What’s Cookin’

So how y’all doing out there? We have just gone through a doozy of a weekend—mine started at the Bridge Together demonstration on Friday morning, holding hands with a bunch of amazing folks and forming a chain across the Golden Gate Bridge. And then Saturday’s Women’s…

Howdy, peeps. I hope you had a good weekend, and some of you even lucked out with a three-day weekend (all the Tahoe powder chasers were stoked!). My weekend was a bit low key with some lovely home-cooked meals, I got some art in at FOG Design + Art Fair, did…

Whoa, this rain is no joke. While it’s no fun to go out in, I am loving it for keeping me focused on writing, and it’s inspiring all kinds of home cooking, from Mexican minestrone to boozy chocolate panettone bread pudding. If you aren’t up for cooking,…

Happy New Year, gang. I’m wishing all the best for you this year. I know many of you had a rough 2016, but personally it was one of my best years ever, full of adventure and powerful manifestation and Italy, which always makes it a great year. I’m…

How y’all doing on there in the land of pumpkin spice, eggnog, and peppermint? I was pretty damn happy in the land of grower-producer Champagne last Thursday at Arlequin Wine Merchant’s annual Champagne Celebration—if you need to pick up some special bottles for the holiday, they have…

Howdy. BIG THANKS to everyone who came to Jook Joint on Sunday, all 115+ of you! Yeah, we got slammed, but I’m glad that so many people got to taste chef Rob Lam’s amazing jook, with toppings like crab uni butter (check out my chef’s special at…

Howdy. I know we have a lot on our minds right now, and heavy hearts. Our Bay Area community suffered a horrific loss this past weekend. And with each piece of news released about the Oakland fire, our hearts break even more. Sincere condolences and deep sympathies to all—this…

Hi gang, did you have a nice Thanksgiving holiday? I sure hope so. Big thanks and much gratitude to all the people who had to work this holiday season, keeping us well fed and our BAC set to “party level.” My holiday had a bit of a hiccup with some…

Hi gang. You scrambling to finish your work, pack your bags, catch that flight, make that pumpkin pie, dry-brine that turkey? Good luck with all that. Tonight, I’ll be home making our family giblet gravy. Gonna be smelling like some turkey all up in Casa Hopper. It’s also…

[Sorry for the delay in today’s newsletter—my mailing list service went down and it took a few hours to get it fixed, argh!] It would be the understatement of the century to say this last week was a rough one. I know we are all processing a lot,…