I haven’t heralded a National Day in just a little over two years. I did it a lot during the pandemic because there were no opening nights, parties, shows, restaurants, or events of any kind to write about. So back then, out of semi-desperation to entertain my homebound readers, I came up with the idea to research “special days” to see if any of the topics would be interesting enough for an INAM column. I chose days that meant something to me, so I would have fun things to say about it.

Karen Salkin and her two different colored Reeboks. Photo by Mr. X.

But ever since life has gone back to normal, I’ve had even more occasions and activities to write about than I have time for!

However, one special day caught my attention recently, and it happens tomorrow. Not that I think anybody except for a few young basketball players, (whom I’ll get to shortly,) will do it, but I’m letting you know, just in case.

So tomorrow will be National Two Different Colored Shoes Day. And trust me, not only is it something that I totally know about, but I basically invented it! (But with sneakers only, not just any two shoes.)

Only when I did it, it was not just for a day—it was for several years! And not one other person was brave or fun enough back then to copy my unique fashion.

Let me tell you how I developed my style of wearing two different colored sneakers, which I became known for. I was doing my local TV show, Karen’s Restaurant Revue, at the time, and was getting a lot of national attention because of it. So Reebok had been sending me their various colored sneakers, which I was rocking very proudly all the time. (When I wasn’t decked out in stilettos and a mini dress, that is. But maybe I’ll get to that if there’s ever a National Dress Like a Harlot Day. Or maybe I can get it started!)

Karen Salkin, (in blue, with the blue and white sneakers,) cheering with the Raiderettes when she was a correspondent for a morning TV show back in the day. Photo by Curtis Minato.

And then it happened—a hairdresser misunderstood, (which is a major understatement,) what I told him about cutting my long hair. I had said that Mr. X said to take some of the volume out on the top, and the first thing I heard after that was a scissors cut—right at the bottom of my head! He had cut all my hair off!!! I said, “I meant to make it short just on the top!” And he said, “Now you have it all over.” It was a nightmare. For years!

All of a sudden, my big ears were visible and my nose looked even bigger when I couldn’t hide my funny face a bit by dazzling the crowd with my luscious locks. So, I think in a subconscious attempt to take people’s attention away from my head, I began wearing two different colored Reeboks to deflect their eyes as far away from my hair, (or lack of it,) as possible. All the time. And…it worked! (By the way, my socks were always still an actual pair—I’m not insane! Just fashionable.)

Karen Salkin rocking two of her special sneaks from Santa Fe at one of her famous birthday parties. Photo by Mr. X.

I became known for rocking my two different colored sneaks, but I did it with solely, (see what I did there?,) Reeboks. (Well, actually, until Mr. X took me on a fateful trip to Santa Fe, which I’ll tell you about in a moment.) I was a very lucky girl to have such a fun shoe company sponsor me like that, and I was happy to stay loyal to them.

I did it for a whole bunch of years, until I began clubbing. That meant that I wore dance boots or heels at night, (of course—no one wears sneakers at a proper dance club,) and…pajamas all day!

I swear, people still ask me why I don’t wear two different colored shoes anymore. But I think I’d look like a crazy lady now, who got dressed in the dark, as opposed to an eccentric, funny, and cute young girl. I still have all the sneaks in my closet, and am occasionally tempted to resurrect my old style. But I think better of it. I had actually mostly forgotten about it.

Here are TWO college basketball players in the same game wearing two different colored sneakers! Photo by Karen Salkin.

And then, last month, while I was watching March Madness, the college basketball tournament, what do I see but several young players rocking my old style! I could not believe it. I didn’t know whether to be honored or upset. But, honestly, I can’t really imagine that they’re actually copying me. Unless their parents told them about me. Or they saw old pix of me on the internet. It’s actually quite possible that one guy did copy me and then the others are copying him. Either way, I’m happy to see it out there again.

But the ballers are just doing it willy-willy; they put any two sneakers together. My style was to wear two that matched my outfit. And my nails. Lest you think that meant I had to wear the same colors all the time, I have to laud Reebok for having a large palette. I swear, I had white and black pairs, of course, plus three shades of pink, two of blue, yellow, gray, red, and even neon orange!

Even Mr. X got in on the game once! I think he did it by accident, but he swears it was on purpose. The pic of the sequined sneaks is at the top of this article. Both photos by Karen Salkin.

After I’d been rocking them for a couple of years, Mr. X took me to visit his old college stomping grounds of Santa Fe, New Mexico. And we came upon…several colors of…sequined sneakers!!! OMG. I’m not kidding about how in love with them I was. (And still am!) I have small feet, which meant the boutique shop didn’t have my size in stock. So Mr. X insisted on ordering me a pair in every color. (Am I a lucky girl or what?) And when the ultra-sparkly footwear arrived at our house, I put them all on a bare black lacquer table, and just started crying from how beautiful they were. (I still have all of those, as well.)

So, whether or not you have two disparate sneaks to rock tomorrow, I wish you all a Happy National Two Different Colored Shoes Day. I know how my feet and I will be celebrating.

I felt bad when I had to scrap today’s planned column, (because I was told that it’s too controversial,) but then I remembered something I did during the body of the pandemic, when there were no events to write about—I looked around to find-out if there were any special National or International Days coming up. In those days years, with nothing happening in the outside world, yet wanting to still entertain all of you, I checked those often to see if any of them reminded me of something fun to share with you.

The Pizza Cake, invented by none other than Karen Salkin! (The close-up of it is at the top of this page.) Photo by Jeanine Anderson.

And this time I really lucked-out because today is none other than International Pizza Cake Day. (Yes, I do realize that today is also some kind of Ode to Marijuana Day, but there’s enough written about it to render yet another article about it banal. However, you may feel the need to light up when you see all these pix of Pizza Cakes!)

