Let me be honest—this bread was the biggest pain-in-the-butt project I’ve taken on in a while.  Baking with yeast can be really fun, and thanks to the stop-and-go nature of it, it’s great to do while you’re also working on other things (like writing cover letters and applying for every job I can find).  But this one was challenging. I can guarantee that if you try this bread, your kitchen will be a floury, sticky mess in no time flat, and you’ll probably be peeling dried dough flakes off your hands for hours after you’re done.  That’s pretty typical of…

Don’t you hate it when you’re out and about, minding your own business, and you run into that one person you just did not want to see?  I imagine everyone has people like that in their lives: good people, probably, but… just not people you want to see or talk to.  At least not right now.  Right? Well, don’t you also hate the fact that you almost always run into these people when you look a mess?  Why did I have to be wearing my raggedy old coat that I’ve had since college and the snow boots that give me…

I don’t want to pretend that this is an age-old family dish that I’ve been eating as long as I can remember, or that it reveals some truth about my life and my past.  Sure, I grew up eating grits pretty regularly, and just the knowledge that grits are iconically Southern kind of made them part of my identity.  But cheese in grits didn’t happen too often in my house, and adding shrimp was not an option I even knew existed until recent years. I am so glad this dish came into my life.  It’s rich enough to feel like…

Quick!  Pop quiz. What is the best way to a woman’s heart? A. Flowers. B. Chocolate. C. A Teddy Dog. D. A chef’s torch and a bottle of butane. Ok, so the answer is technically “all of the above.”  Presents are sweet, no matter what they are.  But my boyfriend clearly answered the question with “D,” and he threw in four ramekins (those adorable dishes in which crème brûlée is served).  That’s why he’s awesome. I have big plans for this torch.  Lemon meringue pie.  Mac and cheese with torch-toasted topping.  Bacon sprinkled with brown sugar and caramelized with an…

How do you feel about raw seafood?  Yes, sushi is pretty tasty.  But that’s not what I meant… Say what you will, but nothing says comfort food to me like a dozen raw oysters on the half shell, with a tiny bit of of hot sauce dabbed on top.  Or maybe, if I’m really in the mood, two dozen… As anyone who has moved away from loved ones knows, the definition of “home” becomes blurry over time.  I frequently find myself referring to both my parents’ house and my own cozy apartment as “home,” even though the two are separated…