Eating Spring
[Spring flowers, April 2008.] When T.S. Eliot called April the ‘cruellest month’ ( breeding/ Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing/ Memory and desire, stirring/ …
Lentil Soup, Lightly Spiced
OK, so maybe I lied a little. I did make something new the other night, though admittedly it was a riff on something I’d made …
Broccoli Soup and the Met
Maybe it’s the broccoli soup recipes floating around lately, or the fact that last weekend wore me out (in a good way, but still), and …
Today
The New York Times front page story today broke my heart a little bit — this coming on the heels of “Atonment” last night — …
Welcoming the New
[Sunset, Tomales Bay, December 2007.] New Year’s Eve, late afternoon, taking the long drive through the fields to Inverness, the sun hung low and sweet …
Quinoa, for Health
Remember how I wrote that article for NPR about quinoa? And how surprised I was that so many people also share the quinoa-love (it’s still …
Setting the Scene
[Table setting, August 2007.] A good meal needs a good presentation, which is why I often spend at least 10 minutes thinking about what dish …
A Very Plummy Dessert
[The table, set for eight] Saturday morning dawned early and grey, and I ran out for a bit into the gloom for breakfast, the paper, …
Soup, Bean
[Onion and garlic for soup, June 2007] As most vegetarians know, beans are an essential part of the meat-free diet. Loaded with protein and calcium, …
Potato Soup with Bay Accents
There’s a little shoppe in the Ferry Building here in town that carries California bay laurel soap — and whenever I go through the market …