Chocolate almond bars. I used a recipe for “chocolate mint squares” which calls for peppermint oil, but goodness knows where I’m supposed to find that, so I substituted almond extract instead. You prepare the dough by combining melted chocolate and butter with beaten sugar and eggs, a half cup of flour, and the almond extract….

When I woke up, the logic of a dream had convinced me that somehow they’d passed Brexit in our own country and I would have to adjust my life to the new reality. Actually, I just had to figure out how to accommodate the new “Safe Track” Metro schedule that would be in effect all…

For breakfast I took the first Roma tomato that ripened outside and cut it up with a jalapeño and some basil, mixing them with eggs. I thought of making huevos rancheros, which in my head just means “spicy eggs,” because as a pasty resident of the North I have no real idea of what they…

I made a salsa with tomatillos, onions, and parsley, and just enough jalapeño to give it a little bit of kick in the background. We had Spanish mackerel, which didn’t really taste like much, but the salsa was there to make up for it, and I roasted purple potatoes to go with the fish. I…

At the local Irish pub, the outdoor heat gave way to powerful AC and the Tom Petty cover singer told us he was learning to fly. I’m still figuring out how to keep myself above water, but we’re all at different stages in life and must learn to get along anyway. We had the potato…

I pulled some thai basil from the garden, fresh from the rain, and put it on beef patties, and then I decided to stay up late and watch balloons drop on political candidates. These days, a convention seems like an anachronism; do they really want to stand there in the audience and listen to one…

Lunch at a place called G Street, located at the corner of 15th and L St. The interior feels brightly colored and optimistic for a downtown lunch place, and they seem to really care about their food. It also is not unimportant that they have an orderly system in place which allows them to prepare…

I need to start making more pizza, and I think what’s held me back is a lack of confidence or experience in making the dough. I’m also not sure about toppings, or even the right kind of cheese or oils to sweeten the crust. So I decided to take baby steps and cooked a frozen…