And guess who invented the Pizza Cake?  Yours truly! No fooling. I’ll tell you the circumstances in a minute, but first I have to say that when I first created it, I talked about it on my Los Angeles TV show, Karen’s Restaurant Revue. And then local people started copying me, which, of course, I’m happy about. I was an influencer before it was even such a thing!

A dessert pizza.

And then it must have grown from there. (Or else some other great minds have thought like me from the get-go.) As I researched National Days last week, I could not believe that there’s actually a day for something I invented all those years ago! (And, as you can see, I have this pictorial proof.)

A “cake” made out of layered pizzas.

So, because we all need a tiny break from thinking about the world’s, and our own, problems for a tiny bit, I figured I’d tell you my tale about my creation of the Pizza Cake.

By the way, pizza cake is not to be confused with dessert pizza, which I did not invent, but love to eat! Or with actual pizzas being layered on top of each other to resemble a cake. (I had no idea this was such a complex topic when I began this article!!!)

Now here’s that fun story of my invention of Pizza Cake:

As you may know by now, Mr. X is not a fan of going out. Nor of birthday celebrations for himself. But, always wanting him to feel as special as he is, I threw him a few crazy, and under-appreciated, surprise festivities in our early years together.

So, not having learned my lesson, when his big day came around once again, I asked him what he wanted to do for it, and without skipping a beat, he answered, “Pizza party.” I said, “Really?” And he responded, “Limo pizza party.” And he thought that would shut me up, and we could do nothing to celebrate.

But I thought he was serious, so I orchestrated what I thought was one of the great celebrations. And, of course, it was another surprise one, which we still laugh about to this day! (He laughs that he may not cry.)

I hired a stretch limo for the night, filled it with tons of fun candy and drinks, and invited our three best friends to surprise him. I ordered pizzas from several places from Beverly Hills to Ventura, and even figured out the exact timing to get from one place to another, so the pizzas would be waiting for us, but still piping hot. (I still don’t know how I thought of all this!)

Clarence looking out of the stretch limo, wondering where Karen had gone. Photo by Karen Salkin.

To break up the sameness of our multi-pizzas feast, I ordered a variety of ice cream shakes from a very famous soda fountain in town. And I ran into each place to pick-up the food, so Mr. X would never have to leave the limo. (After all, even though he meant the whole thing as a joke, the title he had chosen to begin with was “limo pizza party!”)

But the pièce de résistance was the birthday cake I came up with. That’s right—you guessed it—it was a…pizza cake!!! I wanted Mr. X to have a cake, of course, but at the same time, I wanted to continue the “pizza party” theme. So I went to my favorite bakery at the time,* The Butterfly Bakery, and asked the owner, the fabulous Liz Brooks, if she could make a cake to look like a large pizza. *[Note: The Butterfly would still be my fave today, but it closed shortly before Liz passed away several years ago.]

Karen Salkin triumphantly presenting her Pizza
Cake to Mr. X. Photo by Jeanine Anderson.

I suggested a flat, round carrot cake, with the cream cheese frosting made to look like the melted cheese, and a lot of shredded carrots mixed in to mimic the look of the sauce coming through the cheese. And then Liz went one step further, and sliced dark, fat strawberries more thinly than I’ve ever seen done, before or since, as slices of pepperoni.

And then I went to a local pizzeria and begged them for an empty box. That was the most brilliant move.

Between coming out of an official pizza box and the “pepperoni,” it was so realistic-looking, in fact, that, at first sight, our vegetarian friend said she couldn’t eat it! So it was extra special when I revealed that it was not yet one more pizza, (just when we could not eat another bite of one, by the way,) but a carrot cake! They were all amazed. Even Mr. X was, although he was also relieved that it was not one more real pizza. And that one item closed-out the evening perfectly.

Karen Salkin and her Pizza Cake, with cameos by Mr. X and Clarence, the Singing Dog. Photo by Peter Meahan.

So there you have it from the horse’s mouth—the actual invention of something we nationally celebrate today—the Pizza Cake!

Karen Salkin asleep in the limo on the way home with Clarence, rocking her pizza earrings. (which are the raison d’etre for showing you this pic!) Photo by Jeanine Anderson.

If you want to try it out, but have no time to bake today, just either make a dessert one, (pix above,) or order a trio of the savory pies, (as we Brooklynites refer to pizza,) and put them together to look like a cake.

But keep the carrot cake idea in your back pocket for a similar occasion. I’m always happy to share my ideas. And this is one of the good ones!

Happy International Pizza Cake Day!

I haven’t celebrated a National or International Day in quite awhile here on INAM. But this is a special one. Actually, it’s a special whole week!!!

A lovely way to present Afternoon Tea.

Yes, it’s National Afternoon Tea Week! It goes from August 8th-14th this year. I always say that I could have that delightful repast every single day of my life,* and now, next week I can! Without feeling the usual bit of guilt, of course, which comes from the fact that, when done correctly, afternoon tea is far from a low-calorie meal. But when it’s an actual celebration, all those concerns go out the window for that brief while. *[Note: I’m serious about having tea every day! When people want to do something nice for me, (which, sadly, is not that often,) and they ask what I’d like the most in the world, my answer is always Afternoon Tea. Or alternatively, a massage. Or tea followed by a massage! What a perfect world that would be, right?!]

I’m honoring this special week, and getting you prepared to celebrate it yourselves, by imparting the proper way to “take”* afternoon tea because that topic is one of the few things I really am an expert on. *[Note: The British, who began it all, always say they’re taking tea, rather than simply having it.]

A buffet version of Afternoon Tea. Photo by Karen Salkin.

First I have to explain the difference in tea meals because there are some pretenders out there who might steer you the wrong way. They think they’re being superior when they erroneously use the term “High Tea,” when they actually mean “Afternoon Tea.” And they could not be more wrong. So now you’ll be the people who say it correctly!

