As a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef, cooking, for me, has
always been tied to the rhythm of the seasons. Just as stories change with mood
and weather, so does the food I return to again and again. I am drawn to
recipes that reflect the time of year and use ingredients at their peak.
One of my favorite warm-weather dishes is tomato pie. Few people know this recipe, and its great
taste always surprises them. The key to a good tomato pie is
patience. Tomatoes hold a lot of water, and if you do not take the time to cook
them down into a thick paste, the crust will suffer, resulting in the dreaded
soggy bottom! Once the tomatoes are reduced properly, the dish comes together
beautifully with sharp cheddar and a seasoned mayonnaise.
As the seasons shift, so do the recipes I crave. In
the fall, I love making pumpkin pie soup. It is hearty, comforting, and deeply
flavorful, the kind of dish that makes the kitchen smell like warmth itself.
Winter calls for French onion soup, slow-cooked and deeply caramelized, a
reminder that good food rewards time and attention. In the spring, I turn to a
spring salad mix, a reset after heavier meals.
What I love most about cooking is not perfection, but
sharing techniques, learning from others, and trading recipes that reflect
culture, memory, and place. Some of the best lessons I have learned in the
kitchen came from conversations, not classrooms.
Whether it is a tomato pie shared in summer, a pot of
soup simmering through winter, or a spring salad, food has a way of connecting
us. Recipes carry stories, and when we pass them along, we keep those stories
alive.
Seasonal Recipes
Summer Tomato Pie
Fall Pumpkin Pie Soup
Winter French Onion Soup
Spring Salad
Ingredients
- Butter lettuce or mixed spring greens
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt & cracked pepper
Instructions
- Whisk shallot, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Slowly whisk in olive oil.
- Toss gently with greens just before serving.
Watch the Book Trailer
Excerpt:
Maggie and Andrew approached the bar and were relieved they had arrived twenty minutes early. That is, until an attendant approached Maggie and said, “Good evening, Miss McCullough. If you would follow me, I will lead you to your private cabana. Your guest has already arrived and is waiting for you.” Maggie held up her finger and said, “I’ll be right with you.” “Certainly, take all the time you need.” The man moved to the end of the bar and waited discreetly. Maggie grabbed Andrew’s elbow and dragged him to the opposite corner of the bar. She was a little frazzled. “I am not going into a closed tent without you being able to watch me, especially since I have no idea who I’m supposed to be interviewing.” “Tell the waiter you are claustrophobic, and you need one of the side flaps on the cabana removed. That way I can keep an eye on you during the interview.” “Perfect.” Maggie summoned the waiter and explained what she needed. He seemed irritated but, without a word, walked to the cabana and unzipped the side flap, revealing an attractive man of medium build with a head of thick auburn hair lit with natural highlights of red and blond. Hair color to die for, Maggie thought. She squeezed Andrew’s elbow and whispered, “Here goes nothing.”
Andrew didn’t want her interviewee to be alerted to his presence, so keeping a respectable but short distance from Maggie, he nonchalantly whispered, “You’ll do great.” Maggie followed the attendant to the cabana where the man was sitting. He stood as she approached and held her chair out for her. She thanked him and sat. Turning toward the waiter, the stranger authoritatively commanded, “Bring the 1869 Chateau Lafite.” “Very good, sir. Will there be anything else?” “No,” he said dismissively. The waiter left. The man sitting across from Maggie said, “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Lucifer, but you can call me Luc.”
“Pleased to meet you.” Maggie extended her hand. The man sitting across from her looked at it with disgust. She slowly withdrew her hand and placed it in her lap. A palpable energy radiated from him and made her skin crawl. Maggie quickly drew a protection spell in her notebook and was relieved when the unsettling sensation abated. Luc addressed Maggie. “There are a few ground rules that will need to be established before we commence.” Maggie said, “Absolutely. Please, continue.” “First, don’t speak unless spoken to. Secondly, there is a lot of information to cover and I will tell you what is important and what isn’t. Lastly, don’t be irritating. Keep your questions relevant and we will get along swimmingly.” What a dick, Maggie thought, but bit her tongue since she was positive such a comment would undoubtedly irritate him. “Duly noted.” “You may proceed and ask your first question.” Maggie jumped right in and asked, “What story do you want to set straight?” Luc chuckled. “I am not the figure humans have made me out to be and I would like to tell my side of the story.”
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