It’s pickling week! As a first time pickler (in fact, this is my first time using a mason jar to make something myself!), I was pretty nervous. Folks have assured me for years that it’s an easy process, but it seems so involved. Special brine! Jar purchases! Popping!
Alyssa’s Mexican-Style Pickled Onions
One of my favorite ways to spend a day is preserving. It starts with a trip to the market to buy boatloads of produce and ends with satisfying “pops” coming from rows of shiny, warm Ball jars. Actually, it ends months later when you can pull a jar out of the cupboard and spread your
Alyssa’s Roasted Broccolini, Chickpeas and Ricotta
I pinned this recipe on Pinterest the other day, and couldn’t believe how many of my friends re-pinned it! So I wanted to try it and see if it was as delicious as we all hoped. I read the single review of the original recipe on the Whole Living website, then made a few tweaks
Carla’s 3 Random Facts About Me
What is one thing that you wish you were great at? RUNNING. It’s likely that the answer to this question will ALWAYS be running and I’ve probably told you this before if we’ve ever been running, seen a runner or run together. So, the funny part about this is that I actually run. Not so
Alyssa’s 3 Random Facts About Me
My favorite shrine in Tokyo. How many places have you lived and where? I have a pretty random assortment of cities on my list, now that I list them out! I grew up in an industrial town in Ohio about 30 miles west of Cleveland. Then I moved to Chicago for college, and spent about
Alyssa’s Thoughts on Dining Alone
Counter-seating at our favorite tonkatsu restaurant, Tonki. It’s actually much easier to get a seat for one person with this kind of arrangement. I have a tradition of taking myself out to lunch for my birthday. The first year I did this, I sat at the bar at one of my favorite San Francisco
Carla’s Bread Recipe: Kentucky Biscuits
I am an equal-opportunity biscuit eater. I like drop biscuits and cut biscuits and KFC biscuits. Since my mom is a teacher, I grew up with new recipes coming from the teacher’s lounge every week or so. Some of them were seriously gross — I vaguely remember some sort of strange meatless patty made with
Alyssa’s Bread Recipe: Rosemary Focaccia
Our apartment in San Francisco was a few blocks away from Liguria Bakery in the North Beach neighborhood. This bakery exclusively makes focaccia, which is so delicious and popular that they usually sell out by 10 am. They use a variety of toppings, such as green onions, thick tomato paste, garlic, and olives. Rosemary