White woman in my mid 50s here, and I have to say, even many of my liberal friends are in no way ready or willing to give up any of the privilege they accrued for themselves and their children by marrying well. They resent the success of POC kids who study harder and do better. They’re not necessarily ready to fund…

Yes this. The Bolognese is the recipe I cook most often from this book. I’ve done it with beef, beef and pork, venison, elk ... it’s beautiful. I do big batches every few months and freeze it. There’s something alchemical about cooking down the milk, then adding the wine, and her spare way with tomato.

I’ve been growing some “microgreens” (quotes because I like them bigger than that) in those infernal plastic boxes they sell organic greens in. A little dirt in the bottom, in with some kale/tatsoi/mizuna seeds. The lid makes a nice greenhouse. Takes about a week to 10 days and you have a nice box of greens.

My great-great grandmother bought our family farm in Illinois in the 1880s from the cash she raised selling potcheen out the back door of her mercantile. Slainte everyone! 

Hot water + vodka + lemon = my mother’s version of “get well drink” (although in her case she kind of lives on straight vodka and cigarettes). I prefer brown booze — bourbon or Irish and a slug of pepper vodka or cayenne powder in there too.

Hot water + vodka + lemon = my mother’s version of “get well drink” (although in her case she kind of lives on…

That’s what I do. 5 hens in the backyard have ruined me for industrial eggs, and since I hate industrial food — this product’s a no-go.

I moved in with my brother after grad school for this reason. We were both in our mid-30s, still way too broke. By teaming up we managed to build some financial stability, repair a lot of family damage, and get on our feet again. It was the best decision we ever made. 

My Himself and I met late in life (I was 45). We each had our own houses we’d paid off. It’s a small town, so rotating isn’t a big commute. Going on 11 years of alternating houses for dinner/overnight. It’s so great. Every other night I don’t even have to think about dinner or dishes. We come together every night,…

I once got a 3 foot tall croquembouche out of my house, into my station wagon, across town and into the party WITHOUT letting the giant golden retriever knock it over.

Vintage KitchenAid user here. Have my mom’s old yellow one from 1972.

My mother refers to it as “Get Well Drink.”

Coles canned mackerel is one of my go-tos ... much tastier than tuna, and more sustainable! 

I love these dispatches from my childhood haunts!

What Nora Ephron did to Julie Powell should be considered a hate crime.

It’s really bumming me out how they’ve edited it to be a typical “reality show.” This week there was so much “oh no, I’m going home ...” where the show USED to be about “hey, look at this cool thing I made!” It was always a competition, but the gentleness, and the lack of drama was what we all LOVED.

Since I was putting a slice of new sourdough bread slathered with Kerrygold IN MY MOUTH as I scrolled down to this, I am filled with both deep relief, and a butter so good it is, as my Himself would say “like eating cheese.” 

We’ve had vacation renters at our cabin north of Yellowstone throw all kinds of “biodegradable” food away — IN THE YARD. Piles of melon rinds, ends of bread, my dog coming back to the house with a fucking burned pancake in his mouth.

I HATE ALICE.

Oh yeah. I’ve replaced the windows, wiring and the plumbing — but I lucked out because it was reasonably easy to access all that from the unfinished basement. I’ve treasured my bumpy lath and plaster walls, and I have a full roof tear off/replacement coming ... but since our local roofer is so backed up, I’ve had 2…

HGTV! Of course — I’ve been trying to figure out why people look at an older house with character and can’t see what’s great about them. I bought my 1903 house in 2002, have fixed it up around myself (nothing major, paint, spackle, did have the bathroom reno’d but kept the cast iron tub. Just moved the door out of the…