Today, the sun is shining. The icicles that adorned my house have all melted. The snow that covered my backyard? Well, it’s still there, but the forecast says it won’t be there forever, which is how I felt about it last week at this time. Yet the nights still dip below freezing, and I find myself curled up under an afghan my mom crocheted 13 years ago. To chase out the last days of winter, comfort food seems appropriate. Bring on the potatoes, the cream, the oven and the leeks.... more

My appetite changes with the season. In the winter I appreciate things that warm you up and keep you warm. Like soup. In the summer, soup takes a back seat to pasta salads, potato salads, slaws, grilled meats and fresh fruit. A warm cup of soup on a winter day makes the transition from morning coffee to lunchtime that much easier. Yes. I use coffee to keep warm. Sometimes tea too. There is something about a well-balanced soup that makes me smile on the inside. Over the years I’ve learned... more

I’ve been wanting to buy fingerling potatoes for a while, and they have finally appeared on my local supermarket’s shelves. I am a big fan of the thin-skinned new potatoes, and fingerlings have a similar skin. However, these potatoes are fully mature when harvested and have a different flavor than new potatoes. These made their appearance served alongside the bacon-wrapped tenderloin and grilled asparagus. It was an easy meal to put together, and I spent the downtime in the grass... more

Nothing screams potato salad like warm weather and eating outside in the backyard. Sure, you could buy that questionable yellow stuff behind the deli case at the supermarket, but I wouldn’t recommend it. This will make you much happier than any pickle relish and mustard-laden potato salad. Yes, I know you can get variety at the deli counter. They cost more than your standard yellow deli potato salad, though, and I don’t need a $15.00 container of potato salad. The first time I was... more