win win
Tuesday, May 7, 2013 alana

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I’m a few days away from a proper post, but I couldn’t keep you in suspense any longer on the whole cast iron dutch oven situation, especially when you were so generous with your roast chicken recipes.

The winner of the perfect pan for the perfect chicken is Elizabeth Beattie, who, like so many of you, “roasts” her chicken in a slow cooker. Maybe it’s because my slow cooker is always filled with yogurt, but this idea was totally new to me, and my mind is fairly blown. My next chicken is going in the slow cooker for sure. Continue reading →

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first of the month: our very own democracy
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 alana

Before we get to the first of the month topic, I have to say–holey chicken! What an amazing collection of recipes, stories, tragedies and triumphs. Whether or not you’re searching for the perfect roast chicken recipe, give the comments a peek if you can. And there’s still a few more days to enter to win the dutch oven, too.

Last month, I started a series I’m calling “first of the month.” Essentially, I ask a question and, if you like, you pipe in to discuss. There’s no giveaway or incentive involved–it’s really just a place for you to write. You can write as much or as little as you want, or if you want to answer on your own website, just leave a link in the comments. Last month, we talked about money, and this month, I’d love to talk about politics. Continue reading →

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another recipe for roast chicken (and a giveaway)
Friday, April 26, 2013 alana

Just what the world needs. One more recipe for roast chicken. Only I do. I really do.

Perfect Roast Chicken

1. Find a chicken. It should be local, unless it’s not. It should be organic, unless it’s local, unless you are just at the regular supermarket and I’ll be damned if I’m going to go to three different stores just to get ingredients for one dinner, and then it’s just a regular chicken hopefully not from some Southern chicken farm that makes their farmers into indentured servants. On second thought, maybe you shouldn’t find a chicken. Maybe you should just make lentils. Except you NEED roast chicken. You dreamt about roast chicken last night and woke up thinking about those amazing little oyster bites on the back that you’ve loved ever since you saw Amelie in college. Roast chicken it is.  Continue reading →

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kumquat ricotta tartine
Wednesday, April 17, 2013 alana

Again.

I start writing on an ordinary day. I put it down with the hope of finishing later, and then in that time in between, the New York Times starts yelling at me from my phone. I check the news, I check Twitter (which on the whole I don’t love, but it’s always where I go when I try to figure out what’s just happened), and already people are yelling at each other about not being sensitive, not having the wherewithal to unschedule tweets about sales and cookie recipes and whatever else they’ve planned for the day. It seems that something horrible has happened, again. And again, no one knows what to say. Continue reading →

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not for now but for later
Wednesday, April 10, 2013 alana

Because it’s now that I’m here and I write, this list will live in this place, not for now but for later. Not for today, when just tonight at 8:08, we cheered and said hooray! It’s been a decade, 10 whole years! since you came twirling into the world. Not tonight, when we ate lemon bars and roast chicken and everyone in our lives called to wish you happy 10th. You tried on new earrings, clutched new books to your chest, and said thank you to everyone. You don’t need any advice today. You’ve got this all down.

But another time. When you’re older, and you feel like you don’t know what you used to know. Continue reading →

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