I went to an interesting book club event last night at Palace Ballroom. Turns out that Mariel Hemingway, granddaughter of Ernest, not only looks great but she can cook, too. She was in town to promote her new book, Mariel's Kitchen, a lovely and intriguing cookbook that delves … [Read more...] about Mariel’s Kitchen book event
Various & Sundry
The complexities of salmon
Salmon may be the most ubiquitous, yet complex item on every menu in Seattle. It's such a politically sensitive issue. Eat farmed Atlantic salmon? No way do I want my entree sauteed in butter and microscopic persistent organic pollutants. Wild salmon? It's better, but is it … [Read more...] about The complexities of salmon
The reclining Buddha and our lost dog
My entire life, I’ve wanted a dog. When I was about nine, my 19-year-old sister surprised me with a pale Labrador puppy. We’d recently moved away from the farm where I’d grown up , and all of my brothers and sisters were away at college. “He’ll keep you company,” she said. She … [Read more...] about The reclining Buddha and our lost dog
Taxes and nostalgia
I'm sitting at my kitchen table today, sifting through strewn credit card statements and dog-eared receipts attempting to reassemble our life in 2008. I'm surprisingly nostalgic. Ah, that dinner at Le Trois Cochons in Paris, that great lunch with mom in Sarasota. Some shocking … [Read more...] about Taxes and nostalgia
IACP in Denver
A year ago, somehow I was crowned the chair of the Food Writers, Editors & Publishers section of IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals). It's the largest membership section of IACP, with more than 1,100 members in 26 countries. But even so, it's still a … [Read more...] about IACP in Denver


