Appetizers

My roommate swore she hated anything fried for years. Seriously, she claimed it was just too greasy, too heavy, not worth the guilt. Then one … Read more

My friend Max had sworn off figs for years. “Too sweet, too seedy, too weird,” he claimed every time they came up at dinner parties. … Read more

Introduction It was 11:17 PM on a random Wednesday, and the craving for something bright and fresh hit me like a lightning bolt. I didn’t … Read more

Last summer, while juggling a dozen things at once in my tiny kitchen, my neighbor watched me struggle with a jar of pickles that just … Read more

The office potluck was in less than two hours and I’d completely blanked on bringing anything. Everyone else was showing up with these fancy, multi-step … Read more

Introduction “The power went out halfway through making dinner last Thursday,” and honestly, it turned out to be one of those moments where something unexpectedly … Read more

Introduction There used to be this little seaside café tucked away on a bustling boardwalk in Santa Cruz that made the most unforgettable watermelon feta … Read more

Introduction This was supposed to be a straightforward tomato salsa experiment. I grabbed what I thought was a ripe tomato from the farmer’s market basket, … Read more

“Why can’t you just toss in the bacon right from the pan, Grandma?” my niece asked one Sunday afternoon as I was carefully frying up … Read more

Introduction The neighborhood block party was in less than two hours and I’d totally blanked on bringing an appetizer. Everyone else was rolling in with … Read more