When I had a community garden plot in Washington, D.C., I was known to leave extra squashes and bags of basil on the desk chairs of my co-workers. In Denver, I gladly accepted dozens of fresh tomatoes from my neighbor Evelyn, who is great at growing tomatoes, but only likes them cooked. And now, in ...
Cucina Paradiso
Have you ever looked at a spread in a cooking magazine--say Gourmet's recent Tuscan Cucina Paradiso--and said, "I wish I was invited to (or could throw) dinner parties like that!"? I have, so I was thrilled when my friend Erica asked my husband and I to take a look at the magazine, choose a ...
On Our Bookshelf in June '09
Mix Shake Stir: Cocktails for the Home Bar by Danny Meyer An ideal choice for a Father's Day present or for the sophisticated graduate, Mix Shake Stir is a compilation of drink recipes from Danny Meyer, who runs famous New York restaurants including Gramercy Tavern and Tabla. The tried-and-true ...
Composting Together
My latest learning adventure in cooking and gardening is composting. I'd always meant to do it. Saving food scraps to create homemade vegetable garden fertilizer always seemed like a wonderful idea to me. I'd save money and make a much better use for the coffee grounds, eggshells and citrus rinds ...
Co-Living
A woman I met at a brunch last weekend mentioned she, her husband and 5-year-old had just moved into co-housing. Right next to the gorgeous Arboretum, the co-housing is 40 units of different shapes and sizes for all kinds of people in Madison, Wi, each individually owned by a person or family. It ...
The Shared Kitchen
When my friend Suzanne called to ask if she could cook over here while her kitchen was being torn up, I was thrilled. After all, I had blogged in the fall about how great it was to cook in my friends' kitchens while ours was being remodeled. It was the night before her son's birthday, and he'd ...
On Our Bookshelf in May '09
I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti: A Memoir by Giulia Melucci This delicious memoir is full of intriguing tales from the life of a dynamic single woman. The author chronicles her relationships with various men through the meals she creates. The book is a fun read chock full of simple and flavorful ...
One-Pot Wonder
We arrived home after a week away on the night before Easter. There were eggs to hide, laundry to do, and a big box begging to be opened””a Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker. Out came the glossy white baker, and into our heads popped the idea to make a one-pot Easter dinner of Cornish game hens ...
Stocking Your Pantry
One of the most important things to have when cooking with a friend (other than a good attitude and a clean dishwasher) is a well-stocked pantry. A pantry full of staples--from rice to lemons--will help you save time and money in the kitchen. You'll be able to be more flexible with your cooking, ...
On the Menu: Share the cooking to save money, build relationships
from The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Sunday, April 19, 2009 On the Menu: Share the cooking to save money, build relationships By China Millman Tough economic times often inspire creative solutions. As one example, a growing number of people are turning to communal cooking as a way not only to ...