Recipe for the First Year

Our little boy, our joy, our Jude celebrated his first birthday the other day. Actually, he’s not so little anymore. He’s on the cusp of toddlerhood. In fact, he’s quite good at toddling. He’s been fearless. Where he used to cling to walls, he’s now crashing through the house at every chance. The word “headlong” was meant for this kid. It’s like he can’t wait to grow up, sprinting toward a future unknown to us. We can only... Read More

Irish Beef & Stout Stew

This St. Patrick’s Day, you can either: (A) Squeeze yourself into an “Irish pub” crammed wall-to-wall with drunk people drinking green beer (B) Drink alone with a bottle of your local liquor store’s finest Irish whiskey (C) Make this incredibly comforting stew, invite some good friends over, pour pints of Guinness, and eat well until the leprechauns come home. This St. Patrick’s, I propose you don’t go to a bar unless you’re actually... Read More

Butcher’s Ragu

Rain doesn’t come easily to these parts. Southern California, I mean. During the dry months, not so much as a damp-against-your-face fog seems to roll through. In the wet season, such as it is, when clouds gather and suddenly you’re needing to turn on the wipers, you’re a bit shell-shocked. Down to the last driver stuck on the 405 Freeway because there’s a fender bender every few miles. In LA, the visceral reality of actual weather, from the faintest hint of humidity... Read More