baking

  • Harvest

    Suddenly it’s fall. Vendors’ stands overflow with corn and pumpkins and squash and apples at the farmers’ market. Mornings are chilly enough to put on a warm sweater. Starbucks has switched over to Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Salted Caramel Mochas. Saver’s now… Continue reading

  • Special vacation edition: Cinnamon buns, or snails

    During my mom’s senior year of high school, her family hosted a Norwegian exchange student, and they’ve stayed in touch with her ever since. Fast-forward many years later to when I was in middle school: we were lucky enough to… Continue reading

  • Special vacation edition: Brown sugar blueberry pie

    We’ve just returned from a relaxing week with family on Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada. My mom’s side of the family has been spending summers up here since the 1940s, when my great-grandfather (appropriately named “Granddaddy”) built a boathouse on… Continue reading

  • Berliner Pfann kuchen

    We’re fast-forwarding here (briefly) to the 1960s. After East Germany built the Berlin Wall in 1963, dividing Berlin into two parts, President John F. Kennedy paid a visit to West Berlin to demonstrate America’s support for the divided country. During… Continue reading

  • Fourth of July Kuchen tarts

    Right now I’m in Cleveland, enjoying a week with family and quiet mornings of blazing heat. While I love Providence, it’s wonderful to escape from a city (even a small one) for a time. I get to remember what it’s… Continue reading

  • Entire wheat bread

    Growing up, my parents shared parenting and household responsibilities pretty equally. But there were a few things that only my dad did (and still does): grill tap trees and boil sap for maple syrup (though we all helped) bake bread… Continue reading

  • Cheese biscuits

    Yesterday Josh and I had a simple night in. Cooking dinner, watching the latest New Girl episode, talking about our days. As part of our goal to become more mindful, healthful eaters, Josh made a delicious vegetarian chili, chock-full of sauteed veggies,… Continue reading

  • Johnny Cake

    Back when I was a youthful graduate student, my roommates and I decided to explore the best of Rhode Island. We made it to the Hope Street farmer’s market and a harvest festival before papers, reading, and student teaching took… Continue reading

  • Apple Turnovers

    These are the two things I’ve learned so far from this project: 1. Pies and pie-like things haven’t changed much since the 19th century.2. Animal fat is sinfully delicious. You already know that I’m a salt pork enthusiast. Having only… Continue reading

  • Huckleberry Pie (a.k.a. Hurricane Pie)

    Hello again! I didn’t get much historical cooking done this past month, due to a tremendous amount of traveling. Josh and I determined that we spent the equivalent of a weekend in the car driving from state to state (and… Continue reading