Just a summer plum on the kitchen counter. Taken by Jerry in New Mexico while I’m here in Boulder…. Read More...

No one was happier than I was to receive the news, directly from the chocolate-maker himself, that Askinosie was jarring up a chocolate and hazelnut spread. To make the spread, cocoa powder is made from pulverized cocoa beans sourced directly from the farmers in the Philippines, and hazelnut butter is made from nuts harvested from an orchard in the Pacific Northwest. Then they’re both ground together with a modest amount of sugar and a few cocoa beans tossed in the mix. I don’t Read More...

Spaghetti and Meatballs. Doesn’t that sound good? Simple. Classic. Comforting. Makes me want to curl up on the couch with a big steaming bowl, a bottle of wine and some old movies. It’s the little things in life. The inspiration for this comfort meal came from this recipe a friend sent [...] Related posts: Soup Season It’s turning to that time of year now when the… You say Tomato, I Say MORE Tomatoes! Is it normal that I bought 20 pounds of… Big-Ass Pot of Chili As Read More...

So, I’m finally back. After a three-month long hiatus, it feels good to blog again. Over the long-long weekend, extended by a holiday and one additional day of personal time, I took a road trip to Tagaytay with my gals from uni. It felt good to be out. To breathe crisp, cold air; laugh, drink and eat like the Italians do; sing to Mamma Mia and *NSYNC; squeal over a friend’s engagement (I knew that diamond ring meant something!). And not care about bills, the crappy internet Read More...

Each day this week we’re rounding up our favorite no-to-minimal-labor recipes for your Labor Day festivities this weekend. So far we’ve shared appetizers, salads, and grilling recipes. Today it’s time to glug it all down with something refreshing! Both boozy and virgin options included. Daiquiri: Daiquiris can be full of trouble—be careful with this one! It takes its name from the Havana bar where many a daquiri drinker, including Ernest Hemingway, got their fill Read More...

You’re going to someone’s cookout party this Labor Day weekend and the host asks you to bring sides. How do you fulfill the request and maintain your standing as a thoughtful guest? Don’t bring dishes that require finishing on the grill. If the host is grilling, the host will require as much the surface area on the grill as possible. Don’t bring food that require extra dishes or utensils from the host. Bring sides that don’t require refrigeration (save that Read More...

I bought a rubber snake at Wal Mart the other evening. It’s a habit of mine. Anytime I see rubber snakes, I see beautiful moments of sticking them between our sheets, under pillows, and in drawers—all in an effort to scare my beloved husband Marlboro Man half to death. I know it sounds strange. Dysfunctional even. But it’s how we do things.   So I put the snake in the shower yesterday afternoon and went about my business of laundry, laundry, and laundry…and I Read More...

A year and a half ago, just after we finished the Lodge, I grabbed a small stack of small square bowls while on a grocery excursion to The Wal Marts. They were inexpensive and cute (I’m a sucker for square dishes) and…well…I was at Wal Mart. The impulse buy is the name of the game there. I couldn’t have predicted how much I’d use the little bowls over the past several months. I used them the other day, when I made macaroni and cheese, and I use them for Read More...

I packed a number of things for last weekend’s getaway to Mendocino. One pair of flip-flops, one book, a stack of magazines, a bottle of bubbles, ten rolls of film, three cameras, a tripod, and a bag of limoncello macaroons. I bookmarked these Pinched Orange Macaroons a while back, and when my sister gave me a bottle of limoncello (made from lemons in her yard), I decided to do a twist on Patrick Lemble’s cookies using the homemade citrus liqueur and zest. I thought they’d Read More...

America! Here in America…[dramatic pause]…we believe in… patriotism! Integrity! Courage! We believe that Old Glory should cover not only our hearts… …but our stomachs as well. [swelling music] We believe that education and patriotic sprinkles are the bedrock of our society: But mostly the sprinkles. [music swelling further]America! We believe that the size of our cupcakes should not be defined by the size of our cups… …but by the size of our Read More...

