Most people who have a computer, or a cell phone, use the internet in some way. Most of us search for information on the “web” by using a search engine such as Google. It has become almost a knee-jerk reaction to go to Google to find out information, such as how to fix something, or to find out how old a celebrity is. Sometimes we want to know some history about a company or an individual. Often the search will take us to a page called Wikipedia, which can give up-to-date inf

Courtesy of Suzy Hazelwood/Wikimedia Commons  Smooth and creamy is a good way to describe a slice of cheesecake. There is an old TV show called Golden Girls, most of us are familiar with. Every time the gals are having a problem, it seems the first thing they do is get a cheesecake out of the refrigerator. I know that cheesecakes don’t really solve problems (except for coming to the rescue for a popular dessert), but I never say no when someone offers a slice. I must admit th

As I remember times in my past, I often think of things I said that I wish I hadn’t said, and things I did I wish I hadn’t done. I suppose we all have some regrets like that. I remember a time when I was in the sixth grade. Our class had put together a surprise for the teacher, and we were sworn to secrecy. Each of us had vowed not to tell a soul what the surprise was going to be. I honestly do not remember what the surprise was, but I do remember this incident. A group of ki

Evan-Amos, Wikimedia Commons Fresh, juicy oranges are great as snacks, or as ingredients in recipes, any time of year. Oranges are good any time of year, and we are lucky they are available whenever we want them. I can remember my grandfather on my dad’s side of the family, telling me that when he was growing up, it was a real treat to get an orange in his Christmas stocking. Back then, oranges were not easy to come by like they are now. Hearing about that made me appreciate

The City of Madera will begin its youth baseball coed league in April. The league is open to 4-5 year olds for a T-ball league and 6-7 year olds for a coach pitch league.  Team head coaches are needed. There will be one practice per week and games will be held Saturday mornings at Town and Country Park.. Registration deadline is March 8 and league begins April 11.

My last column was entitled “Write your own obituary,” and as I ended the article, I stated that I would write my own obituary in 2026, with my “dead” line being Dec. 31, 2026.  It was a bit of a joke, but it made me think about the word “deadline,” and I wondered just how that word came to be. Deadline seems like a funny word for what it means, which is a date or time when something must be finished. Why is the word “dead” used?  In the newspaper business, we use the word de

Cat Campbell/For The Madera Tribune A big jar of refrigerated, crispy pickled cauliflower and carrots is an irresistible snack. Okay, it’s pale (except for some of the newer, more exotic colors) and depending on how it is cooked, can be rather blah in flavor. But cauliflower can be surprisingly tasty and versatile if you give it a chance. Every New Year’s Day, my family uses cauliflower in our traditional feast of bagna cauda (pronounced like BAHnya CAULDah). We cook minced o

Cat Campbell/For The Madera Tribune Fruitcakes are best when allowed to age a few weeks. The flavors mellow and blend. There are two camps of people when it comes to fruitcake: one group loves it and the other group hates it. I have not yet figured out which side holds the majority, but like most everything else edible, fruitcake manages to hold its place in the food world. To be fair, I have to admit that I, a fruitcake lover, have tasted some versions that really would have