I never had a Barbie growing up. I had a single cheap knockoff, but never an honest-to-God Barbie. All my life, I harbored this notion my parents gave the matter deep thought. Perhaps they considered her an insufficient role model? Or, they feared giving me an inferiority … [Read more...] about I Never Had a Barbie, and I’m OK With That
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Recipe: Salade Niçoise
I first encountered Salade Niçoise in a most embarrassing way -- by reading about it in a cheap romance novel. The salad appeared in a typically evocative of a dime store read. A beautiful protagonist perched at a table under a striped umbrella on an immaculate beach in Cannes … [Read more...] about Recipe: Salade Niçoise
Join Me for Writing at Ranch La Puerta
I've been teaching at "the ranch" for around a decade. Usually I teach cooking, but this year I'll spend the week teaching writing at Rancho La Puerta. This year, I'll be back at the ranch September 23rd to 30th to teach writing. I'll be doing four classes, starting with one … [Read more...] about Join Me for Writing at Ranch La Puerta
Recipe: Easy Tuna Ceviche
This is an easy tuna ceviche recipe that can also work with salmon. Ceviche is a classic of South American cuisine that is “cooked” in lemon and lime juice – decidedly non-French, but terrific and refreshing nonetheless. I like to serve it with puff pastry but it is equally … [Read more...] about Recipe: Easy Tuna Ceviche
Shrimp Pasta with Tarragon & Wilted Greens
A small, tiny pot inspired this shrimp pasta. It started as just a tiny container from a local nursery. Then, like something out of a 1950s horror film, by August last summer, my French tarragon grew into a green tendril monster on the patio of my Seattle home. On a chilly … [Read more...] about Shrimp Pasta with Tarragon & Wilted Greens