[Lunch, August 2008.]
Last night I dashed home from the gallery, where I’d had two (small!) glasses of sparkling wine in quick succession at a closing party, so I could meet my friend for a late dinner. We made: a shallot, broccoli, and potato soup simmered in a bit of vegetable broth and seasoned with [...]

[Plums, July 2008.]
It’s true, I haven’t been doing a whole lot of cooking lately. All I seem to want to do is watch the Olympics (swimming! and track is so soon!) and text message and go to the beach and eat cherry plums (see above) and go to baseball games (Sunday’s game [...]

1. Invite family and friends who are family. Think about the menu a few days in advance, and make up a list of ingredients (not only does it keep you organized, it’s very satisfying). Plan to buy most of your vegetables at your Saturday farmers’ market the morning of, but also check out [...]

[Cobbler, before the oven, July 2008.]
Well, that was an inauspicious 4th. I baked brownies, zipped up my jacket tight against the chilly breeze, wished for a sun that never made an appearance, and took them to a party where I ate: grilled veggie burgers, cupcakes, and quesadillas (not necessarily in that order). I [...]

[Logan's cake, June 2008. Photo by Randy.]
The candles are blown out, the wine bottles emptied, and the dishes — hopefully; I didn’t stay to see — put away. Today I went to Armstrong Woods and picnicked under the redwoods, in all their cool, stately quiet. It was warm in the sun, and I [...]