Right out of college, my mom got me the piping set from my Christmas list. I saved the little paper booklet from the box with the cream puff recipe. Though I intended to use the set for icing practice, I wanted to make profiteroles first. For a New Years Eve party. I arrived with my first homemade baguette too. I’ve always been the life of the party. Read more
I have one of those market totes you’d see on the streets of Paris. It’s knit from water reeds that look like a soft wicker. The top edge is trimmed with a line of leather. It’s my co-op and farmers market bag. Walking home from the store yesterday with my tiny person in tow and a baguette and green onions poking out from the top of our tote, I realize I’m in one of those “What people think I do” collages. You know the kind that ran around the internet last year with six square images set on a black background? At first thought, I’m certain I’d appear in one of the perfectly styled initial images. Woman with well-behaved child walking home hand-in-hand from the market with a beautiful bag of produce. But as I start to break out into a run, I realize I’m not her. I chase my tiny human down praying the baguette is still intact. At least there’s a cool tote on my shoulder, even if it’s barely hanging on. There’s a picture of that in the collage too. Read more
At one of my final appointments before having Hallie, my doctor asked if I worked. I told her that I work from home designing blogs and writing one myself. She then asked if I had adequate childcare lined up. “Well…me,” I replied. She snickered and told me to line up extra care stat. She also told me how to up my dessert game with a newborn. Her secret: puff pastry. Read more
If you know me well, you probably know that if you call, text, message, or email me, it may be days (or, I’m embarrassed to say, sometimes weeks) until I respond. It’s not for lack of thought. I replay the correspondence in my head a million times and search for the perfect response. In fact, I respond so many times in my head, I think I’ve actually responded. It’s a problem. Read more
Angel Food Cake was on the on summer to-post list unlike the Lemonade. I crossed it off, and it felt surprisingly good. But not nearly as good as it felt to serve to my extended family after a 3-hour turned 8-hour road trip to the beach last weekend. Fourth of July traffic on the east coast is mighty nasty. Read more
Every year we alternate. It’s a little tradition from our college dating days. This year it’s his turn to plan Valentine’s Day. Let’s hope I’ve dropped the necessary hints. Such a dangerous statement. Today he told me he was going to make me dinner from scratch. Usually I’d be jumping off the walls excited. However, I bet him a made-from-scratch dinner a month ago. He lost the bet. Smart boy—he thought he’d kill two birds with one stone. Smarter boy—he’ll come to his senses before the 14th. One can only hope. Read more
