Engagement Chicken and the Myth of Complicated Hospitality

Engagement Chicken and the Myth of Complicated Hospitality

There are certain dishes that look far more intimidating than they actually are. Roast chicken is one of them. It arrives at the table golden and glistening, perfumed with lemon and herbs, crisp-skinned and deeply comforting. It feels like something a French...
The Legend of Frieda’s Strawberry Cake

The Legend of Frieda’s Strawberry Cake

There are five birthdays in my family in the month of February and almost always this strawberry cake is requested.  My brother Jim and Mother loved it, too, when their April and August birthdays came ’round.  And it’s my nephew’s go-to dessert as...
Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes – The Way Mother Made Them

Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes – The Way Mother Made Them

It’s winter, and I love getting in the kitchen to make comfort food. Warming up the house with the heat from the oven – leaving it slightly open when I turn it off to give warmth to my bones. I craved potatoes recently, and not baked or fried, but...
Cranberry Christmas Cake

Cranberry Christmas Cake

There’s something quietly powerful about a homemade food gift. No receipts. No guesswork. Just time, care, and a little butter on your fingertips. A Cranberry Christmas Cake isn’t just a dessert—it’s a gesture. It says I thought of you, I wanted to nourish you, I...