What’s Cookin’

Ugh, I am totally on pins and needles right now—my beloved MacBook has crashed twice in the past 24 hours, and I was worried I wasn’t going to be able to get the newsletter out in time. Or at all. Whew. Of course my computer chose a terrible…

How y’all doing? I know I wasn’t the only one feeling jumpy yesterday. Was really grateful earthquake number three didn’t show up at 4am in the morning. I already went through that in the Northridge quake—no need for a repeat performance of the mad dash out…

Why hello there. Sorry there wasn’t a Friday issue for you—due to some tech stuff that was out of my hands, I couldn’t get this puppy to send. Ack. Did you have a stellar weekend? Enjoy the heat and the full moon bonanza? I was ready to…

Um, wow. I could use upwards of 20 different pictures for today’s intro image. This last week in Piemonte was simply extraordinary. It was my first time visiting the region, and I was blown away with the beauty of the Langhe—Italy in the fall is something else. Same…

I can’t believe I’m boarding another airplane today, and to Italia no less! It’s been almost exactly 10 years since I’ve been in il bel paese, and to say I’m excited is a mere blip on the understatement scale. I will be touring Piemonte for…

Oh bejeezus, I feel like my hair is on fire. This week is all kinds of catch-up insane. Stop, drop, and write! Let’s just say I didn’t expect to have to finish filing my taxes, catch up on three weeks of news, write two columns, two reviews, and…

Merhaba! I am back from three glorious weeks in Turkey, a country that totally blew my mind. There was so much natural beauty, I can’t believe how many well-preserved ruins I visited, I encountered such kindness and genuine hospitality, and hello, the food was just beyond. Those people know…

Yup, yours truly should have landed by now in Istanbul (please no flight delays, please no flight delays, please no flight delays!). But I wanted you to have a little something-something before my column goes dark for the next three weeks. tablehopper will be back in your inbox on Tuesday…

Welcome to the shortest intro letter I’ve ever written. Yeah, I have three days before I leave for Turkey, and let’s just say packing up your business for three weeks when you are self-employed is a beast. Gots. To. Go. But I do have a little Friday afternoon…

Um, whoa. I can’t believe I am going to be on a plane to Istanbul in less than a week. Commence freakout. I definitely have my work cut out for me the next six days, so take it easy on me, okay? I think I am still recovering from…