Last week, my mom turned 70. Last month, my friend’s mom passed away suddenly. Last year, another’s died similarly. And a decade ago, another’s was permanently altered by an aneurysm, her speech, ability to eat, walk and interact with loved ones never to be the same again. These women are our quiet heroes. They changed … Continue reading
It was about 8 pm on a Monday night when I got the call. My dad was wondering how he could get a hold of my husband – a strange request, given that my dad typically calls for me, and Brandon was at work on a deal. I suggested he try his cell phone but … Continue reading
Let’s Make Candy Clay Hearts for Valentine’s Day and Other Recipes From Our Past! We Loved to Cook in the 1970s (December 2012) is a wonderful book you’ve never heard of. You’ve never heard of it because it is unpublished, existing only in a single, handwritten, spiral-bound copy in Sacramento, California. The book belongs to … Continue reading
My hiatus from this blog has been longer than I expected. This is why: Sadie, my first child, was born in April, and in the months leading up to her birth, and those since, I’ve been a bit preoccupied with her existence. On the topic of this blog, early pregnancy cravings were quite focused on … Continue reading
Writing a book is hard work. Both slow and harried at once, the process can feel somewhat endless – especially if balancing a totally separate, full-time job at the same time. There are moments of great meaning, when interviewing featured subjects or settling on the perfect sentence construct, or, especially, when submitting the repeatedly proofed … Continue reading
Continued from “Part One”… I don’t watch Martha Stewart regularly (she, in fact, makes me feel like an underachieving loser after too much viewing), but my mom does. We both think she has brilliant, if not always practical or realistic, ideas and like watching the frequently competitive interaction between her and her guests. Well, wouldn’t … Continue reading
In a bit of a divergence from the typical post, today’s is a two-parter, given the unique country from which the featured chef hails: Iceland. Consider part one a mini introduction to Ísland (for “island,” the Icelandic name of the country), while part two is all about the incredible chef I met there. Enjoy. Something … Continue reading
August 11 was my dad’s birthday and the occasion of the most recent post to this blog. Since there has been a long stretch of nothingness here since that last post, I wanted to explain why. On August 12, I learned I was pregnant. For the next three months, instead of writing, I spent many … Continue reading
I wrote the following on August 11, and shared it with my dad on paper that day. He has approved its posting… more or less. Today is my dad’s birthday. I won’t say what number it is, because he’d be displeased about that, but I will say I’m really happy to celebrate another one with … Continue reading
The air is thick and sticky in the empty afternoon dining room of his stellar first restaurant in New York’s West Village, Perilla. It’s a Friday in September of 2008, pre-service. And its owner and chief cook in command, also the first winner of Bravo’s Top Chef, Harold Dieterle (pictured right), is about to share … Continue reading
Cravings of Home 