Comfort Food Classics

This was supposed to be a simple, last-minute garlic bread. My mother-in-law was due in twenty minutes, the turkey was resting, and I realized I … Read more

My neighbor asked why I couldn’t just roast the squash with the seeds still in. I started to explain why that wouldn’t work — then … Read more

Three winters ago, my neighbor Mei watched me wrestling a twenty-pound bag of russet potatoes into my apartment and didn’t say anything at first. Then … Read more

The Friendsgiving potluck was in six hours and I’d completely forgotten. Everyone else would be bringing their signature dishes—Megan’s famous mac and cheese with the … Read more

There used to be a tiny supper club tucked behind a vintage furniture store on the east side of town called The Gilded Onion. It … Read more

Lisa wasn’t throwing a party. She was just trying to get through a Tuesday in November with three kids under seven, a sink full of … Read more

I was standing in the frozen foods aisle at the grocery store last Tuesday, staring blankly at a box of pre-made meatloaf, when a specific, … Read more

I was standing in the frozen foods aisle last Tuesday, staring at a bag of chicken thighs like it held the secrets to the universe, … Read more

My neighbor wasn’t trying to impress anyone. I’d stopped by to borrow a ladder—our gutters were clogged and a storm was rolling in—and this smell … Read more

There used to be a tiny diner called “Mabel’s” on the corner of Elm and 5th that made the most incredible bowl of chili. When … Read more

I wasn’t expecting cooking advice from a plumber, but there I was, stuck in my kitchen with a leaky pipe and a half-prepped chicken, listening … Read more

There used to be this tiny café tucked between a vintage bookstore and a laundromat in my old neighborhood that made the most ridiculous butternut … Read more

I wasn’t expecting cooking advice from my accountant, but there I was, standing in the middle of a fluorescent-lit office lobby, listening to Mr. Henderson … Read more

The church potluck was in four hours and I’d completely forgotten. I was standing in my kitchen on a Saturday morning, staring at the contents … Read more

I was standing in line at the post office—a Tuesday, just before closing time—when the man behind the counter started talking about sweet potatoes. Not … Read more

It was 11:47 PM on a Tuesday that felt like it had lasted a whole week, and I had a very specific, almost aggressive craving … Read more

It was 11:47 PM on a grey, drizzly Tuesday, and I was hit with a craving so specific it was almost embarrassing. I wanted the … Read more

My neighbor Jen wasn’t trying to impress anyone. I’d stopped by to borrow a ladder on a rainy October afternoon, and the smell hit me … Read more

I was standing in line at the hardware store—of all places—on a drizzly Tuesday afternoon, holding a bag of lightbulbs I didn’t really need, when … Read more

My neighbor across the hall, Clara, watched me wrestling a giant butternut squash onto my cutting board one chilly October afternoon. She didn’t say anything … Read more