Linda EngelsiepenNov 22, 20216 minPolenta Surprise -- Carb-loading Through RomaniaWhen we headed to Romania, I expected goulash. I expected sausages. I anticipated nights of knocking back Palinca and Visinata. I knew...
-Feb 5, 20205 minEating IcelandSo you’re thinking about visiting Iceland — for the starkly beautiful landscapes, a glimpse at the Northern Lights, or to learn more...
-Dec 16, 20164 minA Bag of Chestnuts, a Bucket of ApplesFall is the time of changes, of transition and letting go, and this year, well, perhaps the transitions are rougher and the letting go...
-Aug 31, 20166 minEating Los Angeles — 6 Meals I’ll Miss, But You Don’t Have ToThis post should really be titled “Leaving Los Angeles,” but I did that two years ago, when I uprooted from the smoggy basin and planted...
-Aug 5, 20166 minSummer OystersWe’ve all heard some version of when not to eat an oyster. Don’t eat them in months without an R! Or is it ending in an R? Or is it said...
-Apr 19, 20167 minSoaring Spirits at the South Sound Spirit GatheringWashington is well-known for its craft beers, farm-to-table cuisine, and world-class wineries. Everything that makes these industries so...
-Feb 11, 20168 minHeart of Sweetness — A Valentine’s Day Chocolate RoundupSo, you’ve been taking a break from sweets after the indulgence of the holiday season. But aren’t you about done with your Whole 30, your...
-Dec 14, 20153 minAbsinthe Afternoon — A Trip To Astoria’s Pilot House SpiritsMaybe it’s a little bit decadent to be sipping absinthe in the afternoon, but absinthe has always had a bit of naughtiness to it, hasn’t...
-Dec 4, 20155 minAn Oysterville ThanksgivingThis year would be the first Thanksgiving I’d be spending with my honey, and the first in my new home “village” of Oysterville, WA (pop....
-Nov 23, 20155 minVentura Limoncello — Spirit of the SunshineThe fragrant citrus orchards of Ventura County, California produce 80% of the lemons grown in the U.S. Husband and wife team James...
-Nov 11, 20154 minCranberry Fields Forever — Spirit of the HarvestIf you could name one iconic fruit of the fall, it would probably be that tart, crimson wonder, the cranberry. No Thanksgiving dinner...
-Oct 30, 20154 minPortland’s Nostrana Restaurant Celebrates 10 Delicious YearsA little over a month ago, I made a dessert of homemade buttermilk ice cream and cardamom orange shortbread for a multiple James Beard...
-Sep 29, 20154 minSummer Solstice Rituals & Recipes — Feeding the Internal FlameMy summer solstice ritual for a couple of years now has been to burn away the old and set intentions for the new, accompanied by a fine...
-Sep 1, 20152 minWithout An Umbrella, V. 3.0So yeah, I’ve been away a while, and a lot has happened since I talked to you last. I made this my new front yard: I did a little...
-Aug 28, 20146 minFish on! First-time Salmon Fishing on the Columbia RiverWhile I am now officially a Pacific Northwesterner, last year at this time I was just getting my sea legs – a term which, now that I live...
-Apr 10, 20145 minA 1960’s Cocktail Party — Mad Men and Women InvitedVintage – a pretentious word for antique? A fussy way to say “old but well-preserved?” A euphemism for middle age co-opted from oenology?...
-Jan 30, 20146 minNew Years’ 2014 — Razor Clams and RomanceI love the breath of possibility that comes with starting a new year. 2013 began with a dreadful head cold, lots of Dungeness crab and a...
-Sep 6, 20133 minFigs — Summer’s Luscious FruitI’ve already lamented the quick passage of summer, which here in SoCal is flaming out in a blaze of 102° glory. I’m ready for even the...
-Aug 7, 20135 minSummer Solstice 2013 — Rituals and RecipesYes, this is a blog about the summer solstice and I’m posting it in August. Admit it, the summer’s gotten away from you too. The earth...
-May 16, 20137 minTiramisu — Love it or Hate it?Let me start by saying two things. The alternate title for this post, had the results been different, was Tiramisoup. Secondly, I don’t...