food detective
Last weekend was a first of many. The first time my stepson and his family were visiting us in Chicago. The first time we would have a little person in our apartment (previously, pre-covid, we’ve only had a baby). And this would be my first attempt at creating a four-day menu that was completely vegan. I pride myself on being adaptable and nimble
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food detective
You know when you see people on social media, and they seem like they have it all together? I have to confess I was feeling a little high on my holiday horse and thought I’d flaunt my newly acquired baking skills for my next post. I was inspired earlier this month by the NYT’s interactive article on the 24 Days of Cookies. Being a crunchy salty
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food detective
Having five adult children, all with partners, most with dogs and two with children, coordinating the holidays could make one feel as if they were running traffic control over O’Hare. Early on my husband and I began a new tradition. If any of our children wanted to come visit, all they needed to do was pick a date and let us know what holiday they
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a moment in time
Wedding bells were ringing last week in Midway Utah. After a year of plans and pivots, my baby girl married her perfect match in the midst of the Wasatch Mountains. It was exceptional in each and every way. Most notably that our family and a handful of dear friends, all fully vaccinated, could reunite for this incredibly blessed event.
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food detective
Over the last few months there have been all of these nostalgic articles about people’s love affair with McDonald’s filet o’ fish sandwich. I don’t know when, if ever, I have gone to McDonald’s and had a filet o’ fish sandwich. Perhaps when I was a little kid. If so, it obviously didn’t make much of an impression. But all of these food writers
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
We had our second dinner party, and it was an absolute blast. Not really sure if it was truly that fun, or if it just seemed that way because we hadn’t had a new person over in well, over a year. It’s like that new mom who goes out for the first time, crams herself into an outfit she has no business wearing, and thinks she’s the life of the party
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
In a year when many have lost so much it’s difficult to give voice to the special occasions that have evaporated. Quietly everyone is grieving the loss of coming together and celebrating life’s milestones. How many times have we had to plan, cancel, regroup, and reboot? Virtual stand-ins have surely fallen flat. My heart sank a bit when my youngest
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cooking for one... or two
A dear friend is writing her second book. She reached out because she hit a roadblock and wanted my opinion. She is brilliant in the way she can take extremely complex topics and break them down in a way that ordinary people can grasp. Her dilemma was between being “true” to the essence of her subject and being perceived as dumbing it down so the a
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food detective
I miss food trucks. They are such a bang for your buck. Getting in line behind one not only satisfies whatever you’re craving, they provide inherent camaraderie with your fellow cue-mates. An all-inclusive culinary passport, if only for the moment. Lately I’ve been transporting myself to faraway lands one recipe. As we near the one-year mark of
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food detective
Why are the simple things often the most difficult to replicate? Take salad dressings. I’ve pretty much mastered a perfect balsamic vinaigrette, a creamy caesar dressing, a wonderful emulsified dressing you can make for a crowd, and a nostalgic thousand island. You can find them all by clicking on the “recipe” tab on the upper right bar of this
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Wherever I find myself, I’m happiest with a full dining room table. As a former professional chef and caterer I want to share what I’ve learned over the past three decades of entertaining. On this site you’ll find tricks of the trade to help even the most harried of you pull off a seemingly seamless fête. Come join the conversation! read more →