I pity the man who can travel from Dan to Beersheba, and say, "'Tis all barren": and so it is: and so is all the world to him who will not cultivate the fruits it offers. -Sterne (A Sentimental Journey) via George Eliot (Daniel Deronda) During the last week of July, with the soundtrack…
Every year, when fall rolls around, I get stars in my eyes, thinking about how wonderful it would be to make apple and quince jelly, applesauce, quince paste (or membrillo, as it is often called) and all kinds of fall-inspired desserts, from apple squares to salted caramel apple pie. Then, when the reality sets in,…
This past summer, while having dinner with a friend and her parents, we started talking about the dishes that we would always ask our mothers to make when we were home visiting. For my friend, the answer came quite easily: spaghetti and meatballs. When it was my turn, however, I had to stop and think.…
"Each of us narrates our life as it suits us." -Elena Ferrante (Those who Leave and Those who Stay)A little more than two months ago, for Labor Day weekend, the Greek, Elektra and I took a weekend trip to Carmel and Big Sur. Although it will sound incredibly hyperbolic, the trip was ten shades of…
Since I last updated, I have 1) eaten my weight in soup, 2) recovered from bronchitis, 3) investigated the (unlikely) possibility of obtaining Italian citizenship, 4) worked both on a Sunday and my first 10-hour legal day (exhaustion!), and 5) voted in a dismal midterm election. Clearly, it's been a bit of a mixed bag around here. But fortunately these things,…
Lately, life has been just a touch too busy, but busy in the best possible way. Last weekend, after the Greek returned from his month of traveling, we took a trip to Carmel and Big Sur and, though it was lovely to have a moment to catch my breath, the long days spent looking at…
Fortunately, I believe that today a revival of interest in making bread is in full swing. People are learning that it is possible to make as little as one loaf at a time with a minimum of effort--or perhaps two loaves, with one for the freezer. They are also learning the extraordinary sense of satisfaction…
Among these writings was De Anima, which examined the life force in plants and animals, and it was in this book that Aristotle attempted to parse the nature of taste. He was fond of creating lists, and first and foremost on his list of tastes was sweet, which he described as pure nourishment. -Michael Moss (Salt,…
You must not ever stop being whimsical. And you must not, ever, give anyone else the responsibility for your life. -Mary Oliver (Wild Geese)A little over a week ago, I turned thirty. When it comes to the "new decade" birthdays, there's this expectation that one should do something grand, splash out and set the bar…
Riuscire meglio a pane che a farina. [To succeed more with the bread than with the flour, i.e. to have more success than expected.]You could say that this Italian proverb, which I found at the beginning of Carol Field's The Italian Baker (sadly, I speak no Italian), has been the overarching theme of the week.…
Dining with Dostoevsky 