Appetizer Recipes

Introduction The summer I turned thirty, I was at this quirky little Halloween pop-up shop, the kind that smells like pumpkin spice and nostalgia all … Read more

“Why can’t we just skip the fancy canning stuff and boil the jars like grandma used to?” my friend Jenna asked one humid Saturday afternoon … Read more

This was supposed to be a batch of sweet pepper relish. I grabbed the wrong jar of vinegar, the stove was still warm from lunch, … Read more

“Hand me that bowl,” my neighbor said, barely looking up from the chopping board. I’d just stopped by to borrow some sugar, but before I … Read more

This was supposed to be a simple black bean salsa, a quick side for taco night. I grabbed the wrong cutting board—the one still sticky … Read more

Introduction “The sizzle when the cauliflower hits the hot oil was impossible to ignore,” my neighbor Jenna said, tossing a handful of battered florets into … Read more

The summer I turned twenty-five, I was unloading groceries in the sweltering heat of a July afternoon when a sharp, smoky scent hit me—an odd … Read more

“Peaches on flatbread?” my friend Josh scoffed for years. Seriously, he claimed he couldn’t stand the idea of fruit mingling with salty meats on anything … Read more

There used to be a tiny deli tucked away on a quiet street in Portland that made the most unforgettable creamy dill pickles. When that … Read more

It was 11:37 PM on a slow Wednesday, and honestly, I just wanted something crunchy and fresh — like, really fresh. I didn’t have any … Read more