In case you’re wondering, here’s the official difference between the two: High Tea is basically a hearty supper that’s eaten after 5PM, and consists of mainly “peasant” dishes, such as sausage rolls, crusty bread, and meat pies. It also features stronger, more basic teas themselves; no frou-frou white grapefruit-vanilla type of choices.

Another lovely Afternoon Tea set-up.

Those teas belong in the absolutely glorious meal that is Afternoon Tea. It’s absolutely scrumptious and soooo relaxing. (When done correctly, of course.) It’s taken ideally between 2-4PM, but can really stretch from 1-5, if need be. My favorite way to be served this one is in courses, but, because it involves soooo much preparation, most tearooms just bring all the courses at once, on a triple-tiered tray. But you must still eat it in the proper order, of course.

You should begin with a choice of teas, usually served with milk or cream and honey or lumps of sugar. (I do milk and honey myself.) If you like to imbibe a bit before starting the meal, I suggest a glass of sherry or champagne before the pot of tea.

The first food course is finger sandwiches, which are usually cut into small quarters or triangles. (Hence “finger.”) Some of the most popular fillings are chicken salad, salmon, cucumber with cream cheese, and tomato with cheddar.

Chocolate chip scones that I baked myself! Photo by Karen Salkin.

Those are followed by (hopefully warm) scones, served with clotted cream and some sort of preserve or lemon curd or both. There are basic scones, but ones with bits of something fun, like cranberries or almonds or my faves—chocolate chips—are usually so much more delicious. You cut them in half horizontally, and then slather each side with the clotted cream, and top it all with the jam or curd. Yu-um!!!

All of that should be finished-up (if you even still have any room,) with either small desserts, such as petit fours or bite-sized fruit tarts, or one or two slices of cake. When I’m hosting the tea at my abode, I occasionally also serve giant strawberries cut-up in their own syrup with vanilla and cinnamon whipped cream that I make from scratch!

A few of the desserts at one of my own Aftenoon Teas. Notice three of my tea “bibles” among the treats. Photo by Karen Salkin.

On the entertainment front, if you’re dining at a classy establishment, such as an upscale hotel, the meal might be accompanied by a harpist or pianist. At the very least, there should be recorded peaceful classical music playing, which is easy enough to do when you’re hosting a tea yourself.

So there you have it! Your tea education is now complete! Well, almost. When I finally finish and publish my Tea Book, you’ll find-out how all these meals came about, and it will even offer some awesome recipes and serving suggestions. And I’ll tell you about the different kinds of tea themselves, and the other possible tea meals that I didn’t get to in this article. (But if you just can’t wait for it, here’s the link to an article I wrote to celebrate last year’s National Tea Day here on INAM, which explains the different types of tea meals: itsnotaboutme.tv/news/national-daydiningkarens-lessons-happy-national-tea-day.)

But for now, this is all the info you need to celebrate National Afternoon Tea Week. And no matter how you take your tea, I wish you relaxation and enjoyment! At least until the 14th!

In the past year and a half, due to the pandemic, I had to learn how to cook! Will wonders never cease? And, according to the very picky Mr. X, I’ve become pretty good at it, (an assessment I unabashedly agree with.)

The final stage of the sauce. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the one at the top of this article.

So, to get you all ready for National Pasta Day this Sunday, I’m sharing another one of my recipes with you. (You can find the rest of my creations in the Recipe section of this e-zine, and if you’re looking for a vegetarian way to celebrate the day, here’s the link to my one for the most delicious Checca ever: itsnotaboutme.tv/news/recipe-karens-checca-pasta-recipe-with-a-lot-of-choices.)

My also-delicious Turkey Bolognese is a mash-up of a few other recipes I’ve seen for the dish over the years, refined by some of my own innovations, making it the perfect pasta dish. I’m sure it would also be excellent with ground beef in place of turkey, but after I had my mini-stroke six years ago, (the anniversary of which is also this Sunday, by the way,) I was told to not eat red meat anymore, so it’s been chicken and turkey and pork for me since then. (Sorry to my vegetarian readers, but there’s no way to make Bolognese without meat, unless you use the fake stuff, and in that case, I cannot guarantee how tasty that will be.)

Okay, here goes:

TURKEY BOLOGNESE

INGREDIENTS

1 pound of any kind of pasta, but penne, rigatoni, or rotini work best. (Do not use angel hair, though—the sauce will overwhelm it.)

1 pound ground turkey, the leaner the better. (I use 97% lean.)

The chopped veggies. (The celery and carrots are together in one bowl, as they will be for eternity!) Photo by Karen Salkin.

1 regular-size white or yellow onion

1 normal-sized carrot or 7-9 baby ones

1-2 stalks of celery, depending on how much you have to cut off the ends

4 cloves of garlic

2 15-ounce cans of plain tomato (or spaghetti) sauce. (If you make your own sauce, even better, I’m sure.)

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

Salt and black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Karen Salkin finely chopping the carrots. (You know she’s really working hard by the lack of nail polish!) Photo by Mr. X.

First, chop all your vegetables. I always feel more is more in this recipe because it gives it more crunch, and…it makes the dish more healthful. So more veggies is always a win-win! Chop the onion normally, finely chop the celery and carrot(s), (if you’re using a big carrot, peel it first, which is why I use baby carrots!,) chop the basil leaves a bit, (unless you just tear them up as you pick them off the plant,) and mince the garlic. (If you hate mincing as much as I do, no worries–it does not have to be perfect.)

When that’s done, get cooking!

Heat the oil for a few seconds over medium heat in a frying pan that’s large enough to accommodate everything except the pasta. (If you have one large enough for that, too, go ahead and use it if you like.)

