Today! A Recipe from White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford I’m delighted to share a recipe from my friend Cris Comerford, the quiet force behind the amazing food in the White House kitchen since 2005. Cris is the first woman to serve as Executive Chef at the White House, where she has worked since 1995, mastering the intricacies of planning, shopping, cooking, and presenting thousands of beautiful meals to the President, his family, and his guests each year. Cris has […]
said Nickie, my friend and fitness trainer, as we fast-walked through Georgetown one morning and she talked me through a recipe for cucumber vodka with basil. Nickie lives in Louisiana. I think it’s important to mention this, because if you’ve seen my photo you must think she’s not very good at her job. In truth, she’s aces as a fitness trainer, but since we work out together a couple of times a YEAR, well, you see the problem. You might […]
Today is Beatrix Potter’s birthday, and in her honor I’m passing along her recipe for blackberry-apple upside down cake. It’s just the sort of homey pudding (to use the English word for it) that you could imagine the beloved author and illustrator serving with tea at her Hill Top farm. As a child I always loved the stories of Peter Rabbit, Mrs. Tiggywinkle, Squirrel Nutkin, and the dangerous Mr. Tod, as did my own children. Later I came to admire […]
My husband really hates to exercise. In fact, he prefers not to break a sweat under any circumstances, and if possible, to avoid exercising outdoors at all times. If I can persuade him to take a walk with me, we have a negotiation over the route: he will walk if we stay on the sidewalks, but if I suggest we go through the woods in Dumbarton Oaks Park, he’s out. These are the minor quirks of a long-married couple, but […]
“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads” – Thoreau There’s nothing better for the spirit than a strong dose of fresh air and sunshine, a leafy hillside with moss-covered trails to walk upon, and a friend with whom to share the path. The pleasures of Vermont are simple, serene, homey, and historic – one of the few places I’ve visited that caused me to think, “I could live here.” Recently, my husband and I stayed at […]
