When I was in junior high, there was a bulletin board just outside the typing room that advertised the school cafeteria’s menu for the week. The plastic letters got swapped weekly to spell out things like “Sloppy Joes” or Tuna Noodle Casserole,” but the slogan that remained along the bottom all year long promised, “Every…
Biting Off More Than You Can Chew
I thought we had things well in hand. We were trying beef braciole, a dish I had never made, eaten, or pronounced before, but what could go wrong with my trusty sous chef at my side? Throw in some homemade pasta and some dinner guests (Sophia and Jake) and you’ve got a recipe for a…
BENeficial Intelligence
Suppose you combined artificial intelligence with Ben’s sensibilities. The resulting product, BENeficial Intelligence, would confound the most logical minds in the world because it would apply an infinite number of catch phrases in random incorrect situations. If you lard an outrageous amount of food on your plate, BENeficial Intelligence would advise you to say to…
We’ll Take a Cup of Kindness Yet, for Auld Lang Syne
As 2025 comes to a close, we reflect on our many blessings. We revel in the large and small moments that make up our lives together. Here is a quick photo review of our year. Thank you to everyone who was a part of it! 2025 passed before our eyes in a flash! Here’s to…
It’s the Hap-Happiest Season of All
As our holiday festivities wind down, Ben gives his Christmas experience a 5-star review. While the Christmas Eve meal of soup and grilled cheese was not his top choice, he mostly put a sock in it to avoid a lump of coal (or a sack ride to Spain), focusing instead on spending time with family….
Great Expectations
Ben has been running his Christmas meal plans by us for months. Most of his ideas are formed by what he really enjoyed in past years. I think, the beef with yarn. (He means the trussed beef tenderloin with a reverse seer.) This time, no choking. (Amazing that Jake still married into the family after…
‘Tis the Seasoning
Crab cakes. They don’t exactly scream Christmas to me, but I suppose if you are feeding the Grinch, or if the hustle and bustle of the season has you feeling crabby, they might be a good choice. Once Ben issued the Crab Cake Proclamation, there was no turning back. It sounded like an easy enough…
Dutch Treat
When Phil was 4, 11, and 18 years old, he and his family lived in the Netherlands while his father researched English Puritans in Holland, and their ties to the country remain strong. The aspect of Dutch culture that has made its strongest impression on me from family lore is the no-nonsense approach. If any…
Currying Favor?
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, deeply rooted in family tradition. There is something comforting in knowing that we can count on the same people, food, schedule, and activities, with room for a little creativity here and there. People always begin arriving Wednesday. Ben always designs a mean charcuterie board for Thursday noon. Though sides may…
Baptism by Cream
We tried a new recipe this week, in which cream played a starring role. I can’t even blame it on Ben. It was all me. I fell prey to the enticing photo in the NYT cooking section and couldn’t resist the idea of Cheesy Hasselback Potato Gratin (Recipe by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt). I am a…