On the day that one of my friends was hosting a Sunday brunch I got up at six a.m. hoping that the early start would provide ample time to scour the web for inspiration and ideas for a recipe, bake and be out the door by 10 a.m. It had been a busy five days […]
Chocolate Hazelnut Cake (Torta di Nocciole)
March 20, 2018 by 3 Comments
My husband and I stole away to Scottsdale last week. We rendezvoused with our dear friends from Chicago for some much-awaited catch-up time and managed to escape the weeklong downpour here in the Bay Area as a bonus. After what has felt like an exceptionally long winter lighter attire and sandals were a welcome change […]
Classic Pumpkin Pie
November 11, 2015 by 34 Comments
Thanksgiving is around the corner and I still haven’t received my assignment for the Thanksgiving Day meal. For years I played host, focusing on the turkey and other savory dishes while my family took charge of dessert and other sides to round out the Thanksgiving feast. There’s been a shift in recent years; the hosting […]
Apple Coffee Cake
October 14, 2015 by 20 Comments
The last time I checked in it was July, the middle of summer, hot. I took the rest of summer off from blogging for my wedding anniversary and a three-week trip to Europe. My husband and I returned for the fourth time to St. Jean Cap Ferrat with stops in Paris, Brussels, Bruges and London. […]
Strawberry-Almond Olive Oil Cake
June 18, 2015 by 15 Comments
I have several bags of clothes and shoes sitting by my front door waiting to be donated, and counting. Still a few more drawers wait to be inspected and edited. Then I will be done with spring cleaning…and with not much more of spring left to spare. I’ve been cleaning out cabinets all over my house […]
Blueberry Chocolate Oat Cookies
June 4, 2015 by 8 Comments
Google never fails to burst my bubble whenever I think I’ve come up with an original idea. It’s happened a few times before and not just with food. As a new cyclist 15 years ago, thinking it cumbersome to have to reach for my water bottle on the rack on my bike each time I wanted a […]
Blueberry Sour Cream Cake
May 13, 2015 by 26 Comments
My husband and I stole away to Santa Fe, New Mexico last week for a few days. Since retiring at the beginning of the year we have talked about several little getaways we’d planned to take but none of them ever progressed beyond this stage. Family obligations and tax season came and went; when we […]
Sourdough Coffee Cake
March 7, 2015 by 9 Comments
“It shouldn’t be so hard,” he said. “My aunts never had any problems with theirs.” My husband was referring to my four (or was it five?) previous failed attempts at establishing a sourdough starter. As a child, he had observed the female members of his family effortlessly maintain their sourdough starters, even taking a jar on camping […]
