Appetizers

The Halloween party was in four hours and I’d completely forgotten. I mean, I’d remembered to buy the candy for the trick-or-treaters, picked out my … Read more

My neighbor Grace watched me hauling a bag of organic bread flour out of my car last Tuesday and didn’t say anything at first. Then … Read more

My brother-in-law asked why I couldn’t just throw everything in a slow cooker instead of fussing with the oven. I started to explain why that … Read more

My neighbor Carlos wasn’t trying to impress anyone. I’d stopped by to borrow his extension ladder on a sleepy Tuesday afternoon, and the smell hit … Read more

There used to be a tiny deli on the corner of Elm and 4th in my old neighborhood that made the most incredible pickled tomatoes. … Read more

I had refused to make a fruit salad for a dinner party for, oh, about a decade. Honestly, I thought they were boring—a sad pile … Read more

Last Saturday afternoon, my neighbor watched me fumble with a wobbly stack of crackers and uneven slices of cheese, clearly unsure how to arrange them … Read more

Last Saturday afternoon, I was juggling grocery bags in a crowded parking lot when the sharp tang of vinegar and smoky spices from a nearby … Read more

My neighbor watched me wrestle with my slow cooker one humid Saturday afternoon and didn’t say anything at first. Then, without missing a beat, she … Read more

The other Saturday, I was wandering the aisles of my local grocery store, trying to decide what to bring for a friend’s game day gathering. … Read more