Appetizers

I was standing in the middle of the snack aisle at my local grocery store last Saturday, staring at a bag of tortilla chips like … Read more

I’ve tested this board about a dozen times—honestly, I lost count after the eighth version. The first few tries were good but not great. The … Read more

This was supposed to be a simple cheese platter for a casual get-together. I had bought all the usual suspects—a wedge of brie, some crackers, … Read more

I was at the hardware store—of all places—minding my own business, comparing the prices of weed whackers, when the guy behind the counter started talking … Read more

My neighbor, a retired schoolteacher named Carol, asked me last week why I couldn’t just crush the ramen noodles right in the bag instead of … Read more

I was standing in the frozen food aisle last Saturday, staring at a box of pre-made nacho chips with that weird powdered cheese packet, when … Read more

My neighbor, Sarah, wasn’t trying to impress anyone. I’d stopped by to grab a measuring cup I’d lent her—a very boring errand—and the smell of … Read more

There used to be a sports bar on the corner of 4th and Main in my old neighborhood called The Rusty Nail. It wasn’t fancy … Read more

Tuesday afternoon, 3:15 PM, and the hangry meltdown had officially begun. My youngest was sprawled on the kitchen floor like a starfish, insisting that “there’s … Read more

There used to be a tiny tapas place tucked away on a side street in Portland that made these little meatball appetizers that I still … Read more