A funny thing happens sometimes when I go out of town for awhile. I come back and don’t know what to cook. I wander around the kitchen and peer into cupboards. The fridge is empty and nothing sounds good. I eat toasted tortillas from the...

When I first moved to Seattle I planted an herb garden and was surprised how happy it made me. No more of those overpriced bundles of herbs bought for a certain recipe and then let to wilt in the fridge. If I needed a spring of thyme or ...

This is the last photo I took of my friend Kim, one of the few I have of her. Kim was not fond of photos—and to be honest, she moved at such speed that any picture of her would likely have shown a blur of energy in motion. But this day w...

Lately I’ve been thinking about what single thing I’ve learned in the past few years has had the most impact on my cooking and eating life. I didn’t have to think long—hands down, it’s the ability to poach an egg. Baking sourdough ...

I’ve gone back to my past this month—to the place that feels like home, although time changes things and the memories I carry with me are sometimes a map that no longer fits the territory as it exists today. It happens. Still, this is th...

A few years ago I found myself hanging out at a diner in Oakland with friends from grad school (I believe there were fries involved). Eventually the conversation turned to making dinner. “Who has time to cook?” one of them said. “Yeah,” ...

By the time you read this, I’ll be on the road, heading out of town. I’ve got a bit of a trip planned—some work, some play, a lot of time to think. There’s nothing like the open road for thinking. I have a feeling IR...

The seed for this post was planted when I stopped by my friend Maggi’s loft and saw her accordion. I knew Maggi had been taking lessons, but seeing the instrument amazed me—it was so intricate and beautiful. When she picked it up a...

I was recently asked what I thought my superpower is—that skill or special quality that only you posses. The question always makes me smile. I’ve long known what my superpower is—or perhaps it’s my secret weapon. It’s t...