Appetizers

Introduction “The sizzle when fresh corn hits the hot pan—honestly, it’s like a signal that something good’s about to happen.” I wasn’t even there for … Read more

“Why don’t you just toss the corn straight into the skillet without pre-boiling it?” my friend Carlos asked one humid Saturday afternoon. I started to … Read more

Introduction The summer I turned thirty, my neighbor watched me fumbling with a basket of unripened tomatoes on the porch steps, not saying a word … Read more

Introduction The neighborhood summer picnic was in less than two hours and I’d completely blanked on bringing anything fresh. Everyone else was showing up with … Read more

“Why can’t we just skip the flour and use parmesan to coat the zucchini instead?” my friend asked while we were prepping for a casual … Read more

The other day, I was waiting in line at my favorite little corner deli when the unmistakable scent of honey butter mingled with a faint, … Read more

My neighbor watched me struggle with chopping a slippery watermelon one humid Saturday afternoon and didn’t say anything at first. Then she casually leaned over … Read more

Introduction There used to be a tiny seafood shack tucked away on the edge of Galveston’s Strand Historic District that served the crispiest Cajun shrimp … Read more

Introduction “Hand me that jar,” my neighbor said casually as I stepped into her kitchen last Thursday evening. I was there to borrow a cup … Read more

This was supposed to be a simple zucchini stir-fry. I grabbed the wrong grater—my trusty box grater was nowhere to be found, so I ended … Read more