August 13 is International Left-Handers Day, and around here, we happen to know one pretty amazing lefty: Miss Emma. Being left-handed may not seem like a big deal until you realize how much of the world was designed by right-handed people. Scissors. Can openers. Spiral notebooks. Measuring cups. Computer mice. Even sitting next to the […]
August Has Entered the Chat
August is a month with absolutely no idea what it wants to be. At 7:00 a.m., there’s just enough cool in the air to make you think fall might be coming. By noon, your steering wheel is a weapon and the seat belt buckle has become a branding iron. The kids are going back to […]
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When Summer is Too Hot to Cook
By the time late July rolls around, summer has settled in for real. The grill is getting plenty of use, the tomatoes are finally worth buying, and walking from the house to the mailbox somehow feels like you’ve completed an Olympic event. Then someone suggests turning on the oven for an hour, and suddenly takeout […]
The Great American Ice Cream Debate
Cone or Cup? Chocolate or Vanilla? Let’s Settle This. There are some debates that probably won’t ever be settled. Charcoal or gas. Ketchup on a hot dog. Pineapple on pizza. And every July, right around National Ice Cream Day, another one joins the list. What’s America’s best ice cream? I’ve learned over the years that […]
Vacation’s Over… Summer Didn’t Get the Memo
7 Summer Rules I’m Officially Ignoring Every year, it happens like clockwork. The Fourth of July fireworks fade, and suddenly America starts acting like summer is packing its bags. Store aisles fill with backpacks, school supplies replace pool floats, and before you know it, pumpkin-flavored everything starts quietly sneaking onto the shelves. Then someone inevitably […]
250 Years of American Cookouts
For 250 years, Americans have been gathering around a fire. The equipment has changed, the recipes have evolved, and even the menus look different than they once did. One thing, however, has remained remarkably consistent: when there’s something worth celebrating, people naturally gather around food. Long before pellet grills, propane tanks, and backyard smokers, meals […]
Why Nobody Wants to Cook on Vacation
Vacation always starts with big plans. Everyone talks about lazy mornings, long afternoons on the water, sunset boat rides, and finally getting a chance to relax. Then somebody asks what everyone wants for dinner, and suddenly the vacation turns into work. I’ve seen it happen more times than I can count. A family spends months […]
The Great Cookout Side Dish Debate
Everyone Talks About the Meat Every summer cookout starts the same way. Someone fires up the grill. The burgers get stacked. The ribs start smoking. Before long, the conversation turns to brisket, steaks, and who has the best barbecue rub. Meanwhile, the side dishes are quietly sitting on the table waiting for their moment. After […]
The Men Who Cook Outside
There’s Always One Every family has one. The man who says he’s only going outside for a minute somehow ends up spending the entire afternoon by the grill. He checks the fire, rearranges the charcoal. He lifts the lid just enough to inspect what’s happening underneath. Before long, he’s settled into his post and has […]
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Lake House Kitchen Mistakes Everyone Makes
Mistake #1: Cooking Like You’re at Home The first mistake happens before the groceries even leave the driveway. We plan lake house meals like we’re cooking in our own kitchens, with every tool within reach and every spice exactly where it belongs. Vacation rental kitchens rarely cooperate. Knives are dull. Pans are mismatched. There is […]