A new method for making homemade pasta: it’s called the facial technique.  Quite difficult.  Don’t try this at home. I’ve procrastinated the writing of this post for as long as I could.  I tear up just typing the words, “Volume 10″.  I had no idea this summer would take us to so many new places. [...]

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  I’m finding their isn’t much “produce” in this year’s produce.  The heat has taken its toll.  Yesterday I threw out about 25% of the beans while snapping, and after roasting 6 lbs of tomatoes, I barely had enough soup to fill 9 teacups.  But even with the drought, I have found newness in my [...]

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The day our vegetable starter was too big, and no one wanted the main course.  It happens. While dining with a lifelong friend last night, she mentioned my Culinary Summer Series appeared picturesque.  I laughed, “Sure, except for when I lose my temper after explaining measurements for the hundredth time, and after 2 hours of [...]

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This week was a lesson in habits that just don’t work for us.  I let the kids get a couple of donut holes after Acting Camp, solidly placing that snack in mid-morning, and 2 hours before lunch.  It seemed like a safe bet.  To continue with the experiment, I made everyone’s favorite lunch on munchkin [...]

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Some weeks, I like a good kitchen challenge.  I get the urge to try several new things, all at once.  I think I’m looking for inspiration to push my limits and leave my cooking comfort zone. I usually try at least one new recipe per week anyway (I have severe Cooking ADHD), but some weeks, [...]

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It’s working.  I finished Karen Le Billon’s French Kids Eat Everything, and it’s working.  This book is life changing, even for a whole cook like myself.  Being introduced to an entirely different way of thinking about “training” our children to eat in a way that honors food is beyond refreshing.  It just feels…right.  This book [...]

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I’ve struggled internally with my thoughts on food presentation.  The girls are *just* old enough to be trusted not to break things.  Well, they break some things, but heck, I break things.  What I’m looking for is an acceptable batting average with my fine china.  I hate, and I say this without reservation, HATE plastic [...]

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This post, much like Volume One, is equally inspired by Karen Le Billon’s, French Kids Eat Everything. Just as France has a “food culture” worth connecting to, so does America.  It’s easy enough to simply state ours is a culture of fast food and obesity, but I would argue that premise isn’t very…cultured.  It’s habit.  [...]

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  Here is a shot of my new fridge arrangement.  It’s…a mess, but it’s working. Most lunches aren’t high-intensity, so I pull out bowls of fruit and vegetables and tell the girls to make their own combos.  Veggie bowls must contain at least 2 varieties of veggies, but they are of their own choosing.  They [...]

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When they’re not busy bickering (ahem…is anyone else finding their summer of fun is turning into a summer of fighting?), the girls seem to be enjoying a tiny culinary curriculum I’m trying.  It’s nothing formal or fancy; just something I cooked up on my own.  Get it…cooked up?  Oh God, please excuse me.  Playing judge [...]

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