All four chopped veggies, (except for the basil,) sautéing. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Then add the onion and garlic and sauté for five minutes.

Next add the chopped carrots and celery, and sauté another five minutes.

This is the only tricky part: Make sure the ground turkey is fully defrosted if it had been frozen. [Note: If it ever smells funny once defrosted, just throw it away. If you’ve already started the sauce, just go with it as vegan.] It’s best to break the turkey up a little before adding it to the pan; that will make it easier to break-up more once you add it. So add it to the cooking veggies and break it all up into small “pieces.” Cook it until it’s all brown, with no pink meat left.

The turkey having been chopped up a bit and added to the pan. (Remember–turkey is a while meat.) Photo by Karen Salkin.

When it’s all browned sufficiently, drain the grease off. Yes, some of that liquid will be olive oil, but it’s best to have as little fat as possible left, so some of the oil will have to be sacrificed. It’s for the greater good! [Notes: I use a splatter screen and drain it into the flat container the turkey came in, but some of you old cooking pros may have a better method. And remember to shut the burner while you do this, please, to avoid disasters such as fires and burns. And, just as importantly, remember to turn it back on a minute later, when you’re heating the sauce!!!]

Then add the two cans of tomato sauce, and decrease the heat to medium-low. Simmer for at least fifteen minutes, stirring often. (I leave the splatter screen over the top loosely.)

While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. [Note: You don’t want the pasta to be done before the sauce, while, conversely, the sauce can simmer longer than fifteen minutes.]

The finished product, mixed together in the big pasta pot. Photo by Karen Salkin.

When both components are ready, stir the chopped basil leaves into the sauce, add a bit of salt and pepper, as you like it. But remember to not over salt—the pasta should have some, as well, and you can always add more when you eat it, but, of course, you cannot subtract any!

When both sauce and pasta are ready, drain the pasta, (do not rinse!!!,) and put it back in the pot. Pour the sauce over it and mix well. (Alternatively, if your pan is big enough, you can add the pasta right into the sauce.)

And that’s it! I eat mine as is while Mr. X always sprinkles parmigiana cheese over the top. Either way is perfection, (if I do say so myself.) (That’s Mr. X’s bowl on the right, in the pic at the top of this page.)

You can enjoy this recipe any time, of course, but I hope this helps you to have a Happy National Pasta Day on Sunday. Mangia!

Having any kind of friend is one of the most important aspects of living. But today is National Best Friends Day, so I thought I’d wax philosophic about that particular phenomenon to celebrate it.

This isn’t really my mother and Sylvia, but it could be!

I really rarely realized how important having a bestie in life is to tons of people until it hit me in a personal way a few years ago. My mother was already getting up there in age when she met a totally simpatico woman in Brooklyn. Those two talked every night and saw each other as much as possible.  (And the other woman wasn’t even a widow, as my little mo was at that point.) My mother and Sylvia laughed like hyenas, discussed all the Broadway musicals, and told each other every secret they ever had. And when the much younger Sylvia left this level of life, my mother was crushed beyond belief. She really did lose her best friend.

One of my regular pals, (meaning non-best friends,) Mimi, has always made me laugh because, ever since she was a teen-ager, she’s said that every single one of her friends was her “best friend.” She’d say things to me like, “You know Nadine, my best friend,” or, “Emily, my best friend, said something to me the other day.” When that amusing habit of hers began, Mimi was very young, and I explained to her that “best friend” is singular; it’s just one person, not every person you know!

Karen Salkin with her old kid bestie, Ronnie Hazel, Jr.

But as life has gone along, I realize that I, too, have several best friends, just not in the same places, so I consider my situations to be more legit. I have my best west coast friend, my best east coast friend, my best male friend, my kid bestie, and one for my whole life; categories like that. I even have female and male celebrity best friends!  (I know—I should have an awards show for all this!)

Mr. X has had the same best guy friend since college. Pete is actually just about his only friend, as well. And that’s by choice—everyone wants to be Mr. X’s friend, but he’s just more into solitude. One of my friends once asked him if he feels bad that he doesn’t have a lot of friends, and he answered, “Because of being with the town crier,” (meaning moi!,) “I see more people in a day than I would choose to see in a year!”

Sadly, many of my best friends (the ones I was inseparable from) throughout the years have actually betrayed or disappointed me in one way or the other. I didn’t even realize that that was possible with best friends until I saw my young niece’s best friend ghost her when they were about twelve. She was crushed. She really loved having a bestie.

My best friend in high school turned-out to be unworthy of that title, as well, as did my most recent best friend. (Another thing they had in common is that others around me had bad feelings about them.)

And my two best girlfriends during my clubbing life (about twenty years ago) are totally out of my life, as well. The first one got pissed that the second one and I used her hairdryer in her apartment for some crazy reason, and wouldn’t talk to me anymore because of it. And then the second one just totally let me down on another occasion, and as a result, we just stopped hanging-out and even calling each other. Because of all those failed friendships, I don’t really feel like I want to invest in having another local best friend at this point in my life.

Karen Salkin with her best girlfriend in New York, Lauren Bennett.

I didn’t mean to turn into Debbie Downer there for a minute. I just wanted people who don’t have besties to know that they’re not alone. And even though sometimes it’s not all it’s cracked up to be, you can always still develop a best friendship down the line. My mother’s late-in-life relationship with Sylvia proves that you can make a best friend at any stage of life.

And more often than not, best friends can be great. I really do have great love for several of my friends. And can’t imagine getting through life without them. Sadly for me, though, only a few of them live anywhere close to LA!  Carol and Patty are in Colorado, Sheila’s in Ohio, Manny’s in New York, Jill’s in Virginia, Lauren’s in Florida, Betsy is in Brooklyn, Noelle is in Montreal, and my old kid bestie, Ronnie, is in Rhode Island.

