Introduction The neighborhood barbecue was in just two hours, and I had absolutely nothing ready. Everyone else seemed to have been planning for days—slow-roasted ribs, … Read more
Introduction The summer I turned thirty, my neighbor watched me struggling to assemble a last-minute dish for our block party and didn’t say anything at … Read more
Introduction The other evening, I was watering my tiny herb garden on the balcony, trying not to knock over a suspiciously wobbly potted basil plant, … Read more
My roommate swore for years that nachos were just an overhyped snack, the kind of thing you order at a bar when nothing else sounds … Read more
Introduction It was 11:17 PM on a quiet Wednesday, and a fierce craving for something crunchy and tangy hit me out of nowhere. I didn’t … Read more
“Last Friday evening wasn’t supposed to be anything special. I’d just dropped by my neighbor’s place to borrow some sugar, but before I even stepped … Read more
Introduction This was supposed to be a simple spinach and artichoke dip — that’s what I had in mind when I grabbed the wrong jar … Read more
Introduction “You want some croutons with that?” my colleague Mark asked as I wrestled with a sad, soggy Caesar salad at the office potluck. He … Read more
There used to be this little roadside diner just outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, called The Painted Cactus, that made the most unforgettable cowboy caviar. … Read more
“Three Saturdays ago, I wasn’t planning on making anything fancy. I had just popped over to Jamie’s place to pick up a book I’d left … Read more
