A year ago, my best friend* and I took a day-hiking trip to Orcas Island on President’s Day. We left at 5:30 in the morning to find the first Zip Car’s keys were missing; got a ticket in a speed trap in Skagit County; didn’t pack enough food; weren’t able to get food at the brewery where…
Category: Seasonal
Favorite Pumpkin Beers 2015
Snatch up the last of those pumpkin beers, because it’s time for the annual pumpkin beer list (and some real talk about hate crimes against queer folks and mental health~).
Buckwheat (Soba) Apple Muffins
Inspired by the fall flavors of Nagano, this muffin combines buckwheat (soba) flour (soba ko, そば粉) with juicy apples for a moist but not-too-sweet (and non-pumpkin-spice) fall breakfast.
Desert Bluffs (Yakima) Road Trip
“Well, the company picnic in Mission Grove is in full swing. Everyone is exposing their teeth and moving their arms. There are signs posted showing how to move your face and body to indicate maximum fun. There are also snacks.”
Fresh Beet Pasta with Summer Squash and Squash Blossoms
Summer is winding down, and season 3 of Hannibal is over. It was all I ever wanted* and it was beautiful. For one of our last Hannimeals, I made a dish almost entirely out of items from the farmers’ market, save the sweet basil from my fledgling balcony herb garden and lemon and cheese from…
Strawberry-Gooseberry Pie
I love summer in the Pacific Northwest: beer gardens, picnics at the lake, gorgeous sunsets, and, more than anything, the berries: blueberries, huckleberries, blackberries, tayberries, strawberries, raspberries, marion berries. Today we’re cooking with gooseberries!
Recipe: Rhubarb-Berry Crisp
This recipe combines rhubarb, raspberries, and blackberries with my family’s oatmeal topping and a hint of ginger. It’s a snap to throw together and perfect for those spooky proto-autumn PNW summer nights when the temperature drops and it actually rains.
Savory Winter Root Vegetable Tart
It took me a year to get this one down pat, but this vegetarian tart has been a hit at dinner parties. Rosemary-roasted beets, butternut squash, parsnips, and carrots are tossed with roasted garlic and goat cheese, then baked in a savory pie crust.
Fresh Cranberry-Apple Crisp
Lately I’ve been thinking about recreating the regional food from the part of the Midwest where I grew up–goetta, Cincinnati chili, Jello salad–and, of course, the desserts from my extended family and community. In my opinion, which you all seem to trust, my mom makes the best apple crisp in the whole state of Ohio.
2014 Pumpkin Beer Masterlist
This year’s winner: Elysian’s Punkuccino. I was a little skeptical of a coffee-chocolate-pumpkin beer, but the flavors are perfectly balanced–a molasses-malt head, rich pumpkin, coffee, and stout with a little sweetness. I got to try a lot of these at the Great Pumpkin Beer Festival–highly recommend the event. Special thanks to my family in…
Marketing Halloween in Japan 2014: KFC Halloween Bucket
It’s that time again! As I’ve written before, Halloween has exploded into the Japanese food scene. Ten years ago, there were–as to be expected–barely any Halloween specials or goods. An increasingly large cultural shift toward Halloween as popular (children’s) holiday began sometime around 2010. While some of the shift was motivated by consumer demand, the ramped up…
Fig-Almond Muffins (Dairy-Free)
More muffins! These fig-almond muffins are perfect for autumn. If you’re looking for a break from all the cinnamon and pumpkin products, try one of these!
I'll Make It Myself! 
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