Appetizers

My kid did not trust cream cheese in a sushi roll. Let me rephrase that—my kid did not trust anything that looked like sushi, period. … Read more

Introduction “Three Octobers ago, I swung by my neighbor’s place just to drop off a book I’d borrowed, and before I even stepped through the … Read more

“I don’t do spicy,” my friend Mark declared every time we planned a tailgate. For years, jalapeños were his sworn enemy—too fiery, too aggressive. Then … Read more

Introduction My neighbor watched me juggling chicken wings and a blender, trying to whip up something for our impromptu game day gathering, and didn’t say … Read more

Introduction The neighborhood block party was in less than two hours and I’d just remembered I promised to bring the appetizer. Everyone else was going … Read more

“Last Thursday afternoon, I just popped over to grab a book I’d left at my neighbor’s, and before I even stepped inside, this sweet-spicy-salty aroma … Read more

Introduction It was 11:37 on a quiet Thursday night, and all I wanted was something savory, tangy, and a little bit unexpected. I didn’t have … Read more

Marco watched me fumble with the arrangement of olives and cured meats on my first attempt at an antipasto board and didn’t say anything at … Read more

Introduction My roommate Tom swore he hated jalapeño poppers. For years, he claimed the whole idea of spicy stuffed peppers was “just a fad,” a … Read more

Introduction The other evening, I was wandering through the grocery store aisles, trying to find inspiration for a quick Halloween appetizer, when the unmistakable smoky … Read more