Art Instructor. She was truly an artist. Oils, charcoal, crocheting, needlepoint and of course cuisine. Now, unlike me, she never issued an expletive in her life. She was born in Kiev, Russia and came to America speaking 7 languages. She spoke the King's English without an accent. When I went to visit Grams as a little girl, I'd watch her paint, listen to her stories not realizing she got me to bed on time by giving me cookies and a little tiny glass filled with an after dinner drink. Creme de Mint - aperitif- Apologies to the Vegetarians out there but- Here's Gram's Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe with a modern twist. Boil a Huge Pot of Water 4 quarters chicken- bones and all 3 Tablespoons Carmel Soup Mix or more to taste (Now you know Grams didn't use that) 1 Parsnip & 3 Carrots or more- Dice them or put through a food processor Juice of 1 Lemon A few Sprigs of Fresh Chopped Dill 2 Minced Garlic Cloves A whole or half bag of those very teeny-tiny Egg Noodles Fresh Ground Pepper to taste Boil the water Everything in the pot except the noodles medium boil for 1 hour and a half Put the noodles in 15 minutes before you're about to serve oh- and if you don't start with love you don't end with love

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