Good Taste is the Worst Vice

The Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island MI

To close out our Mackinac Island adventure from earlier in the summer, here's a quick spin around the Grand Hotel. It's definitely, well, grand!  The porch is said to be the longest in the world, stretching all along the front of the building with a sweeping view down the hill and ... continue reading...


Elegant gazpacho

Whenever I've made or eaten gazpacho, it's been a chunky red and green mixture of tomato and cucumber - fresh and delicious and casual. So when my uncle offered me a sample of some gazpacho he'd recently made, I was surprised to see that it was beautifully orange-pink and as smooth as cream! ... continue reading...


Grandma’s apricot filled cookies

Peach ice cream... pink peppermints... and apricot filled cookies with a subtle hint of almond - these flavors will always remind me of my grandparents in Pennsylvania. Recently I was feeling nostalgic and dug up the recipe to make a batch of cookies. They're really more like snack cakes, two ... continue reading...


The French Laundry Pt 3: Lunch!

After our walk in the gardens, D and I crossed Washington St and made our way into the French Laundry - it's elegant and cool and dim inside, a stark contrast to the bright light and heat outside. Our table was in a little alcove on the first floor, beneath a skylight admitting a watery ... continue reading...


The French Laundry Pt 2: Chickens in the garden

The wait is over!  Lunch at the French Laundry is here. But first....  D and I arrived to Yountville a little early to work up our appetites with a stroll around the French Laundry garden. It's an expansive space, with beds so well organized and beautifully tended ... continue reading...


Carriage House restaurant, Mackinac Island MI

I've heard of those old-fashioned menus without prices, meant to be given to the ladies at the table, but never seen one until our trip to Mackinac Island, and the Carriage House restaurant at the Iroquois Hotel. After I finished admiring the lakefront view, I noticed that something ... continue reading...


Mackinac Island MI: Biking and fudge!

I've been wanting to go on a road trip with D for a while now, and this weekend I finally got my chance!  We drove about 7 hours to Mackinac Island, way up in the northern part of Michigan where Lakes Michigan and Huron meet, for my company's retreat. Some facts about Mackinac Island: It's ... continue reading...


Zucchini fritters

I'm not always the most creative cook.  More often than not, I make some combination of pasta and/or roasted vegetables (after all, it always hits the spot). But this weekend I wanted to make something different.  Since D was planning to grill steaks, I pondered over side dishes. As soon ... continue reading...


Chimichurri sauce

My first taste of chimichurri was a revelation. It was fresh, and mouth-wateringly tangy, and just tasted... green.   I'd heard of chimichurri before, but didn't really know what it was. Turns out it's an Argentinian sauce served with steak.  (No wonder it's good; they do know how ... continue reading...