I tried my first taco in kindergarten at my school’s cafeteria. I loved it. At the time I was a really fussy eater and so my mom was happy to hear that there was a new food I was willing to eat. Unfortunately, my Polish family knew nothing about Mexican (Tex-mex?) food or cooking. My mom didn’t really even know what a taco was. I described it to her and she went out and bought some packaged taco shells, ground beef and a can of tomato sauce. She cooked it up with no seasoning, just a little salt and pepper. They were disgusting. I cried. Eventually my mom figured out that you could buy the seasoning package and whip up a gringo version of tacos with relative ease and soon taco night became an important event in our house. read more+++

A couple of weekends ago we barbecued with our friend Katie in the suburbs (well, technically the outskirts of the city). This might not seem newsworthy to you, but for apartment dwellers without access to a grill it was a very special and eagerly anticipated event—the opportunity to perform an important ritual of summer and try out a couple of the grill recipes I have been collecting. I am still kind of amazed that we are now people who grill-out, not just the children of people who grill. It seems so adult. I guess we are also buying houses, having babies and opening our own businesses- so maybe grilling shouldn’t be such a surprise.

The day started off with rain and grey skies, but as we pulled into her driveway the clouds parted and we were awarded the perfect summer day—hot in the sun, cool in the shade with blue skies and big fluffy clouds. It was a BBQ miracle and the perfect early summer evening.

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It is always nice to hear that someone who makes stuff that you like, likes what you do too. When Ed Droste, founder of Brooklyn-based band Grizzly Bear, mentioned Lottie + Doof on his twitter feed I quickly heard from a bunch of loyal Grizzly Bear fans and I knew that Ed would be an excellent guest for L + D.

I’ve been a fan of Grizzly Bear since I first heard Horn of Plenty back in 2004. A mutual friend sent me the album and I was immediately drawn to the music. Several years later, Grizzly Bear has transformed from Ed’s solo project into one of the most compelling and popular bands making music today. The group has legions of very devoted followers who are attracted to the foursome’s moody and seductive music. Grizzly Bear fans had been eagerly anticipating the band’s third studio album, Veckatimest, which was released yesterday. The album does not disappoint, and critics have been heaping well-deserved praise upon the group.

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Green City Market has returned to Lincoln Park in Chicago, marking the official beginning of farmers market season in the Midwest. It was good to see familiar faces on Wednesday morning as a very sleepy me made his way through the park. I start work at 9am (my other job) and so on Wednesday mornings during the summer I wake up early and get to the market around 8am. It isn’t easy, but I’m always glad I went. It is early in the season so there were lots of greens and asparagus to choose from. I found some scallions and chives to use in a very simple frittata.

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This weekend a car full of my favorite ladies drove from New York to Chicago on a roadtrip. I wanted to make something delicious for them and I pretty quickly decided on Macaroni and Cheese. Mostly because, like me, my dear friend Tini can’t get enough cheese. She asks for extra cheese on everything and usually is upset because it still isn’t enough (lucky for her, she has the metabolism of a hummingbird). In honor of Tini and our mutual love of cheese, I decided to try to combine a few of our favorite things into one perfect dish of baked pasta. read more+++

Between work, travel, and house guests, I haven’t been in the kitchen as much as usual. I did, however, make this pasta which has become one of our favorite dishes as well as one of the most frequently cooked meals in our house. It is simple to put together and so delicious. It combines three of my favorite flavors: bacon, onions and tomatoes. Great for a casual dinner in front of the tv but good enough for company. read more+++

The latest issue of Saveur features an article on eating in Atlantic City in the 1980′s. The essay made me nostalgic for the east coast, the 80′s and even for Atlantic City. It is funny how we can feel these close connections to places we have never been. There is this mythology surrounding east coast Italian-American food that affects me even though I grew up in the Midwest. The article inspires images of red vinyl booths, dyed hair, plastic coated menus, muscle cars, perfume, checkered tablecloths, red sauce and high heels. These food mythologies add story to the recipes we cook and connect us to the past; we can be a teenager in New jersey, a grandmother in New Orleans, or a hippie in Berkeley. read more+++

I spend a lot of time in NYC, it is my other hometown. Most of my closest friends live there and I try to visit as often as possible. Our favorite pastime is eating. They take me to their favorite places which quickly become my favorite places. One of these favorites is Mercadito, a small Mexican restaurant in the east village with really outstanding food and superb drinks. A while back, Mercadito opened a new space, just across Avenue B from their old space, called Mercadito Cantina. It is a slicker more designy space but the food is equally delicious. I was particularly impressed with the green rice casserole I ordered. It was a mix of melted cheese and perfectly flavored rice topped with more deliciously browned cheese. It was amazing. I have thought of it often since. read more+++

I’m a huge fan of risotto, it is my #1 comfort food. There is nothing like a bowl of creamy risotto and green salad for dinner. Risotto is especially great because it is so easy to customize. I’ve made so many varieties using flavorings like saffron, lemon, red wine and stirring in things like squash, spinach, bacon, and a variety of cheeses. Once you get the basic technique down, it is an easy dish to experiment with— great for the home cook that likes a solid structure with room to play around.

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I really lucked out with Bryan’s family, they are all great. I often listen to friends tell stories about their in-laws and feel lucky to have it so good. A few weeks ago, Bryan’s sister Heather came to visit. We were excited for her stay and we wanted to cook some good food for her— a sort of belated Christmas dinner. She’s a vegetarian and it got me thinking about dietary restrictions and menu planning. read more+++