Almonds Brandy & Pears Oh My
I can’t remember the moment I first fell in love with the flavor of almond extract. My earliest memories go back to loving the quintessential red maraschino cherry I’d find on the top of an…
Local Artists Find Inspiration in Herradura Tequila Barrels
I first met artist Todd Berman in 2009 at the Aids Lifecycle finish line. Actually, it was after that, but I can explain. First let me be clear about one thing—I wasn’t technically in the…
You Had Me at Brioche!
Baking used to terrify me. Granted it was before I had a KitchenAid standing mixer, which can make a newbie baker feel like a professional, but there were just too many rules and it freaked…
Carnitas & a Diane Keaton Marathon
It was a rainy San Francisco Saturday. Jonathan was gone on business, I was on the second of six films I’d selected for a Diane Keaton marathon I’d curated the night before, and there were…
The Coffee Cake You Bring to a Wake
The closest thing I have to a grandmother is Eleanor, my 90-year old Great Aunt who lives in one of those gated retirement communities in Boynton Beach, Florida. You know which ones I’m talking about,…
Resurrecting the Element of Surprise
To this day, my brother references Heart and Souls, a Robert Downey Jr. and Elisabeth Shue film we saw the summer of 1993, as the ‘best movie experience of all time.’ And it’s not because…
Did Abu Nazir Steal My Cell Phone?
There was a permanent indent in the couch cushion where I’d been—stationary— for the last two days. It rained for a few hours Saturday morning, poured even, but that eventually passed, and it was perfectly…
Kugel Kugel Everywhere
Believe it or not, I remember my bris. I know I was less than a week old when it happened, but it seems strange that any man would forget the day a complete stranger comes…