Appetizers

I was at the hardware store last February, of all places, buying a new light fixture for the hallway. The guy at the checkout—his nametag … Read more

My neighbor Dave wasn’t trying to impress anyone. I’d stopped by to borrow a lug wrench—my car had made a weird noise pulling into the … Read more

There used to be a little dive bar on the corner of 7th and Pine called The Lazy Eye that made the most ridiculous deviled … Read more

My brother-in-law Mark had claimed to hate cream cheese for as long as I’d known him. Fifteen years. Every bagel breakfast, every cheesecake at a … Read more

I was digging through my freezer last Tuesday, looking for something—anything—that didn’t require a trip to the grocery store, when my fingers brushed against a … Read more

I was standing in line at the post office, clutching a package that was definitely wrapped in too much tape, when the woman behind me … Read more

This was supposed to be a full-blown Halloween party spread. I’m talking themed cupcakes with spiderwebs piped in black icing, a bubbling cauldron of chili, … Read more

It was 11:47 PM on a blustery Tuesday in late October, and I had a very specific craving for something silly. Not just any silly … Read more

There used to be this tiny German bakery tucked away on a side street in Portland called Gertrude’s that made the most incredible pretzel bites … Read more

This was supposed to be a simple batch of dinner rolls. I’d had a long week, and I just wanted something warm and buttery to … Read more