My office is in a kitchen. Oh, I know. Hundreds of writers have their offices at the kitchen table. Mine, however, is in a culinary center known as the Kitchens of The Food Channel (see our virtual tour for the full picture). It means I work amidst amazing smells, the clinking of pans, the whistling of chefs and the continual stream of people through the doors as we host visiting clients and guests. It also means I get fed from the leftovers pretty often. And let me tell you, we have some great leftovers!

Today, for example. There were people in for a breakfast meeting. Oatmeal with brown sugar, cranberries and pecans. Cracked wheat toast with delicious whole-berry jam. Egg souffles from Panera Bread. Strawberries and blackberries and bananas. Thank heavens I hadn’t eaten at home.

Then, when lunchtime rolled around, our chefs rolled out a huge pot full of potato and corn chowder made with cream, butter and everything else that is good. I topped it off with bacon bits. OK, so I’m not a size 2, and never will be.

After a day like today, I won’t be cooking at home. My husband is used to scrounging, although any leftovers he finds simply cannot compare to those of the Kitchens of The Food Channel.

With luck, there will be more tomorrow.