Like a lot of other people over the past few months, I’ve chosen to rely on a delivery service for my shopping. Normally, I love to go to the grocery store. I love the colors of the produce, the new products I discover on the shelf and the ideas that inspire me as I walk the aisles.

But do I love the surprises that come in my door when the shopper makes decisions that I, if I were there, would not? Not so much. Continue reading →

Long ago, I had just moved to a far-away town where I knew almost no one. Once the unpacking was nearly finished, I sat for a minute in the front window and wondered how and when I might make new friends.

Just then, my doorbell rang and there, with a wide welcoming smile was the friend I’d been wishing for. In her hand was a warm-from-the-oven coffee cake. While we shared slices with cups of coffee, we bonded, turning that impromptu visit into a friendship I treasure to this day. Continue reading →

Are you one of those people who sign up for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box eagerly in the winter and then, when deliveries start, you are dismayed by piles of kale, chard and spinach?

You open the box to find – again! – a mountain of green leafy veggies and you wonder what to do with that mountain. You know they are too good, and good for you, to let them spoil but you can’t use them fast enough.  I have your answer, thanks to a local farmer who shared this tip with me. And I’m going to share it with you because I consider it the one most useful of all kitchen hacks. Continue reading →