Birth-day, Cake
Today is my grandmother’s birthday, and she is 87-years-old! A child of the roaring 20s, she was born in Jersey City, N.J., where she still …
Comfort Among the Pots and Pans
Last night when I was cooking dinner I thought of Banana Yoshimoto’s book Kitchen, about a girl who moves in with a friend after the …
To Roast Thee is to Love Thee
My dear dressed-up cabbage flaunting your best Sunday attire, How do I love you, little cauliflower? Oh, there are many, many ways: I love you …
Hopefully not R.I.P.
Manka’s burned over Christmas and things in Inverness may never be the same. The inn and restaurant was visited by celebrities and locals alike — …
Plain and Simple (with butter and jam)
Every year around this time I begin longing for spring, and this week the longing is particularly excruciating because San Francisco is experiencing a warm …
That Elusive Spice
Any day I am able to listen to National Public Radio’s “Thistle and Shamrock” program is a good day, and when I am cooking whilst …
A New Season
This time of year we are full of virtuous promises: I resolve to be tidier and to not throw my sweater over the armchair instead …
Soup Kitchen Cooking
I highly reccommend this article about Michael Ennis, described as probably the “best soup kitchen chef in New York” in today’s New York Times. Ennis …
Festival of the Fried Foods
Last night, we made a (too-small) batch of latkes that of course were fried into crisp perfection; they were preceded by matzo ball soup, and …
Rainy Days in the City
Usually dinner is just dinner, but sometimes it’s dinner. I will lightly — and willingly — step over this fine line; it often catches me …