My friend Jackie and I have had numerous cooking dates while stuck at home with sick kids. We’ve been doing this for years now and have avoided the feeling of isolation that often comes from being trapped in the house for days with feverish children glued to the TV. Jackie was the first to brave ...
Kitchen Chronicles
The Journey is the Reward
Planning a big event is often emotional, as it’s over as quick as it seems it started. My father taught me long ago to enjoy the process, sharing his wisdom that the journey is the reward. So, for my son’s Bar Mitzvah celebration this past weekend, I took that profound thought to heart and tried to ...
Cooking With Friends, Emily Post Style
As the gal in charge of Cooking With Friends, I’m privy to a lot of information; in person feedback from friends, behind the scenes e-mails from Cooking With Friends fans and of course, my own personal experience. Like everything else in life, there are certain rules of etiquette that apply to the ...
Pesto Fest
I was thrilled to participate in a pesto making session last Friday for my daughter’s school. Sabina, an avid gardener and fellow mom, has slowly but surely been teaching the school children how to plant, grow and then eat various fruits and vegetables. Her influence is immeasurable, as she humbly ...
Fig Frenzy
My friend Debbie and I are crazy for figs — we eat them whole, slice them with cheese or make various delicious meals with them. Since we each had three pounds of figs, this past Thursday we decided to make some jam together. Carving out some time got a bit challenging, but we settled on an hour ...
A Week of Food Traditions
So many traditions revolve around food, shopping for ingredients, cooking and of course, eating. Sure, I have my non-food traditions, like watching the giant balloons being blown up for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. But even that usually ends with a Vietnamese feast from one of our favorite ...
Cabbage and Carrots
Cabbage and carrots. That's what I was presented with one day last week after driving my kids to and from activities all morning. I hadn't had a chance to eat lunch and was pretty much starving by the time I arrived home. In fact, on my return ride, I was concocting what I may be able to create ...
Just Peachy
Jackie had just returned from nearly three weeks away when she texted me --“Want to hang out and cook something today?” It was a muggy Monday, and I was dragging a bit, still hoping to come up with something to do with the kids. “Sure,” I said, “but there’s a catch -- we have to use peaches since ...
Summer Stories
Summer is a funny time in the kitchen, always crowded and crazy. As friends come and go on vacation, the kitchen becomes a place to catch up while cooking something quick. It’s Grand Central terminal, where friends connect, often briefly, before moving on to someplace else. This week, I got to cook ...
Pesto And More For Friends in Need
Early on this summer one of our friends was in a major accident. We're thrilled he's doing great now, the neck brace is off and the whole family is on the mend. While Alison and I have been advocating helping friends in need for years, I have to say I learned more this time than ever, as three of us ...