Life updates

And a call for cookie requests!

Here’s the exterior of my house before the fire. That chimney surround is no longer there.

I’m writing to you this week to tell you that the dog ate my homework. No, really. Try as I might to keep all of the plates spinning, this week, something had to give, and I did not have time to prepare for the usual weekly newsletter and recipe. Instead, I’m making this post free for all subscribers and giving you some life updates about what’s made this week particularly hectic.

We were finally able to move back into our (almost) repaired/renovated/upgraded home. For those of you who are new around here, we had a fire back in December, which luckily did not completely destroy our house. It’s amazing how much damage can be done in a very short amount of time. The fire was probably burning for less than 15 minutes, but because of those 15 minutes, our lives were turned upside down for 6 months.

The roof was badly burned and has been completely replaced (and now looks beautiful). We had no smoke damage inside the house because the fire was put out before it reached the inside, so all of the indoor damage was due to water—and there was lots of it. It went all the way to the basement.

The floors in our living room were buckling because of that water damage. We now have new floors on the main floor of our house, and I love them. It was one of the things we couldn’t afford to upgrade when we did our first renovation back in 2013, so we just worked with what we had at the time, and I wasn't happy with how they were aging.

Moving is always hard, and we had accumulated quite a bit of stuff in the house we were renting. Last Thursday it was all packed up, and on Friday, brought back to our house. We had a team of people unpacking all of the boxes, and they were fast! Steve couldn’t be here that day, so I did as much of it as I could myself, but we are still putting the place back together. The contractor who did all of the work specializes in fires, floods, and other disasters, so they really knew what they were doing. Every single thing was packed up and removed from the main floor of the house, labeled, and taken to a warehouse so the work could be done. In case you missed it, check out this video I made showing the process back in March.

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Remarkably, almost everything was put back exactly where it had been—even the books (though every single one was upside down!). It’s such a good feeling to be back home.

I’m planning on doing a kitchen tour for paid subscribers later this summer. If you’re currently a free subscriber, consider upgrading so you’ll have access to it!

It took me a few days to get back to my usual rhythms, which these days involves lots and lots of cookies. As you might remember, I am working hard on a cookie book, which will be out in fall of 2026. Our rental house was mainly chosen for its kitchen and wall ovens, because I had a lot of work to do! I have to say, it was good to have a purpose while we were displaced, and being in a kitchen other than my own might have even helped me focus on the task at hand. I’ve been having a blast working on this book, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

The recipes in the book will be really varied, and anything not deemed craveable by Steve (and me) didn't make the cut. I am down to developing the last handful of recipes, and am filling in the missing pieces. So this is a good time to ask you:

What kind of cookie do you hope to find in this book? I am taking requests! Is there anything you hope I will elucidate for you in the front of the book? I’ll be compiling all of my best tips and techniques for you.

I’ll be back next week with a new recipe, but I will leave you with some ideas for cooling off in the brutal heat many of us are experiencing right now!

Recipes for the heat wave

Watermelon Gazpacho with Feta Crema

This cooling soup is easy to make, and exactly what I want to eat on a hot summer’s day. The feta crema (a nod to the classic combo of watermelon and feta), makes it fancy enough for a dinner party.

Raspberry Sorbet Sandwiches

These sorbet sandwiches are worth turning your oven on (briefly!) for. The cookies are full of fresh grated corn, which lends a wonderful subtle flavor that pairs beautifully with raspberry sorbet (I like Talenti).

Cold Soba Salad with Strawberries

There is nothing more refreshing than a cold noodle salad in the summer, and this one packs a lot of flavor thanks to hot chilies, blistered shishitos, and toasted sesame oil. The juicy berries add a cool and sweet-tart contrast to the salty flavors of the miso-based dressing.

Nectarine Sunset Pops

You can make these two-toned popsicles ahead and serve them days later all at once—or leave a stash in the freezer for family or house guests to grab whenever the mood strikes.

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