Our friend had a small party for his dog’s birthday and made Christmas cookies with sprinkles. I’m not one of those people who gets grouchy about holiday decorations going on sale in October; I’m in favor of bright colors, dancing elves, and evergreen boughs, and those who want to offer us a taste of the…

Herb butter, for a steak. I followed a simple Cook’s Illustrated recipe and mixed softened butter with parsley and chives, and when the cooking was finished, I spread the butter over the steak and let it rest under aluminum foil. The meat tasted hearty and flavorful even when it ended up a bit overcooked. (Photo:…

Chicken, braised with carrots. I used cumin and coriander to give it a basic Moroccan profile and then cooked in beef broth, which subdued much of the flavor in the end, and I used some of the last of our poblano peppers to make cornbread. (Photo: Side yard, Silver Spring, Maryland.) >> October 14 << October…

Buffalo Billiards. In my mind, along with The Big Hunt, this was the original happy hour bar in D.C. and it’s often the first place people end up when they move here, either because of its proximity to the Dupont Metro or due to its alliterative name. The giant basement room with pool tables and…

I made a version of gazpacho that uses only tomatoes and no other vegetables (and many of the tomatoes I bought are going bad quickly, so we seem to be pushing the end of the season). For this recipe, you include a high proportion of bread crumbs so it ends up very thick, adding just…

We celebrated Viet’s mom’s birthday at 2941, which looks like it’s in a suburban office park (and, in fact, is), except that once you pull into the valet parking area you’re in a landscape of fountains and high ceilings and trees that hide the rest of Northern Virginia from view. For their butternut squash ravioli…

We met friends at Dacha Beer Garden and ordered their pretzels with mustard and a Wurst in a curry sauce. Later, I couldn’t turn away from watching the debate of the century and I finished our bottle of Balvenie rum, neither of which seemed to be good choices in the end. (Photo: Afton Mountain Vineyards,…

It was the middle of a long weekend and there was light rain from the edge of the hurricane, and it felt like we were at a beach bar waiting out a storm. We went to dinner at Shaw’s Tavern and I tried their butternut squash salad, which is nearly identical to what I’ve made…

There aren’t many kinds of food that I categorically dislike: Usually I will try anything if it’s prepared well, but one exception is buffalo wings. Another is cranberry juice. This latter preference doesn’t make a lot of sense if you consider how much I love cranberries in almost anything, but I might be offended that…

Smoked salmon on crackers, or the sort of meal you never think is going to be enough and then is more than you ever even wanted. If I had enough money I would live in a palace where a platter of meze, smorgasboard, charcuterie, or fresh garden vegetables is ready in the kitchen at all times….

Tomatoes and onions, with ground beef in taco shells. The prolonged summer we’re having here, or really a prolonged spring, has its advantages, among them a ready supply of vegetables. (Photo: Brookside Gardens conservatory, autumn.) >> October 6 << October 4

Chicken, olives, and rice. I tried to watch the Vice Presidential debates, which was like being in high school when I felt bored and irritated at the same time. (Photo: Award-winning corn, Iowa State Fair.) >> October 5 << October 3