
Nothing beats a hot, fresh loaf of homemade bread, but nothing else seems quite as intimidating on a weeknight. Three separate rises, with folds in between? Oven preheating and a long baking time to get that crust just right? I…

The first month I did an update post, I jetted off across the country, took the most time off work I have since I graduated college, and got a new job. I think I may have sent expectations too high….

You hear about poisonous mushrooms and berries and all that jazz, but kidney beans? Yes, as it turns out. Raw kidney beans contain very high levels of phytohaemagglutinin, a protein that wreaks havoc on cell walls and cell metabolism. But…

I have a very vivid memory of eating at an Indian restaurant in Amsterdam with my family. The night was dark and rainy so our warm, bright table by the window felt like a cheerful refuge from the dreary outside…

I won’t lie to you: gnocchi are a little tricky. They need some time and some love, and approximately every bowl in your kitchen. But for all of their intimidating reputation, these fat little potato pillows were actually pretty fun…

My childhood home had a built-in stepstool in the kitchen that pulled out like a drawer, which was, of course, directly in front of the mixer. I’m not sure if my parents were encouraging independence or resigned to the fact…

This one is for my dad, who makes fun of me for carrying McGee with me whenever I travel and then peppers me with food science questions that I need to look up (immediately) in my reference book of choice….

There’s something about fizz that just makes any drink more fun. Champagne feels so much more exciting than regular old wine, and I don’t know anyone who wants to drink a flat soda. Bubbles feel like magic. So how do…

I’m a big fan of the neighborhood coffee shop. I think I get it from my dad, who’s such a connoisseur of cafes in the Portland area that my sisters and I will call to give him our location and…