America! Here in America…[dramatic pause]…we believe in… patriotism! Integrity! Courage! We believe that Old Glory should cover not only our hearts… …but our stomachs as well. [swelling music] We believe that education and patriotic sprinkles are the bedrock of our society: But mostly the sprinkles. [music swelling further]America! We believe that the size of our cupcakes should not be defined by the size of our cups… …but by the size of our Read More...

Oh, they’re feeling appreciated, alright. Or at least in need of some red icing. Thank goodness the Drink Club found a baker who really gets into the spirit(s): (Hey, so that’s where the missing “c” went!) Double your pleasure, double your pun: Hey, Glendale, your weight is over! The question is: how do you define, “Bigest Loser?” Say, does this next cake remind you guys of anything? Anything at all? Just curious. And finally, there are many Read More...

Oh, they’re feeling appreciated, alright. Or at least in need of some red icing. Thank goodness the Drink Club found a baker who really gets into the spirit(s): (Hey, so that’s where the missing “c” went!) Double your pleasure, double your pun: Hey, Glendale, your weight is over! The question is: how do you define, “Bigest Loser?” Say, does this next cake remind you guys of anything? Anything at all? Just curious. And finally, there are many Read More...

Kyle Cornforth, Thai corn Now in The Faster Times: Kyle Cornforth tells all about her year away from Berkeley’s Edible Schoolyard, her forays into Thai farming and cooking, and her deep worries about the future of Thai food. Read the story. Some of Kyle’s students learn that lemongrass helps deter snakes from gardens. Read More...

When I was a teenager, we made a trip to Los Angeles and a family friend took us to a Japanese restaurant. I remember it well, because I was going through that phase where you’re willing to do things on a dare, not because you’re keenly interested in new experiences, but because you want to show off that you’re not afraid of taking on a few dares. And I remember some of my family flipping out a little when we were presented with a big, shiny wooden board covered with raw Read More...

Last Saturday wasn’t exactly my day. I’ve been canning and preserving for many, many years, and consider myself familiar with the whole process – you give me fruit and I can turn it into some delicious jam without having to look up instructions or recipes. And yet, my  self-confidence didn’t prevent me from turning my kitchen into a sublime mess. Read the rest of Prosecco jelly with raspberry & passionfruit – When disaster strikes Copyright © 2010 Read More...

Last Saturday wasn’t exactly my day. I’ve been canning and preserving for many, many years, and consider myself familiar with the whole process – you give me fruit and I can turn it into some delicious jam without having to look up instructions or recipes. And yet, my  self-confidence didn’t prevent me from turning my kitchen into a sublime mess. Read the rest of Prosecco jelly with raspberry & passionfruit – When disaster strikes Copyright © 2010 Read More...

Hi Friends! Today, LMS correspondent Adam Carr gives us the low down from the SF Street Food Festival! ****** The Mission has always been a mecca for cheap, delicious food, but The 2010 SF Street Food Festival took things to a different level. Put on by La Cocina, an organization that aids low income food entrepreneurs, the [...] Related posts: Maui Edition: Kapalua Wine and Food Festival — The Grand Tasting The Kapalua Wine & Food Festival brought together food… Maui Read More...

Summertime calls for lighter fare so we can hone our buns, abs and groins of steel.  Gone are the big coats that hide our blubbery bits.  If you want to bang you gotta look bangable.  So it’s time to put the dairy and beef products aside and get healthy.  Vegan food can be boring if [...] Read More...

From Recipes [Photograph: Caroline Russock] There’s something so weird and wonderful about the combination of grilled sausages and curry-spiked ketchup that is German Currywurst. It’s one of those dishes that has intrigued me since I first heard about it. Since I have no plans to travel to Berlin anytime soon, I decided it was time to experience currywurst for myself, with the help of this recipe from strong>Planet Barbecue! by Steven Raichlen. The wurst part Read More...