Fall is my favorite season, as it is for many. Cooler air and beautiful colors in the trees are most welcome, in spite of knowing there will be Midwestern blizzards to come all too soon.

A change in seasons also means a change in cooking habits. Recipes for bountiful salads, ripe tomatoes, fresh berries and peaches all get retired for a few months, especially if you do your best to eat only what is local and seasonal. Instead, the heavy saucepots get pulled out of dusty corners, ready for chili and soups and stews. Continue reading →

People who like to cook always have a kitchen stocked with the basics and can confidently embark on a recipe knowing there is a supply of things like onions, garlic, flour, butter, cinnamon, all of which can be used in an unending number of ways. We rely on our shelves and fridge to solve the “what’s for dinner” conundrum all of the time. Continue reading →

For many years, I cooked numerous dinners for a dear friend I fondly called The Old Italian. His cooking prowess was limited to pour-over coffee – lots and lots of coffee all day long – and to the occasional box of Jello, always orange. But he was an adventurous eater and liked most everything I concocted even when I was testing a recipe that was far from right just yet. Continue reading →