It’s the time of year when volunteers start preparing for a very popular Southwestern Pennsylvania tradition: the Lenten fish fry. My wife, Mary Jeanne, and I love a good fish fry, and we look forward to visiting churches, fire departments, and local clubs throughout the area. Fish fries ...

I couldn’t resist. The call of gumbo, red beans and rice, beignets and live music was too much. When my husband had a business trip to New Orleans in early February and invited me to join him for a long weekend, I gladly accepted. It had been nearly 10 years since I had visited the Big Easy ...

Every year, Southwestern Pennsylvanians look forward to the shelves of local bakeries being stocked with – and quickly emptied of – paczki, a Polish donut stuffed with rich fillings, from early January through the start of Lent. But in recent years, another decadent dessert has been ...