light, fluffy, and barely sweet: Japanese cheesecake is ideal for those who find the NY version too heavy
Good food, and good recipes are for sharing. At least, that’s how I feel–and fortunately, that’s how most of my friends feel, too. If you’ve missed this excellent discussion regarding the sharing of certain secret family recipesg on Tara [...]

Mario Batali was the theme of this month’s Cookbook Club
A small group of friends and I have started a cookbook club, where we take turns hosting and choosing a cookbook/theme for the month. In the past, we’ve done Giorgio Locatelli’s Made in Italy, Claudia Roden’s Arabesque, and Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home. This month we put [...]

Given the recent spate of warm days here in Seattle, I think we can say that spring is officially here

And what better way to celebrate, than lunch at Mistral Kitchen with my dear friends Shauna, Danny, and Lucy

I had a lovely piece of halibut with buttery peas francaise, bacon, and brightened with a bit of [...]

chilled smoked cauliflower soup with crab. tastes like summer.

classic Canlis salad, bright and herbaceous with picked tarragon

gorgeous orange blossom honey dry-aged roast duck for two ($96, not part of the $25 Restaurant Week 3 course menu)

halibut, ramps, olives, peas and potatoes. this is Seattle. everything in season.

the most elegant plate of lamb fettuccine you’ll ever [...]

Our beautiful cookbook, The Newlywed Kitchen, is here!

Kathryn Barnard did a fabulous job with the photography!

Here’s my Ultra-Crispy Secret Fried Chicken

Cornmeal-dusted fried catfish with homemade tartar sauce

Kathryn wanted to put a photo of me and my husband on the inside cover. Here we are making the Cuban roast pork sandwiches, and Roasted Tomato-Basil soup with [...]

Yes, it’s a Cheeseburger Pie.
There’s only two more weeks until The Newlywed Kitchen is officially released, so I know I should be blogging about the cookbook. (That will come. I’ll be giving away an autographed copy, too!) But today, I wanted to talk about life and loss, and the food memories that connect loved ones. [...]

The Newlywed Kitchen/Cookbook Promo from LuuvuH on Vimeo.
Hi everyone! If you’ve followed this blog from its early, humble beginnings, you’ll know that I first set up this blog to chronicle my recipe-testing for The Newlywed Kitchen: Delicious Meals for Couples Cooking Together. When the work for the cookbook was done and all I had to do [...]

lovely wagashi from Tokara in Phinney Ridge
Last weekend, a friend invited me to attend a wagashi/Japanese tea workshop in her home. On hand was chef Chika Tokara, one of the few wagashi (traditional Japanese confectionary) makers on the west coast. I grew up enjoying Chinese-style mochi and red bean treats, but this was my first [...]

simply the greatest shortbread I’ve ever tasted
There are a few recipes every good home cook should have in his arsenal. Shortbread is one of them. It’s infinitely adaptable–try adding a few fragrant lavender buds or thyme for a sophisticated hostess gift. A shower of sprinkles over top, and you’ll have a cookie that will delight [...]

the main event: glazed ham at Mardi and Dion’s

Easter eggs decorated by Mardi’s niece, Grace

a lovely fruit salad, and delicious quiches by Mardi’s mom (spinach and feta was my favorite!)

curried deviled eggs

Hannah (2) camped out under the table during Easter Brunch. “Come here!” she said, pulling on my leg. I am a sucker for a [...]