Apple Coffee Cake  8x8  baking pan, preheat over 350 degrees  2 cups of flour  1 1/2 cups of white sugar  1/4cup of veg oil 1/14  of melted butter  2 tsp of cinnamon 1 tsp of vanilla  1 tsp of almond extract 1/3 cup of sour cream    1 large apple, cubed ( add a handful of nuts or raisins if desired)  1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda   It is important to choose a large sweet apple  Whisk all dry ingredients  together In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients, then add them to the dry ingredients, except for the cubed apples—add them at the end. If adding nuts or raisins, you can add them to the batter. I peel the apples, although the original recipe said not to. This is a variation of the original Butter and flour your pan. I always put a piece of parchment paper on the bottom and... 02/13/2026

I am feeling so much gratitude today for Praful Thakkar. My journey with Praful began years ago in Philadelphia when he reached out while visiting for a seminar. We decided to meet in Center City for dinner, and since it was a beautiful spring or summer evening, the city was still glowing with daylight. Our evening took an interesting turn when we arrived at a highly-rated Indian restaurant he’d picked. Despite plenty of open tables, the staff tried to tuck us away in the back by the kitchen. Praful, always a man of integrity and high standards, wasn't having it. He looked at me and said, "Come on, we’re leaving." We walked down the street to another spot where the hospitality was wonderful, and we spent the night in deep conversation—he was even surprised at how much I love spicy food... 02/12/2026