People have occasionally commented that they wish I’d do a cookbook, an idea which has never really appealed to me because: a) my recipes are always based on someone else’s recipes (I’m not a recipe developer), b) it’d be a lot of work, c) who needs more recipes?, and d) all my favorites are already on the blog.

For the last 15 years, this blog has been a dumping grounds for my cooking experiments, discoveries, and trusted favorites. I’ve published the recipes mostly for my own benefit; it’s my personal record, as well as a handy family resource, and I reference the (ridiculously extensive) recipe index almost daily.

But then both my older daughter and my niece told me (rather aggressively) that I ought to make a hard copy of the recipes because they’re sick of looking up recipes whenever they want to make something.

scribbled recipe notes to eliminate computer scrolling

And the truth is, I’m kinda sick of searching my blog, too. The sheer quantity of recipes is overwhelming. The search bar feature is awkward and clunky. The index is disorganized. It would be awfully nice to have a streamlined binder with all my favorite selections. But would this sort of thing — a PDF of favorites that people could print off for themselves — even appeal to anyone besides me and a few family members? 

this week’s menu

Obviously, narrowing down the list to just my top 30-50 recipes would be a struggle. Maybe I’d have to do several docs, like one for breads, another for main dishes, and another for desserts? I don’t know. I’m just brainstorming…

But now I’m curious about two things:
1. How many of you actually cook from this blog?
2. If you do, which top three recipes do you reference most often?

I have way more than three — it’s more like thirty — but just for funsies, I’ll go with buttermilk pancakes, brown sugar granola, and hot chocolate mix. It’ll be fun to see if there’s any overlap with our favorites!

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*And speaking of looking up recipes on my blog, my brother just installed a new search bar thingy and it’s soooo much better than what I had before. Thanks, bro!

This same time, years previous: the quotidian (9.12.22), Coco, lemony mashed potato salad, the quotidian (9.12.16), making my children jump.

Quotidian: daily, usual or customary;
everyday; ordinary; commonplace

With chunks of cumin-spiced Gouda, grilled chicken, and lime.

We’ve got the crunchy crystals!
A two-year-old Gouda that’s a cross between a Parm and a sharp cheddar.

Before the heatwave: oven-based meal prep.

Natural rind Gruyère: new video coming tomorrow!

Measuring the specific gravity with my hydrometer: this time I’m gonna know the ABV.

The Second (Third?) Annual Family Corn Day.

Transporting an open, uncorked bottle of champagne.

It was a bumper crop . . . until the drought.

He installed an AC unit in the clubhouse.

Occasionally borrowing a friend’s bike: until hers is road legal.

The heat finally broke.
^{photo credit: my younger daughter}

This same time, years previous: the cheesemaking saga continues, the quotidian (9.10.18), the quotidian (9.11.17), what writing a book is like, the good things that happen, ketchup, two ways, dreaming, honey whole wheat cake.

Thing One: A Celebration
For our 27th anniversary, I drove to the jobsite with warm chocolate chip cookies and mint iced tea because my husband is always trying to get me to come to work with him. We sat under the tarp for a bit and then I watched them measure things for a bit before growing bored and going back home.

And then a week later, the kids arranged for an all-paid fancy dinner date. When our daughter-in-law: when she texted me about the meal, she said, “So as Anthony Bordaine said, ‘Order the steak rare. Order the oyster. Have a Negroni. Have two!'”

The evening came complete with an uber pick-up and a stack of cards that arrived at the table with our dessert. How sweet is that?

We almost never eat out at a menu restaurant, and I soaked it up: a local cheese board, duck soup, salmon, plus drinks, coffee, and dessert. We ate for two hours!

Thing Two: An Article
I enjoyed this NYTimes article in which “the world’s happiest man” shares his three rules for life. I particularly appreciated his perspective on the compassion: “If someone beats you with a stick, you don’t get angry with the stick — you get angry with the person. These people we are talking about are like sticks in the hands of ignorance and hatred.” I struggle with the impartiality of compassion, so thinking of people as sticks is helpful for me. 

Thing Three: A Podcast
My mom introduced me to Wiser Than Me, a podcast in which Julia Louis-Dreyfus interviews women who are, well, wiser than her.

Julia is a fantastic interviewer (though a bit dramatic and sensational at time), and I love her little personal stories at the start of each interview. The discussions are wonderfully rich and nuanced; I think I’ve listened to them all (I fast forward through the ads). A couple of my top picks are: Fran Lebowitz, Jane Fonda, and Isabel Allende. Check them out.

Thing Four: A Movie
A few weeks ago, we watched The Swimmers for a family night movie.

I thought it was going to be mostly about swimming, but it turned out to be an in-depth look at the Syrian refugee crisis through the story of two sisters, professional swimmers, who make the terrifying journey from Syria to Germany. It’s a long movie — we had to watch it in two sittings — and intense, though not scary. The acting is excellent, and the story’s an important one. Highly recommend. (Probably most suitable for ages 17 and up.) 

Thing Five: A Quote
One night during rehearsals for Tiny Beautiful Things, the director quipped, “Strong and wrong!” about someone’s acting choice, and I busted up laughing. 

(painless) Ultimate bruise

Strong and wrong is now my new go-to for everything: When I hurl a frisbee into the top of a pine tree. When I hip-hop to the wrong beat. When I go after Ferdinand and get kicked in the shins. When I stir 15 pounds of honey into a pot of red raspberries and rhubarb for another five-gallon batch of mead. When I pummel the bag with a series of rapid-fire hooks in kickboxing. When I write vulnerable blog posts.

It might not work, and it might even be a disastrous mistake, but strong and wrong is about making a choice and then just going for it, full-steam ahead. Sometime I fail, and many times I don’t.

In fact, I’m frequently surprised at just how often it turns out right. 

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Have a good weekend, friends! xo

This same time, years previous: seven fun things, has anyone made grape liqueur?, the quotidian (9.9.19), outside eating, calf wrangling, blasted cake, how to clean a room.