Are you as surprised as I am that this post is about chocolate?

My dislike of chocolate has probably been overstated. It is more like apathy. I just don’t care much about it, and chocolate will almost always be my last choice for dessert. It just isn’t my jam. But then, occasionally, chocolate crosses my path that makes me really happy—chocolate soft serve ice cream, for instance, or pain au chocolat. Bryan says I just like chocolate that isn’t very chocolatey, which is probably true. I think I like chocolate as an accent, rather than a focus. Except in the case of chocolate chip cookies, which I always hate. Um…. Enough about me, let’s talk about chocolate-juniper cake. read more+++

It has been a strange, hot summer. I’ve complained a lot. You see, I only like perfect weather: autumn, spring, mild summer days and moderate winters. Anything else I find annoying.

I am silly.

One thing I did not complain about was the food. Even with no power and 100°F+, I appreciated the amazing bounty of a Midwestern summer. When else can you eat salads like this? read more+++

I’ve been thinking about the frustration I often feel after travel. You can never share the profoundness of the travel experience with people who were not there, but still we try.

I was in Nova Scotia last week. Cape Breton, to be more precise—the distinction is important. We were there with Bryan’s family, celebrating his nanny’s life and reconnecting with each other. It was a week that none of us will forget. Cameras always disappoint at times like this; all of the pictures I took on the trip seem flat and empty compared to the experience.

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Ashley English is one of a new classification of friends that entered my life a few years: Internet Friends. People who I know through their blogs and correspondence but have not yet met in person. Often these relationships become real-life friendships, but it hasn’t happened yet with Ashley, we live in different parts of the country. Someday!

What you all should know about Ashley is that she’s awesome. I love following her life and creative output on her blog, and I love reading her books to learn how to do more things myself.

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About a year ago, we spent an eventful week in the great state of Massachusetts, during which a lot of delicious food was eaten. Nothing more delicious than our meal at Oleana in Cambridge. It remains one of the best restaurant experiences of my life. It was one of those meals where everything kind of collides to make it special—we were on vacation, it was a perfect summer night, and we were seated outdoors. An outstanding parade of dishes came and went from our table and we enjoyed each dish more than the one before. It was all very special. One of the best things we ate was a smoky eggplant puree, and I recently remembered that the recipe was included in Ana Sortun’s cookbook. Why did I wait so long to try it at home?! I made it for the same dinner as the marinated mozzarella. The eggplant was almost as delicious as I remember it being at Oleana—if only we were on vacation! read more+++

Marion Cunningham died last week. Not the mom from Happy Days, but the food writer. Some of you think that is obvious but, trust me, most people think of the mom.

Marion Cunningham may have been my favorite food writer. Not that a title needs to be awarded in that category, I love so many.  But I usually say, when asked, that The Breakfast Book is my favorite cookbook. It is true, though it could not be more different from the other contenders. It is simple and understated, focused on one meal, no fancy photos, just a few simple drawings. Still, it is the one I return to most often and relate to the easiest. Cunningham’s voice was strong and encouraging and I like cozying up to her books. read more+++

Last week Chicago experienced record heat. It is certainly the hottest I remember this city which is more famous for its extreme cold than sweltering temperatures. In the middle of the heatwave, my oven broke. I know, I should not be using my oven in a heatwave—but the 4th of July requires cake! I managed to get the cake baked, but it wasn’t easy. All I could think about was heat—both a lack of it, and an overabundance.

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It is 103°F in Chicago, we’ve had power outages and my oven broke a few days ago. I don’t know what to do about the oven, or the heat, so I am taking a break from my kitchen. We just keep making gazpacho, which I don’t consider cooking, and watching movies.

But the heat hasn’t stopped me from reading cookbooks. read more+++

This is one of those recipes that I have been making for years, but never got around to writing about. I first made it a few years ago when Bryan was out of town. I have not been forgiven. Blueberries are Bryan’s favorite and when we saw this recipe on an episode of America’s Test Kitchen, he wanted it badly. I don’t know why I waited until he was out of town to make it—must have been blueberry season. Now, whenever I make this cake he has some snarky comment like, “Oh, you’re gonna make that? Should I go out of town?” I love him.

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The other day at lunch, my friend Anna was telling me about someone she knew who roasted his own coffee beans at home. I made a joke about how ridiculous that was and then remembered that I had a vat of quinine syrup brewing in my fridge—who am I to judge? read more+++