Appetizers

My neighbor Gladys watched me hauling grocery bags up the porch stairs one drizzly November evening. I was juggling a squash, a bundle of kale … Read more

My brother-in-law Mark had refused to eat anything described as a “cheese ball” for over a decade. Ten years. He’d make this face—you know the … Read more

The Friendsgiving was in four hours and I had completely forgotten. Everyone else would be bringing their signature dishes—my friend Jenna’s legendary three-cheese mac, Mark’s … Read more

I was standing in line at the hardware store on a Tuesday afternoon, holding a bag of lightbulbs and trying to remember if I needed … Read more

Maggie wasn’t trying to impress anyone. I’d stopped by her place last October to drop off a casserole dish she’d lent me, and the smell … Read more

This was supposed to be a batch of classic deviled eggs for a potluck. I had the yolks mashed, the mayo mixed in, and I … Read more

I wasn’t expecting to get cooking advice from my accountant, but there I was, sitting in his cluttered office during tax season, watching him pull … Read more

It was 11:17 PM on a random Wednesday, and a very specific, salty-crunchy craving hit me like a ton of bricks. I didn’t have any … Read more

It was 11:47 PM on a random Wednesday, and I had a very specific, almost aggressive craving for something salty, sweet, and melty. I didn’t … Read more

I was standing in the middle of the grocery store last October — the one on Elm Street with the squeaky cart wheels — when … Read more