Karen Salkin with her best Brooklyn friend, (and “little sis,”) Betsy Abramova.

But the happiest news for me on National Best Friends Day is that I have had one steady real best friend for over half my life; that has never changed and never will. And his name is–you guessed it–Mr. X!  There is no one else I would rather spend even one minute with. And I’m sure he feels the same way, even though he would never admit it. (Yes, he is a torturous best friend, only because my mirth at his shenanigans where I’m concerned urge him on so much.)

So, if you’re someone who will be happy to celebrate National Best Friends Day today with your bestie, I wish you a wonderful time, and I pray that you will always be together because it really is a wonderful feeling to have one person you can count on in life.

And a very Happy National Best Friends Day to all of my besties out there!!!

I’ve been working on an essay on this very topic for awhile now, just because I think it’s a worthwhile one, but when I found-out that today is National Say Something Nice Day, I knew it was the perfect time to share my thoughts on the subject. Even if you don’t read this article any further, please just do what the day says to do, (i.e. say something nice,) at least for this one day.

So here’s the basic deal: People always want to hear something nice, even celebrities. It puts some pep in someone’s step to know that someone else appreciates something about them, (outside of creepy things, like “nice rack,” of course.)

I’ve been giving out verbal “flowers” ever since I became brave enough to say a few words to strangers. (For those of you who know me, and think of me as a “chatterbox,” as Mr. X has been labeling me recently, the truth is that I really do not love talking to strangers.) I realized that telling my own friend that a stranger’s hair is gorgeous helps no one. So I began telling the actual person whose attribute I’m actually complimenting. Most are surprised to hear it, but they’re always appreciative. And I recently realized that I get an extra little boost from knowing I made someone happy, if not their entire day, (as I often hear.)

For years, my friends in New York made fun of me for complimenting people on subways. If I loved a girl’s manicure, I told her. If someone’s kid was cute or well-behaved, I lauded the parent for it. If a couple looked cute together—you guessed it–I let the lovebirds know. (Just last week, I told a cop that he and his wife looked like they were flirting and would hook-up! And he told me, with a big laugh, that I was definitely correct, about all of it!)

I’ve been known to even get out of cars to say something nice to someone. Pre-pandemic, I saw a mother rocking a fabulous coat while walking down the street, pushing her child’s stroller. Over Mr. X’s objections, I jumped out of the car to let her know how great she looked. Since this was in Beverly Hills, I figured she wouldn’t care at all, but she actually stopped to thank me profusely. She said she was having a hard day, and I had just turned it around for her!  That’s the power of saying something nice to someone.

Of course, the title of the day doesn’t stipulate that what you say be true, but I think it should be. (After all, it’s not National Tell A Lie Day!!!) However, it doesn’t have to be about something that’s happening at that very moment.  The statement can be as simple as something about a condition that always exists for them. For example, “You’re always so smart, or “You always make me laugh,” or “I love how you talk to your children.” There are literally millions of ways to say something nice (and honest,) to someone.

I know firsthand how happy a random compliment can be.  Even something little. As I wrote in a recent column, I was once walking into a restaurant in New York with really funny slipper shoes (out of necessity,) and it still brings a smile to my face that a young guy who was exiting the place told me, “Cool shoes!” It was such a simple comment, but it’s still fresh in my mind almost five years later!

Here’s one more little personal anecdote: When I was doing my show, Karen’s Restaurant Revue, I was lucky enough to go backstage at several theaters around town. There were always celebrities in those rooms. One time, I overheard a big celeb saying wonderful things about my show to her friend, and I kept wishing she would just give those props directly to me. I still heard them, by accident, but it would have meant so much more if I had received the kudos myself. And then I could have thanked her for the kind words!

So, to honor today, who don’t we all just give-out as many compliments as possible? I’ll start the ball rolling, with what I have to say to all of you guys: You’re the smartest, most loyal people I know! I mean it—I always appreciate your readership.

Now please pay it forward, at least for today. Let’s all make it the most Happy National Say Something Nice Day!

I was going to pass on paying tribute to this particular National Day, because I’ve already shared my magical Strawberries and Cream recipe in previous columns, (usually ones about Wimbledon,) but then I remembered that this e-zine happily gets new readers all the time, so here we are.

I’ll give you the whole very-detailed-but-incredibly-easy recipe again in a minute, but first let me reveal a couple of other ways to celebrate National Strawberries and Cream Day.

A version of Bavarian Cream Jello.

If, like me, you have some crazy eating rules, (like my loving cherries, but hating cherry-flavored items, or in this case for some of you, conversely loving strawberry-flavored items, but not actual strawberries,) here’s the link to a different strawberries and cream dessert you can enjoy today, with nary a real strawberry anywhere in it: itsnotaboutme.tv/news/recipe-bavarian-cream-jello.

It’s my famous Bavarian Cream Jello recipe, made with strawberry Jello, of course! I’ve been whipping it up since I was a little girl, and people have always loved it. But why is it famous, you ask?  Because I actually “cooked” it on TV! Back in the day, when I was doing my cable television show, Karen’s Restaurant Revue, I had the fun and privilege to cook on a few TV shows, but the most memorable one to me was doing this Jello dish. (The whole story is in my article with the actual recipe, so, if you’re curious, you can read it there.)

Strawberries being tested for worms. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Secondly, before you do anything with strawberries today, you may like to view my educational experiment from last summer, when word was going around that all strawberries contain little white worms. Since I had just bought a batch of the red berries for my annual Strawberries and Cream consuming, I was understandably concerned about the situation. Here’s how my foray into food science went: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmhsAI5f16U&t=3s.

And now, finally, it’s time for the main event—my Strawberries and Cream recipe! So that you don’t have to take even one second to look it up in my archives to the right of this page, and to welcome all my new readers, I’m going to give it to you in full again.

