God never closes a door. . .

but he opens a window.

The next time someone says that to me, I'm going to slam the window. And the door.

I just walked out of The Advertiser, the newspaper where I worked for 20 years, for the last time and, truly, I'm not one bit sad. It had become a very difficult place to work. I always loved the work but what went with it wasn't worth the stress. And, obviously, I can write about food without working for a newspaper.

Something happened yesterday that made me laugh out loud. A part of my "aloha" Taste section lead on Wednesday was about how much fun (and frustration) I'd had over the years finding elusive recipes for readers. I mentioned in particular one that, for some reason, has stuck in my mind for more than five years: a chocolate bar cookie called, the reader said, a Froggie.

I combed the Web, checked my hundreds of cookbooks, contacted chocolate companies and never found it.

So what appears on the fax late yesterday afternoon? A recipe for a San Francisco FOGGIE. Foggie, not FROGGIE. I'm SURE this is it because it's a clip of a story from The Advertiser in the right time frame. Thank you, S. Wood!!!!!

Now you think I'm going to share the recipe with you, right? Nope. I'm going to test it. I'm going to gather some other chocolate recipes and I'm going to make it a lead feature either on this Web site or, if I'm able to successfully negotiate a new feature in the Star-Advertiser after it opens on Monday, in that newspaper.

Meanwhile, as my Catholic teachers used to say, "possess yourself in patience." Take one Hershey bar and call me in the morning.

Is there a recipe you can't find no matter what you do? I need a substitute to obsess over now that Froggies, er, Froggies have come into my life. Send your question soon.

E komo mai!

Aloha kaua, readers. I'm Wanda Adams, soon to be formerly of The Honolulu Advertiser (which closes Sunday). I've got lots of plans for new food projects so you'll be seeing me around.

Meanwhile, here are some food photos to whet your appetite.

If the technology doesn't defeat me totally, I'll be posting here periodically to keep you up to date on my cooking discoveries, food writing projects, kitchen tips and kitty escapades. Kitties like to "help," especially when there's flour to be tracked on the floor or something delicate on the counter to be batted off or fish is involved.

Here are some recent food photos of which I'm proud. I'll be writing about all manner of Island food on this blog.

Last night, I made a rustic olive roll that I had seen on television and it was delicious and so easy, though not fast: three risings and punchings over nearly four hours. But the actual work is so easy: You make an instant yeast dough with bread flour, olive oil, yeast, salt, thyme (fresh or dried) and warm water, knead briefly, throw in whole seeded olives (both black and green or kalamata and green), rise, punch down in 30 minutes, rise, punch down in 30 minutes, rise and form into lumpy coils, brush with olive oil and scatter with Parmesan cheese, rise once more time (whew!), then bake 15 minutes at 380 degrees. I got it from the web by Master Bread Maker Didier Rosada but it's one that chef Novelle did on that cooking school show on TV. I love rustic bread. I'm going to try it with half whole wheat, add the cheese into the dough. I also added some sun-dried tomatoes (minced) because I had them. And I want to try it with flat-leaf parsley and fresh thyme, too.

I'll post a pic when I get a minute.