A year and a half ago, in a post about foods that I am “just not that into,” I wrote: “Mayonnaise is, hands down, my biggest shiver-inspiring food. The gentle slurping-sucking noise it makes as it pulls away from the side of the jar is all I’d have to think about if I ever decide

Historically, I have never been much of a cocktail girl. A year or so ago, I would have told you that whiskey and bourbon are far too sweet for my liking, gin is great but doesn’t require ‘dolling up’ save an olive or two, and that college has pretty much put me off vodka for

Guest post by Anthony Damelio (we call him Tony), Sharon’s fiancé. I love making risotto: not just the possible ingredients or the finished product but also, and perhaps most importantly, the process. Growing up, I watched my father prepare it often for formal occasions and normal dinners alike, and so I make it as much

The older I get, the more I dislike crowds. When I was in college, the idea of a packed club, a crowded party, and a mobbed dance floor was exhilarating. Now, it sort of makes me wince—hot and sweaty with bad beer and no clear path to the bathroom? No thanks. These days, I prefer

It’s that time of the year again. The kitchen counter is strewn with half-full tins of cookies, the fridge is packed with delicious leftovers, and just a few rooms away we are frantically searching our closets for something to wear on New Year’s Eve (and hoping it’s going to zip over our slightly distended bellies).

I’m 25 and a half (but who’s counting?), and I think I might finally be an adult. No, it’s not because I have my own apartment, eco-friendly car, healthcare plan, or bank account. It’s not because I’ve done my own taxes (or paid someone else to) for the last 3 years. And it’s not because

I love bread. Though I adore exotic spices, new flavors, and creatively executed dishes, there is nothing like a warm slice of homemade bread, fresh out of the oven, slathered with good, salted butter. I could eat that everyday. In fact, I do eat that everyday. (And yes, my cholesterol is fine.) Needless to say,

Make it a Dutch oven. Forget cutesie cake pans, pretty aprons, sexy knives, or colorful silicone spatulas. Get one of these ovens—they, too, come in fun colors. And, if you already have one…ask for a bigger one! (No, I am not working for the Dutch oven people. And unfortunately, they have not offered me anything

Let me paint you a little picture of what we all look like around our Thanksgiving table. Dad: In all things, Dad is incredibly (annoyingly?) measured. Dad eats very lightly the day of Thanksgiving—maybe a little yogurt for breakfast, a small salad at the lunch hour. And when the big meal finally rolls around, he

I’m having a hard time writing about food today. Every year I look forward to the holidays as a time to be with my family and friends, to laugh and talk in cozy houses that smell like fresh pine and warm spices. I can’t wait to hear the first brassy tones of carols filling the

One night last week, after I’d had a long and annoying day, Tony excitedly announced that we were making butternut squash soup for dinner. All I could manage was a scowl. I was in a bratty mood—tired, hungry, and wanting pizza to magically appear next to me on the couch (and have no calories in

This is a story about a big mistake turning into something phenomenal. No, I didn’t invent penicillin. But, depending on how you feel about dessert, this might come close. This weekend, we had the co-pastors from our church—an awesome husband and wife duo—over for dinner. We’d been planning this get-together for a month, so last

At 7:20 pm on October 23, 2009, I sat on my bed all dressed up and waiting. Anthony had called two hours before and haltingly asked if I would like to have dinner with him. I tried to play it cool, offering an upbeat but measured, “Sure.” But I was so excited I felt like

You know that place nearing the end of vacation where you start vowing to eat nothing but salad and drink ice water for the next two weeks? I am SO there. We’ve have had an amazing week in California, but I am pretty sure if I tried to put my jeans on right now (yup,