I grew up with a strong Christmas cookie tradition. “Cookie Day” was a really big deal, planned months in advance. We spent a full Saturday each season baking dozens and dozens of cookies with my wonderful Martha Stewart-esque aunt, who would prepare as many as eight different batches of dough in advance so that my sister and I […]
Fresh cranberries are everywhere this time of year, and I love their sweet-tart punch. Plus, they’re a potent antioxidant and pack a ton of Vitamin C and fiber. But what does one really do with them, besides make a cranberry sauce or relish for Thanksgiving (one that looks pretty, but no one really eats, that […]
Everybody needs a killer go-to dish that they can whip out, practically from memory, for guests or special occasions. One that pleases just about everyone, and doesn’t stress out the host. Preferably one that can be assembled ahead of time. For me, this is the dish, my “famous” turkey meatballs. Famous because I’ve made them so many times, at one point or other for every single person who has joined us for dinner, and are always a hit.
This is classic, clean Chianti from a small family producer near Panzano in Chianti. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know the proprietor, Jacopo di Battista, over the past two years, and stay with them for a few days last summer. His family has farmed the small hilltop estate organically since inception in 1998, and has been certified since 2012. They’re equally low-intervention in the cellar…
Apple picking has been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. My auntie used to take us every year when we were kids, to the orchards of Oak Glen or Tehachapi, in Southern California. We’d come home with bushels of apples, and she’d go into apple processing overdrive. Apple butter, apple […]
I love the way natural wine critic Alice Feiring describes Aligoté: “the much maligned other white grape of Burgundy, which a few brave and romantic vignerons slave to elevate to greatness.” One of those is Pierre Morey, the former winemaker at Domaine Leflaive (very famous Burgundy producer), who maximizes the grape’s capacity for complexity and terroir transparency with this biodynamic Aligoté bottling from his family’s vineyards in Meursault.
I love hummus and always try to have a batch of my homemade version, the classic with a twist – fresh turmeric – on hand. (Will post this recipe soon, as it’s a crowd- and kid-pleaser!) This is a richer, fancier version, inspired by a dish we had recently at Farmshop in Larkspur Here, avocados and yogurt are blended in to replace some of the tahini, and the lovely green dip is made even greener…
Even as a kid, I was not a Kraft mac & cheese girl. The neon orange color and lack of any discernible cheese confused me. Give me a layer of melty, crispy cheese on top of some noodles, and now we’re talking. But even then, I’d probably rather just have the melted cheese, or real pasta with loads of salty pecorino. So I did not rush out to create a healthier version of good old mac & cheese. Until I had kids, that is.
The end of summer is technically right around the corner, yet the farmer’s markets in San Francisco are still bursting with peak summer produce. We seem to get everything late, including summer – we’re just now finally getting the streaks of warm weather, without the daily fog invasion. September is the month we look forward […]
One of the very first finger foods I made for my son were the Quinoa-Beet Pancakes from Kim Boyce’s fabulous alternative-flour baking book, Good to the Grain. He named them Pink Pancakes and they became his most-requested dish. Four years, an additional child and countless batches later, my version has evolved into a slightly cleaner riff on […]
I’m a mom of two young boys, a sommelier, a former restaurateur, and a passionate home cook. I believe in eating well and celebrating life every day, not just on weekends or holidays or vacation. With delicious, healthy food, good wine and family and friends gathered around the table. This is my happy place.
My goal is to inspire to get you into the kitchen, and to take the mystery out of serving wine with food. On a Tuesday night. With picky eaters, even toddlers. It’s totally doable. Especially with a glass of wine. Trust me.