The amounts are for two to three servings. Yes, you can eat it all at one time, but please keep in mind how caloric it is, because of the cream and sugar.

So, this is what you do for the most delicious dish you’ve ever tasted!:

Getting ready to put it all together and enjoy. (This is how low an entire basket of strawberries should be in its overnight container.) Photo by Karen Salkin.

Buy just one regular-size container of ripe strawberries, no matter how small it looks at the store.

The night before you plan to enjoy this delicacy, rinse all the berries in cold water, and then core the green stem and attached white innards. (I actually own a strawberry huller that does that job, but a very small knife should do fine, as long as you’re careful.) After the coring, I rinse them in cool water again, just to be safe. (I refer you again to my worm-possibility video.)

Cut each berry into about four pieces, and don’t wipe up the red liquid that’s accumulating on the chopping board.

As you go along, place the cut strawberries and residual juice into a tall, thin-ish cylindrical container, (about the height of a spaghetti holder, but a bit wider,) preferably plastic, but glass should be all right, as well. (The pieces will be closer to the bottom than to the top.)

An individual dish of strawberries before the heavenly cream is added. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Next comes the only real thinking part, because I don’t measure any of the components of this recipe. I add twenty-to-twenty-four packets of Sugar In The Raw, which is the only sweetener I can vouch for to use in this recipe. I have a feeling it will work well enough with white sugar or maybe even Stevia, but not brown sugar—that will give it a different taste. There’s really no way to tell if you need more or less right away, because it has to marinate overnight. So, the first time you make this concoction, you won’t have an exact measure for your taste. But it’s better to make it less sweet from the get-go because you can always add some to your bowl in the morning, although it won’t taste exactly the same as it would if marinated overnight with the rest of the batch. [Note: Twenty-four sugar packets equals one cup, which is waaaay easier than opening all those tiny wrappers!]

Then gently stir it all around a bit. I find a long plastic chopstick works best for this task, but a thin wooden spoon, or a long “milkshake” one, will work, too. Cover the container, either with its real cover or just a piece of plastic wrap secured with a rubber band, and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Add this much cream to the dish, and start swirling! Photo by Karen Salkin.

When you’re about to eat it the next day, just stir it gently again, and then get ready to delight in the best concoction in the whole world!

This is the process to put it all together for optimum enjoyment: Pour some of the berry mixture into a low shallow small bowl. I love a medium-sized glass Pyrex sherbet-type dish. Make sure you get half berries and half berry “juice.”

Next comes the best part: very slowly pour in heavy whipping cream. No other kind of cream will do!!! (I buy one pint for one container of strawberries, and usually even have a tad leftover!) And then sit back and feel your mouth water as you see it all swirl together. (I’m having trouble getting through writing this without drooling on the keyboard, as a matter of fact.) Continue swirling and then savor small spoonfuls and enjoy!!!

The overhead view of the strawberries and cream starting to be swirled together. (I’m sure your mouth is watering right now!) Photo by Karen Salkin.

You can enjoy this deliciousness anytime, especially as a luxurious summer breakfast, or a classy poolside snack. But with today being National Strawberries and Cream Day, there’s no better time for this delicacy, right?

I allow myself to have this supreme treat only once a year, while watching Breakfast At Wimbledon, (which is the moniker of those famous tennis Finals,) because it’s soooo calorie-laden. But now that I know about this special day, I plan to have it today, as well. (Believe me—I could eat Strawberries and Cream every day!!!)

I hope you’ll all love this beautiful refreshment as much as I do. And Happy National Strawberries and Cream Day, everybody!

This week features a couple of National Days that I thought you might like to be aware of.

Such a famous children’s book!

First up is today’s National Clean Your Room Day. But if I were truly celebrating that action, I couldn’t do it for just one day–I’d need a year! Mr X is probably laughing reading this—he knows it’s more like a decade! I’ve just spent fourteen months in lockdown and not one room in our house is much the better for it. (I’m proud to say that one closet is, though.)

I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this on INAM before, but Mr. X and I are the all-time champions of the old TV game show, Tattletales! If you’re not familiar with it, it’s sort of like The Newlywed Game, but for celebrity duos. (And we didn’t have to be newlyweds or even married.) There were three couples on each week, competing against each other, and we won money for our cheering sections in the audience. Mr. X and I missed only two questions out of five shows and one test show, (which was to make sure that our headphones were working, and that we knew how to play the game.) And one of the most memorable questions they asked the guys was, “Friends call to say they’re on the way over unexpectedly–does she fix the house or her face?” Without skipping a beat, Mr. X said, “For Karen to fix the house, they’d have to be coming from Pluto, so she would definitely fix her face.” The audience was hysterical, thinking he was doing a bit, but here we are all these years later, and the situation is the same as it was back then–they would indeed have to be coming from Pluto. Or at least Mars, (which at this point is possible!!! Thank goodness we’re not friends with any astronauts!) [Note: I’ll try to tell you the entire Tattletales story down the line, most likely in my book of personal celebrity experiences that I’m writing.]

Getting back to the present, if you’re a kid who needs a Mother’s Day do-over from yesterday, (as I occasionally have done for my birthdays, if a boyfriend messed-up on the actual date,) that’s what you can do for your mom a day late—clean your room! (And trust me—get in the habit of doing it now!)

Now let’s move on to tomorrow’s National Eat What You Want Day. That occasion might be special at any other time in history, but right now, isn’t that what most of us have been doing for over a year? I keep hearing complaints about the “Covid Nineteen,” which means that people have gained that many pounds during lockdown! No one can be blamed for that, though—they weren’t been being seen by many, and were nervous wrecks the whole time, so they pigged-out behind closed doors for lo those many months.

