For Dan Whalen, Comfort Food Is Doubly Tasty

This locally stuffed pasta was an annual holiday tradition of the Whalen family, who purchased large orders of handmade tortellini to go in a special soup served on Christmas Eve. Thousands of pieces of pasta later, Dan Whalen, 30, founder of the blog Thefoodinmybeard.com, decided to take matters into his own hands and make the family favorite himself. Today, Whalens recipe for homemade tortellini is one of 60 stuffed foods featured in Stuffed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Cookbook. While the homemade tortellini soup is arguably one of the tamest dishes in the cookbook, each recipe is easy to follow and clearly described in the tone of a helpful, albeit more gastronomically-gifted, friend. The author, chef and menu designer of Cafe Burrito on Trapelo Road, offers inventions like meat-wrapped corn on the cob (he happened to have all the ingredients on hand and put them together), and mac and cheese-stuffed burgers (another favorite). Stuffed is arranged in six parts with categories like stuffed pasta and rice, stuffed veggies and fruit, and stuffed meats. At first, Whalen had trouble coming up with a complete concept for his cookbook and his first proposal was turned down. After some brainstorming, he realized that the presentation of food was just as important as the food itself. The assembly of stuffing food into other food, he says, helped incorporate all the styles of recipes that he wanted to feature, including signature dishes from Thai, Mexican, and Indian cuisines. His experience blogging gave him a solid base of ideas for his book, but only 20 or so recipes were featured on his blog. The rest are new ideas that he decided to try: Cuban sandwich empanadas, chicken pretzington, and cherry pie-stuffed chocolate cake. Whalen, a Springfield native, studied computer science at Bentley, then worked in IT in Boston and later moved to work in Bermuda with his girlfriend. With little access to the good restaurants and high-quality ingredients found in the states, he started cooking at home and learning to be flexible in the new kitchen. He launched the blog in 2008 as a food diary to help them remember their culinary discoveries while living on the island.
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my Experience Visiting A Fortune Teller

"Can a fortune teller really read my fortune?" "Should I visit a fortune teller?" I often get those types of questions from my friends when they learn that I delve into mysticism and the occult. I would often tell them my interesting story visiting a fortune teller when I was a teenager.

It was a hot summer evening down South. My friends and I wanted some excitement in the last days of our vacation before we entered high school. There happened to be a fairground in town, so we decided to go there and have fun. I was dressed in a tank top and shorts, and was barefoot. You can often see me that way even today. There was a tent that caught my attention. It had a sign in the front saying "Have a world famous fortune teller read your future." What a bunch of nonsense, I thought. However, being an adventurous and rebellious teen I decided to go in and see what this fortune teller was like, and even planned on asking some silly questions to make fun of them.

My friends were more interested in trying their luck at winning some stuffed animals in the game arcade, so I walked into the tent by myself. There was a middle-aged woman dressed like a Gypsy, wearing a colorful gown and headscarf, and all kinds of strange jewelry. I figured that she was the fortune teller but wondered if she was a real Gypsy, though. The woman looked really funny and I couldn't help giggling, but I quickly covered my mouth pretending to cough.

The fortune teller looked up and greeted me, "Hello there, young lady. If you would have a seat, I'd be right with you." So, I sat down and propped my feet up on an adjacent chair. Then I heard a loud yell: "Hey, get your dirty feet off my chair!" "Oops, sorry mam" I said sheepishly. Looking at the indignant expression on the fortune teller's face, I tried hard not to giggle again.

So she pulled up the chair and sat facing me. Before she even asked me any questions, the fortune teller gave me a summary of my emotional state at the time. She said I recently broke up with my boyfriend whom I considered the love of my life, and there was a deep sadness within me. I was stunned. How did she know that? Before I had the chance to recover, the fortune teller went on to tell me that I would not get back with him. Well, that did it for me, for I was hoping to hear the opposite.

I just couldn't contain it anymore and started sobbing in front of the fortune teller. To make matters worse, I didn't have any tissue and neither did she (you would think she would be prepared, right?). So, I had to wipe my tears and runny nose with my shirt. How embarrassing! I felt like the fortune teller turned the table on me. I was planning to make fun of her, and was giggling just a few minutes ago, but now I was the one who felt humiliated.

Nevertheless, the fortune teller became compassionate. She tried to comfort me and told me that the universe had something better in store for me. She said I shouldn't worry about the guy I just broke up with because I was going to meet the real love of my life. I would marry this soul mate of mine, a handsome man, and have children. We would drive a big van and live happily by the ocean. I didn't really believe her words though, as I thought she was just saying those things to make me feel better.

As I met back with my friends outside I told them what a great experience it was. "This Gypsy fortune teller looked into her huge crystal ball and told me I would meet my Prince Charming, and we would live happily ever after by the ocean." We all had a good laugh and continued our fun evening at the fairground.

The events that unfolded following my encounter with the fortune teller were nothing short of amazing, even bizarre. A few months later I heard my old boyfriend had gotten back with his previous girlfriend and married her. Not long after that, I met another guy. He was a few years older than I and was really gorgeous. We developed a very passionate relationship. However, my parents disapproved of our relationship since there were a few things about him they didn't like.

The words of the fortune teller stuck in my mind, however. Although I said I didn't believe her, deep down I kept hoping she was right and this guy would be the love of my life. So I decided to leave my parents and run away with him. We lived together in his beat-up old van that he parked near the beach. It was a lot of fun in the beginning, and I was having the time of my life.

One day I learned that I was pregnant. I told my boyfriend and he freaked out. I was still a minor at the time and I couldn't get an abortion without parental consent. My boyfriend said he wasn't ready to have a child. Being scared and confused, he took the easy way out and left me. So much for being a soul mate. So, I decided to have the baby and my parents were gracious enough to let me move back in with them, although my dad really let me have it.

So, did the fortune teller's predictions come true? Well, in a twisted sort of way. Would I visit a fortune teller again to have my future told? At this point I would say no. I believe we shape our own lives with our thoughts and actions. Today my little daughter and I are enjoying our lives to the fullest, and believe wonderful things always lie ahead of us. We don't need a fortune teller to tell our fortune since we know all is well.

Yes, there are legit fortune tellers and psychics who can read your future based on the vibrations that they sense at the time, and I can't discredit them. In addition, some people find comfort in hearing of their good fortune. That in itself will set their vibration to a higher level, which will help them get what they want. However, if you can train yourself to raise your own vibration, you won't need to see a fortune teller.

So, you decide for yourself whether or not to see and trust a fortune teller. If you decide to see one though, you should do your homework first so you don't fall prey to scam artists who are just after your money.