Pumpkin spice is a thing, a social movement, a gotta-have-mine-it’s-October pull of nature almost stronger than a biological clock, but geeeeez, trying to project that onto poor birds seems like a Big Bad Bird Wrong

Cooking chicken and rice together this summer gave my son and me a little bit of structure, a shared goal, a creative playground that led to exploration and learning, time to tell stories and get caught up on each other’s lives, and some damn fine meals.

Creating a meal together is a wonderful, collaborative and fulfilling experience that transcends the food and is woven into the fabric of relationship memories.

I was afraid to cook mussels! I thought they wouldn’t open up, or that I would overcook them, or that they’d somehow know I was a bivalve mollusk amateur.

From Dijon in French food to bright yellow ballpark on an American hotdog… from sweet German mustard on a bratwurst to hot Chinese mustard on an eggroll or steamed dumpling… from English mustard on a ploughman’s lunch to whole-grain mustard on a charcuterie board — mustard is a Best Supporting Actor for foods.

We love avocado toast! Not because we’re trendy, frivolous or extravagant, but simply because we love fresh food that’s bursting with vibrant flavors.

By using giant jars of pre-minced garlic that’s floating in additives, are we fostering a generation of underprivileged taste buds that have never experienced the joy of fresh garlic?

The world already has enough conflict, strife and confusion; we don’t need beets to go around claiming that they can become pizza crust.