Appetizers

I was standing in line at the hardware store last October, holding a bag of lightbulbs and wondering why they only play that one Mariah … Read more

There used to be a tiny, quirky café in the East Village called The Witching Hour that made the most incredible savory cheese ball. It … Read more

The Sock Drawer Incident of 2019 It was October 28th, and the house smelled like burning sugar and panic. I was standing in my kitchen, … Read more

This was supposed to be a simple batch of deviled eggs for a Halloween potluck at my neighbor Carla’s place. You know the kind—classic, reliable, … Read more

My nephew asked why I couldn’t just use a cookie cutter on tortillas instead of carving each one by hand. I started to explain why … Read more

My youngest had refused anything spicy for what felt like forever. Years. I’d watch him push away tacos, ignore my chili, and pick every single … Read more

It was 11:47 PM on a random Wednesday, and I had the weirdest craving for something creamy, spicy, and totally indulgent. You know that feeling … Read more

It was last Tuesday, just as the sun was starting to dip below the roofline, casting those long, spooky shadows across the porch. I was … Read more

The old woman at the community garden didn’t say much most days. She’d just nod at me from across the tomato beds, her hands always … Read more

My niece asked me last week why I couldn’t just use black beans instead of cooking dried ones from scratch for my famous guacamole. I … Read more