Appetizers

The neighborhood block party was in twenty minutes and I had completely forgotten to bring a snack. Everyone else was already unloading coolers filled with … Read more

I wasn’t expecting a recipe from the building’s super, but there I was, standing in the dimly lit hallway of my apartment complex, holding a … Read more

“Pass the crackers,” my sister-in-law Clara said, barely looking up from her phone. She wasn’t trying to impress anyone. I’d stopped by to help her … Read more

I wasn’t expecting cooking advice from the plumber, but there I was, standing in my kitchen with a wrench in one hand and a half-eaten … Read more

My husband had claimed to hate hot dogs for over a decade. He wasn’t a vegetarian, nor was he allergic to pork or beef. He … Read more

The summer I turned thirty, I found myself standing in a cramped kitchen in Munich, clutching a ceramic mug that was far too heavy for … Read more

My college roommate, Sarah, asked why I couldn’t just toss the chicken wings in the sauce and skip the meatball step. I started to explain … Read more

There used to be a corner deli called Sal’s Market on 4th Street that made pinwheels. When they renovated and switched to a strictly sit-down … Read more

This was supposed to be a sleek, modern appetizer spread for my sister’s engagement party. I had planned it for weeks. I had color-coded the … Read more

I didn’t have the good stuff. You know the kind—the sharp, aged cheddar that costs more per ounce than my hourly wage, or the perfectly … Read more