Late summer is my favorite time of the year in the garden. The flowers are fading, it’s true. But the tomatoes are coming on strong and nothing beats a fresh tomato plucked straight off the vine.

This year, the tomato plants are going crazy in the raised beds we built in the parking strip between the sidewalk and the curb.  Even though we’re in Portland, there have been plenty of hot, sunny days to turn our six plants into monsters threatening to reach out and grab passersby. Continue reading BLT pizza on the grill →

At their best, cookbooks are more than collections of recipes.  They’re friends with stories to tell and ideas to share. No wonder so many food lovers toss a cookbook or two in with the novels to read at the beach or summer cabin.

This trio is my nomination for your reading pleasure this summer: Continue reading Summer reading for cooks →