My charming friend John, who now resides in Chicago, suggested Avec on Tuesday night, which was the perfect complement to a full day of interesting talks about digital media tools with national journalism leaders.

John and I both marveled at Avec’s focaccia (ricotta is inside, I think) that was crispy and light. Avec maintains [...]

The other night I introduced a new and rather intriguing friend to my favorite legume: the cranberry bean. (Note: this episode looks much better in HD here.)

A white bean speckled with purple, the cranberry bean is at once homey and elegant–unadorned, a simple meal, or an excellent partner for caramelized onions, corn, and country bacon.
Shelled [...]

In recognition of Captain America’s return to Charlottesville, we deemed this past Saturday America Day II: Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through.
Like last year’s first America Day, we determined to spend the day doing very American things; this time, relating to music.
(Follow the rest of the adventure after the jump–)

A few weekends ago, the kitchen counter was in a glorious state of disarray, with friends helping to fold filling into potstickers, stir vegetables into fried rice, and make fortune cookies at our combined celebration of Ben’s birthday and the Chinese New Year.
In the below episode, we make crispy tuile cookies with pinched ends folded [...]

Let us now reclaim the Hallmark holiday of St. Valentine with feasting foods good for our hearts.

In this episode, we make salmon cakes full of essential ω−3 (Omega 3) fatty acids with magical garlicky aioli over roasted fennel–one of the nine sacred Anglo-Saxon herbs.
watch this episode on vimeo (in HD)
salmon cake wallpaper on [...]

See the episode above in HD on vimeo
Maybe the strangest state my sister Katrina and I drove through on our recent road trip, New Mexico is a land of enchanting oddities like the small town of Truth or Consequences (an excellent cue for confessions when on the open road) and the pricking sense of anticipation [...]

And under that, kthread was born two years ago today.
I gave her birthday presents a little early this year: a refreshed banner image, a new cooking vlog, larger images. They grow up so fast.

My Christmas started in the City of Angels this year as I glimpsed poinsettias at the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market.

It began like a page at the end of one of those books, with multiple fakes milling about—look closely, one is even reading a Where’s Waldo book (further trickery)—as my sister Kassandra and I walked toward the Ferry Building.

I have spent the past three weeks reveling in gifts.