There are many factors I consider when measuring the success of a cookbook, but ultimately, there’s only one that really matters: Does it get you into the kitchen? In my mind, I don’t care who wrote it or how trendy the recipes are — if it convinces you to cook, it’s worthy of a James Beard Award. If it inspires… Read more »
For all the readers and eaters in your life, herewith the ninth (!) annual Dinner: A Love Story gift guide. As in past years, I’m focusing mostly on food and books, and would love to hear ideas from you as well, if you’re so inclined. Happy shopping everyone! Nothing to See Here (by Kevin Wilson, $23). I finished this last… Read more »
Remember that heartbreaking scene in Catcher in the Rye when Holden drops the record he bought for his little sister and it shatters into a million pieces? Or when Sylvia says she can no longer be with Dorian Gray because their love is interfering with her art? Or the deeply sad ending to Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men? Wait, what,… Read more »
Welcome to this year’s holiday gift guide, also known as the best place to shop for the eaters and readers in your life. This year, if you are so inclined, feel free to leave your best go-to gift idea in the comment section. The author of my favorite one will win a free copy Dinner: A Love Story, Dinner: The… Read more »
Today’s post is this hopeful correspondence lifted from the pages of To Obama, With Love, Joy, Anger and Hope (by Jeanne Marie Laskas), a compilation of letters from the Office of Presidential Correspondence during the Obama administration. The OPC, a staff of 50 readers and 30 interns plus hundreds of volunteers, were charged with sifting through 10,000-plus letters every day, then scanning,… Read more »
I am so psyched to present today’s guest-poster, my friend and reading guru Catherine Hong. You already know and love her because she writes the childrens’ book blog, Mrs. Little and because she’s an OG DALS favorite. (Could she be any cuter in this sleepaway camp shot circa early 80s?) Her family’s reading line-up right now is so perfectly summer — graphic novels, adventures,… Read more »
The berries are popping, the aperol is spritzing, and the grill (as well as the griller) is getting FIRED up. That means one thing: It’s summer, and time to talk about the latest crop of new cookbooks that make me want to get the most out of the season. Head over to the New York Times for my annual round-up,… Read more »
Quick post today to let you know that our friends at Mouth, assemblers of the coolest indie food gift baskets ever, are having a storewide sale as we speak. Use code SPRING30 for 30% off everything, including the deliciously delightful Mother Nature or Easy Like Sunday Morning pictured above. Check out all their Mother’s Day gift boxes here.
This is a very exciting day for me. Not only do I get to tell you about Curtis Sittenfeld’s brand new short story collection — You Think It, I’ll Say It, my favorite of all the books she’s written — it is the day that the real life Curtis Sittenfeld makes a cameo on Dinner: A Love Story. Yes, that’s right…. Read more »
Last week, we here in the Northeast found ourselves trapped in the clutches of some pretty fierce negative single-digit winter weather. Remember that love letter to my Fitbit I wrote less than week ago? It’s still on my wrist, but all I will say is that as of Thursday morning, when the first storm hit, it was in zero danger… Read more »
. When I was a kid, my family had an account at the local bookstore, a privilege I don’t remember enjoying anywhere else in town. I felt so cool stopping in, picking up the latest V.C. Andrews novel, then then telling whoever was working behind the counter, Just charge it to “Rosenstrach.” I never felt guilty piling two or three… Read more »
. We have just returned from our annual South Carolina beach pilgrimage, where among other things, we stockpiled our Duke’s mayo, grilled and cooked the usual suspects, and did our best to pretend that summer vacation is not over in two weeks and one day. How can it be that, as of this morning, half the house has staggered off to… Read more »
I’m pleased to announce that, as of Monday, my annual cookbook round-up for the Times Book Review is live and ready for your reading pleasure. As you know, I always love this assignment, not only because I get to pore over beautiful books all spring, but because it really forces me to cook outside my comfort zone, to seek out new… Read more »
Happy spring everyone! Happy daffodils and forsythia! Happy April Showers! Happy start of soccer and lacrosse and baseball season! Happy too-much-pressure, too-much-driving-to-practice, yelling-at-the-ref season! I’m kidding. Sort of. You know how much I love sports, especially after I’ve seen what they have done for my daughters, but I’m the first to admit that organized youth athletics can very quickly spiral out of… Read more »
For many years, the back page of Real Simple featured an excerpt from a book, an inspirational quote, or some final words of wisdom. In 2002-ish, when I was working as a senior editor there, we ran this: How you been? Busy. How’s work? Busy. How was your week? Good. Busy. You name the question, busy is the answer. Yes, yes,… Read more »
I have only one item on today’s Friday Round-up, but it’s a good one. Those of you who have been with DALS from the beginning know that we are guilty of playing favorites when it comes to certain authors. One of those authors is George Saunders. Through the years, we’ve talked about his masterful short story collections (Andy was lucky… Read more »
Jeanette Winterson, the British author perhaps most well-known for her coming-of-age autobiographical novel Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, has a sacred Christmas ritual. Every Christmas Eve, at 3pm, she listens to a service on BBC radio, broadcast live from Kings College in Cambridge. There are Bible readings from the Old and New Testament and in between, the choir sings carols… Read more »
As the season of Olympic baking is upon us, I thought I’d share a few hacks I will be relying on through the end of the year — and likely beyond. Just a warning: If you are the type of person who has an arsenal of pastry tubes and tips, who knows your way around fondant, you might want to… Read more »
Welcome! I’m Jenny, author of Dinner: A Love Story and Dinner: The Playbook More
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