Welcome back to my kitchen. This recipe is one I've been wanting to share for awhile and now that I've made it several times with consistently incredible results, it's time to post! I love flavor. Unexpected combinations. Surprise pops of "wow!"; a coriander seed, capers, a whole garlic clove. So, I never honestly really enjoyed…
It was just a little glass triangle. The late morning sun filtered through the large schoolroom window and we watched, mesmerized, as our teacher carefully placed a prism in the stream of light. A rainbow leapt from the glass, dancing, elusive, beautiful, the white light diffused into all our favorite colors. Mystery and wonder. There…
As promised, the series You Asked continues once per month (even if it is the last day of said month). I have to admit, this subject has me pretty well stressed and humbled. It's nothing I'll be discussing with any sort of authority or judicious experimental wisdom. If anything, this post will be a letter,…
We spent the last several days in Mexico City, seeing a couple specialists who could give us some direction on our baby’s hip dysplasia after being told she’d likely need to be in a cast for three months. I could easily dissect each phrase of that sentence and probably write an entire blog post…
When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2 When. It leaves no possibility for non occurrence. “If” finds no place in the inevitable realm of an overwhelmed, mortal heart. David the king, perhaps in a rare moment of solitude, fondly picks up his kinnor and leans…
Cacao beans, cinnamon, allspice and ground vanilla, clay jug for hot drink It’s creamy, dark and delicious. Squares, powder, truffles. Ghirardelli, Lindt, Purdy’s. Mousse, pudding, cake. It’s a hot drink on a cold day, it’s a pick-me-up after a hard day, it’s an “I love you” any day. The ancient Maya, original cultivators of cacao,…
Welcome to a new series here at PA. You Asked will be posted each month and addresses questions or topics you have requested. The first round was sent in through Instagram stories, so make sure we’re friends over there (@penelopra). Otherwise, head to the contact page and email me whenever you’d like! We were enemies.…
I feel like I can almost see you, running through the late sunshine, laughter in your dark eyes. You’re brown and lithe, hair falling forward into long lashes. You must look like that because the kids’ mirror tells me that’s the Alves Shutt model. I can imagine you playing crazy with Cyrus, finding comfort in…
We walked together, warding off dogs and mosquitos, stacks of calendars in hand. “Here, Mommy, I’ll do this house....buenaaasss!!......mommy, she just went in and ignored me.” She looked at me dejectedly and with disappointment put the calendar back on her stack. I called again, this time the mother came to the door. “What is it?”…
I think I’ve started this blog post no less than five times. It’s a new year, but it feels wrong to cheerfully throw virtual confetti in your face while gleefully shouting “happy new year” to a world who probably doesn’t feel too happy in a year that doesn’t feel too new. That’s why January is…
