In food, as in love, when I tend to fall I fall hard. My stomach seizes up in a fierce knot, and I find I have little appetite for anything other than coffee, wine, water, and a few slices of cheese here and there. I tell myself at these times: be still my [...]

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 [...]

[Dinner, July 2008.]
Of course I love to cook, but sometimes I love even more when I don’t have to do so — say when I’ve woken up before 6a, worked most of the day, run 4 miles, and then using what remains of my energy to plug away on something else. Tonight I am [...]

[Solo dinner, June 2008.]
Boy do I love soft serve. I love it almost as much as I love baseball — so Saturday night at the A’s game when both got together I was pretty much in heaven. If the ice cream in question was served in a little plastic baseball cap (”safe for [...]

[Dinner the other night, May 2008.]
OK, so I lied. I did soak beans the other day, but we didn’t actually eat them that same night. While they plumped up crisp and delicious, when the time came for dinner I honestly just … did not want them. Instead, I found myself staring down [...]