Edible stories told here
Sunny weekend. Fuel needed for yard work. My usual craving for cheese. I could eat cheese with every meal. Quick forage through the refrigerator. Oh look there’s that half of an avocado that I forgot about. Perhaps this was extra delicious because it was the first meal of the season eaten Al Fresco- out under […]
The Pillsbury Bake Off deadline for submissions is approaching and my brain is jumbled with ingredients haikus: limited ingredients, limited time, and an unexpected twist at the end. Buttermilk Biscuits and an item from list B Million dollar wow Last night I was standing outside watching the moon blur and sharpen with the passing clouds, […]
I must be getting old, I’m craving greens for St. Patrick’s day. Spring greens. Chives from the garden. Watercress from the farmers market. Avocados from Mexico. Though I’ve always considered it a stay at home holiday- roving bands of amateur drunks scare me. I’m happy to stay home and worry not one whit whether I’ll […]
What is it about Macaroni and Cheese? It’s my happy food. My ‘it’s all better now’ snack. My ‘I can’t decided what to make for dinner’ dinner. I even like the vegan variety which, in truth, tastes nothing at all like mac and cheese but is still comforting just in its similarity. I don’t remember eating […]
No one taught me how to make pie crust (or pate brisee). Throughout my twenties I viewed pastry crust as a mysterious shadow figure made by others, crafted only by people who wore aprons. I’m no expert but, despite my ineptitude and impatience, my food processor allows me to make consistently flakey and tasty […]
I made this sorbet a month or so ago but then the arctic blast came and I thought who wants sorbet during a snow storm? I know, it’s only winter in the northern hemisphere but are there pears in Australia? Yes Virginia there are pears in Australia (thanks Internets)! Not that I used actual pears […]
I first had a variation of this years ago at a restaurant in Brooklyn. Over the years it has varied depending on the veggies on hand. Always onion. Red pepper only when organic is on sale. I love the combo of flavors and textures. A little creamy a bit of crunch- heat from the harissa, […]
I have been bad. Not putting up a new prompt, not even finishing my own assignment for last week. Why do I think of it as an assignment? I treat writing like an onerous task that I dread but the truth is the process is fun. I like to write but I don’t know what […]
This complex and flavorful homemade granola with ginger and apricot is the perfect solution to the overly sweet granolas found in the grocery store. Make a big batch and store it in an airtight container and you’ve not only saved big bucks but managed to make something delicious and actually pretty nutritious. I’ve included a […]
Sunday night and the refrigerator is a jumbled mess of leftovers. Just a cup of this or a bowl of that, one sausage link– all the little bits that are apparently only visible when I open the refrigerator and immediately disappear if anyone else goes hunting for a snack. I guess it’s time for a […]
I had every intention of posting a holiday specific post. Something sweet. Something heart-shaped. But that would be a lie.
For today’s prompt I thought it might be interesting to write a quick story from two perspectives- the same character’s POV but once with a heart full of pleasure and once without daffodils.
Portland got its (semi) annual snow storm over the weekend so rather than brave the icy/slushy streets (nothing is plowed but the main roads and according to the internets 90% of the roads will never get plowed) we stayed home and I made cocktails with what was in the cupboard.
Jim’s grandfather was a POW in WW2. He lost an eye, but that was later. While in the camps he ate only rice and prayed for the souls of his captors. Forgiving the Japanese was what kept him alive, he said, kept him alive then and kept him alive now. His grandfather learned to […]
Sometimes during the depth of winter it can be hard to image that spring will ever come. Using the image to help inspire you, reflect on that moment when you (or your character) realizes that the weather (metaphoric or not) has changed. Five hundred words or less. Post your responses here or on Recipe […]
Holidays or anytime Apple Tarte Tatin baked in cast iron and made with a quick to assemble food processor Pate Brisee Dough is the dessert you can make while doing other things.
Tarts are one of my favorite things. Flakey buttery crust and what ever happens to be in season/in the fridge for filling. I don’t want to get into a debate about how to make the flakiest crust, okay, maybe I do- but I’m pretty entrenched, I’d need physical proof to convince me that there is […]
What to do when the morning has slipped away and guests are stopping by at any moment but whip up some muffins. Because nothing says welcome like the scent of fresh baked goods. Luckily I’m the kind of gal who keeps sun-dried tomatoes on hand- ‘just in case’
You will see this cookie again, like the spiced butterscotch sauce contained within this cookie’s delectably crispy shell, it will return. Under normal circumstances I would just pack the extras off to the Mr’s office but I made no resolutions this year so I am free to experiment. So with my brain sugar glazed and […]
Breakfast packed with fiber and good fruits in under ten minutes. Blueberries and vanilla make this feel sweeter than one teaspoon worth of sugar.
Spices rule the winter season. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom. Tropical heat and heady scents captured in intensely flavorful gingersnap cookies or celebratory toasts with sweet pear nectar and homemade cardamom infused brandy. Top it all with cava for a delightful winter drink After the coffee infused rum was such a resounding success I continued […]
Ah, happy accidents. I knew I wanted to make savory monkeybread. Red and green chilies for the holiday season, perhaps a cornmeal dough to compliment the southwest flavors. The recipe I decided to adapt for the dough was for rolls, I knew there was going to be way more dough than I needed. I’ll make […]
I know, I know. Homemade marshmallows are so three years ago. But gourmet marshmallows are freaking expensive no matter how pretty they look and homemade marshmallows are like a blank canvas, the possibilities are endless.
I’ve eaten more marshmallows in the last two days than I have in years. I don’t buy things like marshmallows because then I will eat them simply because they are there. But this is different. These are for gifts. These are homemade. And they are minis, so they barely count. And… These have fresh squeezed […]
It’s been cold here this week. I’ve had to take the hummingbird feeder inside to thaw and one particularly possessive hummingbird has been guarding the nectar, dive bombing another birds that dare to sip. While cold sugar water isn’t my thing hot liquor water can be and so the winter warmers continue.
Outside frightful. Coffee infused rum, delightful. Add a frothy cloud of warm eggnog and let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. On days like this, when the roads are slick and the rooftops are white with snow, I can feel just a teensy bit less guilty for making a cocktail in the middle […]
Ah, holiday leftovers. What to do with the turkey, the ham, the cranberries? The cranberries. The delicious tart and oh so good for you cranberries. Add butter and cream of course.
I made these ages ago and I took pictures and I never take pictures of all the steps because I get caught up in the moment and my fingers get dirty and there are already enough food smudges on my electronic devices. But I did take a whole slew of pictures because this really […]
make ahead roasted cranberry sauce One cranberry sauce with booze and one without. These easy oven roasted cranberry sauces continue to be my go to cranberry recipes year after year. The best part is how simple it is to make them as much as five days ahead of time so you can save yourself one […]
Three Tips for Cooking Eggs 1) You can cook the white first. I know I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again. The yolk and the white can break up and get back together on your whim. I actually don’t do this when I’m frying eggs but I do when I’m cooking them […]