So this year, this National Day is for the people who, like me, have been eating pretty healthfully during the lockdown. I had to learn to cook in a hurry, and came up with delicious dishes that were mostly vegetarian, with no red meat, white rice, white flour, white pasta, and rare sugar. So you know it, my honeys—I’m going to for sure eat what I want tomorrow!!!

If only MY mess was as organized as this one!

And then I’ll start looking forward to a week from today because it will be…Pack Rat Day. Now there’s something I celebrate all the time! (While Mr. X’s blood boils!) But when it’s truly safe to be near others, (and touch cash!,) keep an eye out for the amazing garage sales I’m going to have!

When all those National Days are over, I think I’ll start campaigning for a National Cut Your Hair Day! I hope it comes soon because after a year and a half with no salon visits, I’m sitting on my luxurious locks! I’m still a bit concerned about being so near someone else right now, (which it’s impossible to not be while getting your hair cut,) so I may just need a special day to nudge me into doing it.

What National Day(s) would you like to see? Please share your thoughts (serious and joking) in the Comments section below.

I’m actually excited about this National Day! National Tea Day is giving me the opportunity to discuss the various tea meals that one can have over the course of the day, and make sure that everyone knows the correct monikers for each. No matter how much I know about any other subject in life, “taking tea” is one that I am a true expert in!

I adore this picture of Queeen Elizabeth looking so happy with her cuppa and bouquet!

National Tea Day is always celebrated on April 21st, which, coincidentally, (or not,) is Queen Elizabeth’s birthday. She’s ninety-five today. I wonder if she’ll be taking tea to celebrate it in this very sad and stressful time for her. If she does, I hope it soothes her soul, as it always does mine.

Before we get to my tea “lesson,” I want to share one little personal note. I’m always proud when a friend calls that they’re on the way over, and I have enough ingredients on hand to whip-up some semblance of tea meal to offer them at a moment’s notice. (Just not this past year, of course, and for the foreseeable future, as well.) One time a friend whose parents are British actually asked if she could come over for crumpets, of all things. And guess what? I had them! I had just bought my first (and only) batch of them the day before!

My favorite tea repast is Afternoon Tea. Unfortunately, very many people, who think they’re being classy, refer to this meal as “high” tea. They must have been high when they first heard about it because what we have as an afternoon treat is far from being “high tea.” I’ll get to the difference in a minute, because I have be very proper here and go in the order of the day.

Part of an Afternoon Tea I threw for a few of my friends several Easters ago. Photo by Karen Salkin.

But first, let me define a few tea terms for you:

Taking Tea—This is how the British refer to having one of the tea meals, as opposed to “having” tea.

Cuppa—Just the Brits’ way of saying “cup of,” but it makes it a bit more interesting.

I’d love to be at this Tea!

Clotted Cream—The most incredible substance on earth!!! And no, it’s not even close to whipped cream. It’s thick and spreadable and delicious. You can always make a version of your own, (as I have been known to do occasion,) but the official one is best. (Devonshire Cream and Double Cream are in the same category and are just about as heavenly.)

Crumpet—This is a small griddle cake, which is kind-of spongey in consistency, and is far different from a scone, which is much drier.

Teddy Bear Tea—A tea meal for children.

Two of the Royals, William and Kate, taking tea, most likely with honey and milk.

This last one is not a definition, but I’m advising that the Royals are known to take their tea with honey and milk, just as I do!

Now let’s get to the various times of day and what to partake of during them:

Elevenses—Guess when this one is taken? It’s at 11AM, of course! Duh. It’s just a short break with a tiny snack to get you through the day, when your energy may be waning a tad. It’s basically just a cuppa with a small snack, such as a biscuit or crumpet. Nothing fancy or heavy.

Cream Tea—This one is a more filling snack than Elevenses, but not even close to being full Afternoon Tea. It’s usually taken as an afternoon snack, when one is going to have an early dinner later. It consists of a cuppa, (of course,) and a scone with clotted cream and jam, preserves, or marmalade. I could have this semi-meal every day of my life! I don’t even love tea itself, but use it as an excuse to feast on the best substance on earth—true clotted cream! OMG!

The dessert portion of a very big tea party I attended at a swanky hotel. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Afternoon Tea–This is an absolutely glorious meal! If ever you want to do something special for yourself, having Afternoon Tea is the way to go. It’s absolutely scrumptious and soooo relaxing. (When done correctly, of course.) It’s served ideally between 2-4PM, but can really stretch from 1-5, if need be. My favorite way to be served this one is in courses, but, because it involves soooo much preparation, most tearooms just serve all the courses on a three-tiered tray. First up is finger sandwiches, followed by (hopefully warm) scones with clotted cream and some sort of preserve or lemon curd or both, finishing up with either small desserts or one or two slices of cake. (I once also served giant strawberries, with vanilla and cinnamon whipped cream that I made from scratch!) And, of course, at least one pot of hot tea, usually in a variety of flavors. On occasion, it can be served with a glass of champagne or sherry, and be made even more sumptuous by including a soup and/or salad, and perhaps a bite-size quiche or other hot tidbit. Even though it’s usually considered to be a bridge to dinner, I’ve never been able to consume even one more morsel after dining on all this loveliness. And, if you’re having it all at a classy establishment, such as an upscale hotel, the repast might be accompanied by a harpist or pianist. At the very least, there should be recorded peaceful classical music playing.

Some of the desserts from my same Easter Afternoon Tea. Photo by Lucia Singer.

High Tea—We finally get to this one, that most people in America are unaware of.
High Tea is basically a hearty supper that’s eaten after 5PM, and consists of mainly “peasant” dishes, such as sausage rolls, crusty bread, and meat pies. It also features stronger, more basic teas themselves; no frou-frou white grapefruit-vanilla type choices.

The overhead view of a colorful late night tea party I whipped-up for Mr. X and me to watch one of the Royal Weddings. Photo by Mr. X.

