liv bites

The most memorable bonding activities my sister and I have ever shared together weren’t our numerous fancy brunches in Chicago or our nacho platters for two back home (and yes, there were many. Of both). They were cooking classes we took at the Chopping Block, a Christmas gift from our father that struck a delicate [...]

Southerners may not have invented the tradition of cooking for others, but they have certainly perfected the execution of it. My childhood is filled with memories of my mother rushing around, completing errands with my sister and me grumpily sitting in the backseat of her car, but always making time to drop a casserole off [...]

This weekend my assistant and I went camping in Big Sur. I’ve spent the last couple of weeks stocking up on gear like a sleeping bag, new sneakers and the biggest backpack I’ve ever carried, but I can sincerely say it was worth every minute. We were blessed with a gorgeous three-hour drive, flawless weather [...]

My dad was the first person to introduce me to spaghetti squash a few years ago, when he talked about it as if it were magic. “You throw it in the oven for a little while, and it comes out in these long strands. Like noodles!” he said incredulously. Needless to say, I developed a [...]

Not surprisingly, I did find a use for the rest of that cilantro pesto I had leftover last week. My dad and stepmom were in town for a short California vacation, and I invited them over for a glass of wine + unspecified hors d’oeuvres so I could give them a tour of my little [...]

My assistant has told me time and time again that his favorite meal I’ve made for him was the Ricotta Gnocchi with Pesto and Pancetta I cooked last month, so at his urging, we stuck with the pesto/pancetta theme for yet another meal over the weekend. But then I realized that this post would mark [...]

I had hoped to gather some of my friends together for an Easter Sunday brunch, in the tradition of our 20-something “urban family” who have no biological family around. But since everyone seemed to be out of town or otherwise occupied, my assistant and I enjoyed an Easter brunch for two. The absence of extra [...]

Besides a couple of attempts at perfecting one of my favorite dishes, red Thai curry, I have little experience cooking with Asian flavors: As a southern francophile, I’m much more likely to be found in the cheese aisle than shopping for miso. But one choice lunch spot in San Francisco filled me with the inspiration [...]