My Private Wobegon

stories from home

The Cooking Circle
By Elizabeth Galo

I must have inherited
My baking prowess by osmosis.
For I cannot remember my mother
Introducing me to the chemistry
Of yeasts and flours,
Of sugar, brown and white,
And vanilla, real or imitation.
There exists not one Betty Crocker cookbook
Among my cooking soul sisters.
We share our neighborly talents
With wine and Budweiser,
Succulent pork roasts
And occasionally at three am,
Hash browns and eggs.
Together we are main course girls.
For garlic, cumin and sage
Seem better suited
To our weighty talk.
Desserts have been relegated
To Nutella with bread
And Janet's chocolate chunk cookies.
Still holidays inspire me
To rise early and bake.
Nutmeg and cinammon for pumpkin and apple pastry,
Powdered sugar and molasses,
Till the air smells more like
My mother's kitchen
Than my own.
So, my memories of the mysterious
Art of sweet things
Are like a kaliedescope,
Consisting of floury hands,
My grandmother's kolach,
And the fact that I will never top
My mother's lemon meringue pie.


Elizabeth Galo
Elizabeth currently resides in Baltimore, MD where she masquerades as an optician during the day. For her, poetry is a labor of love requiring nothing more than a pen and desire.

At the present moment she is working on a poetry collection entitled "The Glassphalt Requiem" and collaborating with another writer on an original play.

GK's New Holiday Story
A comic novella about a Hawaii-bound holiday traveler who ends up stranded in his North Dakota hometown.

Read or Listen to the first chapter»
Audio edition also available»

Western Caribbean Cruise

The Prairie Home cruise has become legendary on two of the Seven Seas and now is setting sail on a third, a weeklong spring break cruise of the western Caribbean along the Mexican coast, and it leaves March 14 from Tampa.

More Information»

Pilgrims: A Wobegon Romance

Stories of a Wobegon romance far from home, all delivered with Garrison Keillor's trademark humor.

Read the first chapter»

Signed Copies Available»

Life Among the Lutherans

The latest collection of Lake Wobegon short stories gathered from live broadcasts include Confirmation Sunday, the church directory photos, Pastor Ingqvist's leather bound sermons along with song lyrics and the "95 Theses," among others. Companion audio also available.

Order now!»
American Public Media © |   Terms and Conditions   |   Privacy Policy