Postcards

From the kitchens. In writing. One real story at a time.

Each piece will be a scrolled travelogue — painted scene by painted scene — about one person who taught me something in their kitchen. The dish travels. The name on the door changes. The lesson stays. None of them are ready yet. They go up when the prose matches what the kitchen actually felt like.

On the desk

Ten kitchens, in writing.

Drafts I am refusing to publish until the prose matches what the kitchen actually felt like. Some of these will take months. They get there when they get there. No promised dates.

  • From Lyon, Presqu’île
    A bouchon, a man named Pascal, and the soupe à l’oignon that taught me patience
    Visited —
  • From Camogli, Liguria
    A wooden spoon, a marble mortar, the cheese on the plate not in the paste
    Visited —
  • From Sapporo, Hokkaido
    A basement counter, a ramen master, and the discipline of refusing the shortcut
    Visited —
  • From Tunis, La Marsa
    A sidewalk burner, a Tunisian grandmother, brik at 2 a.m. without a shared word
    Visited —
  • From Mexico City, Roma Norte
    A taquería corner, a Spanish teacher, and what chile is actually for
    Visited —
  • From Athens, Plaka
    A taverna, Eleni, lentils, and the salt of the bread
    Visited 2017
  • From Valencia, El Cabanyal
    Joan’s paella and the rule of the socarrat
    Visited 2018
  • From Buenos Aires, San Telmo
    The bodegón that taught me the milanesa
    Visited 2019
  • From Languedoc, A small estate kitchen
    Madeleine, the bean lady, the cassoulet crust
    Visited 2022
  • From London, Mayfair
    The Wellington and the duxelles obsession
    Visited 2023