So there you have it! Your tea education is now complete! Well, almost. When I finally finish and publish my Tea Book, you’ll find-out about the different kinds of tea themselves. And I’ll tell you how all these meals came about, and offer some awesome recipes and serving suggestions.

But this is more than enough info for you to celebrate National Tea Day, don’t you think? And no matter how you take yours, I wish you enjoyment!

Happy National Tea Day, lovies! And Happy Birthday, Your Majesty!

There’s not really anything profound to say about National Wear Your Pajamas To Work Day; it just struck me as amusing, so I decided to commemorate it.

Amusing because that situation has been every day for the past year for just about everybody, (except for frontline workers, of course.) And actually, PJs have been my work attire for the past eleven years!!! Who gets dressed to write on their computer all day?

When I started writing for People.com several years ago, I actually thought that I would be going into their office every work day, and I had visions of all the fun outfits I would wow my colleagues with. But then I found-out I would be working from home, and those fashionable thoughts went out the window. I went directly from bed to my desk each day, and Mr. X would always laughingly chide me, “Going to work now?”

At the time, I was also the restaurant critic for two publications, and had columns at a couple of other websites. It was a crazy time. And conducted entirely in my PJs! That was such a difference from doing my former TV show, Karen’s Restaurant Revue. Not only did I plan a new fabulous outfit for each episode, but I was dressed fully and wonderfully every day and night to live the experiences I talked about on the show! Dressing great was my thing back then. And those times are worlds away from how I’ve been attired to work for the past thirteen months. (And counting.)

Even Jimmy Kimmel, my favorite current talk show host, has gotten in on the fun on occasion. (And by the way–I own tons of PJs that are similar to his.)

But two episodes of my show would have qualified to be celebrated for National Wear Your Pajamas To Work Day because I did them…in my PJs! That’s right; weird, but true. One was when I was home with the flu, and had tried to cancel my taping for that night. I had let the audience know not to come, but then the studio called and said they’d take away my time slot if I didn’t show up right away! Lovely, right? (That was in the primitive days of hyper-local TV.) So a friend picked me up, and I went straight into the studio with no make-up, rocking my PJs and robe, and I used my comforter as the tablecloth!!! Not my most shining moment.

But the one that has since become a classic is what everyone refers to as my “Sick In Bed” show. Again under threat of losing my coveted time slot, I had to come up with something, and this time I was waaaay too sick to leave the bed, let alone my apartment. Mr. X had recently filmed me interviewing a bunch of notable-at-the-time celebs (Mr. T, Shaft‘s Richard Roundtree, Flash Gordon himself Sam Jones, the Hudson Brothers, and some soap opera dudes,) at a celebrity charity softball game he was playing in, to show at some later unknown date. So, when my illness presented the opportunity, he filmed me in bed introducing the clips, and then put it all together into a complete show. When I got better and saw the tape, I was appalled. But my viewers loved it! Whenever I guested on a talk show after that, the producers always requested to use a clip of that one. I agreed only one time, (for The Phil Donahue Show,) as long as they also included a clip of my mother on my show, because the sick-in-bed one was really a one off and sooo not representative of what my show really was like. (Actually, neither was the one with my little mo, but I wanted to show her on national TV, and that was my way of doing that.)

Karen Salkin hard at work in her latest PJs and clown slippers.(Yes, her desk was a mess that day!) Photo by Mr. X.

Getting back to National Wear Pajamas To Work Day, the great news for me is that I have loads of fun pajamas! Loads of them! The bad news is that only Mr. X gets to enjoy me wearing them. But there have been a couple of exceptions; over the years, I’ve hosted a couple of honest-to-goodness PJ parties, and my friend Heidi throws a pajamas-only brunch at the beginning of each year. I was thrilled when she even organized it as a Zoom fete this New Year’s Day, even though the assemblage was deprived of feasting their eyes on my very colorful footwear. (They were clown shoe slippers, from the actual circus!)

I actually wore another pair of crazy slippers to…review a restaurant in New York! Here’s the short version: On my first night in New York about four years ago, my friend Lauren and I attended a gorgeous charity event. I was wearing a pair of very fragile Italian flats that were not made for gallivanting around the city. I had already been standing long enough at the cocktail portion of that event, and couldn’t do it anymore. So I apologized to the PR rep, and said that I couldn’t stay for the dinner. Being the fabulous public relations person that she is, she quickly sent me to one of the casual eateries she represented instead. But I still couldn’t stay in those shoes for much longer.

My adorable Little Lulu slippers from NY! (Worn with my blue silk pajamas, of course.) Photo by Karen Salkin.

So on the way to the very restaurant, Lauren and I went stopped at her nearby apartment to change out of our fancy attire. I fit into pants and a top of hers, but her normal feet are at least three sizes bigger than my very petite ones, so I really couldn’t borrow a pair of her shoes. And then she had a lightbulb moment–she said, “I have the perfect little sneaker thingies you’ll love!” And she brought out a pair of giant slippers that look like Little Lulu sneakers. They’re adorbs!!! But yes, they are slippers, not shoes. Those who know me well know that I really don’t care about technicalities like that. (I once wore three belts as my birthday party outfit!) And then, as we were walking into the restaurant, a delivery guy coming out the front door exclaimed, “Nice sneaks!” I can’t believe he even spied them down there! (But they are kind-of big.) I loved getting the props right away, and I have adored that footwear ever since.

If you have any stories of wearing your pajamas to work, please share them in the Comments below. I’d love to read them.

Otherwise, just enjoy doing so today. After all, what better time to do that than on National Wear Your Pajamas To Work Day? Have a fun one!

[Note: I will be wearing a more formal pair of PJs to watch the funeral of Prince Philip at the crack of dawn tomorrow. But with a fascinator and classy gloves this time.]