Dessert Recipes

Maya wasn’t trying to impress anyone. I’d stopped by her place on a random Tuesday afternoon to borrow a cake pan—mine had mysteriously vanished after … Read more

There used to be a tiny bakery tucked between a laundromat and a thrift store on the south side of town called “Martha’s Last Slice.” … Read more

The neighborhood fall block party was in six hours and I’d completely forgotten. I mean, totally blanked. Everyone else would be bringing elaborate spreads—I’d seen … Read more

Jen wasn’t trying to impress anyone. I’d stopped by her place on a gray Tuesday afternoon in early November to drop off a casserole dish … Read more

My mother-in-law had claimed for years that she hated pecan pie. “Too sticky,” she’d say, with the kind of certainty that makes you think the … Read more

My sister-in-law, Jen, wasn’t trying to impress anyone. I’d stopped by to drop off a borrowed garden rake and the smell of maple and cinnamon … Read more

This was supposed to be a simple apple crisp. A Tuesday night sort of thing, you know? I’d peeled the apples, mixed the cinnamon, and … Read more

I was standing in line at the hardware store, holding a showerhead I wasn’t entirely sure would fit, when the woman behind me—a retired schoolteacher … Read more

I was sprawled on the couch, half-watching a documentary about something I’ve already forgotten, when the craving hit. Not just any craving—the specific, almost primal … Read more

Introduction My neighbor Dave asked why I couldn’t just skip the step of reducing the apple cider on the stove. “Why not just use the … Read more