I’ve been on a bit of a scone binge recently, ever since I made a batch of my cream scones with homemade lemon curd from my backyard harvest of three trees.  Scones in winter are an easy, one-bowl creation with basic ingredients many of us…

This recipe can be the start of many improvisations on its theme.  I always appreciate an easy, mix-and-match, recipe that’s built for flexibility depending upon what might be on hand. By now we have grown accustomed to making swaps to recipes, old and new, based…

2020’s Holiday Season will be different for most of us. Scaled back. Way back in our family. I usually bake in volumes (well more than usual volumes) whilst we enjoy gatherings and gifting with friends and family. Sometimes my holiday baking projects are fancy but…

Working from home for eight months at this point, and into the foreseeable future, has meant preparing lunch at home too.  Most days I cobble together a plate of leftovers, but sometimes making lunch from scratch is the way to go. Eating out for lunch…

Oven-roasted Brussels sprouts and delicata squash are a clear signal we’re transitioning from summer to autumn meals.  This is my third published recipe using delicata squash in as many years  (check out here and here for them), and we enjoy this seasonal favorite countess times…

It’s early September in Piedmont and it is rough going outside for myriad reasons.  There’s the pandemic.  Unhealthy air quality due to the wildfires.  And an excessive heat wave with record-breaking temperatures.  If there was ever a time when I had to rely upon preparing…

Over five months into the shelter-in-place, pandemic kitchen and I am missing the variety of meal options we usually enjoy.  I particularly miss shopping for foods, fresh and prepared, from the diverse variety of global foods readily available in the Bay Area. A recent craving…

Diana Kennedy is one of my culinary s-heroes.  Back in May when I learned of the opportunity to watch the documentary film Diana Kennedy:  Nothing Fancy from my pal Gabrielle, I ordered the movie rental that day (via Rafael @ Home) and signed up for…

One of the things I miss dearly from sheltering in place and physical distancing is not going to our local farmers markets.  I’m of the age where it’s better if I maximize caution in venturing out.  So, I’ve left shopping and selecting to others, most…

This is a bonafide pantry cake!  It was created as “Plan B” to my original idea for this month’s blog since the main ingredient for “Plan A” was not available due to restricted shopping and limited options.  It’s apropos to these days of sheltering-in-place with…