Hi. I’m Isabel, I cook and scribble. I make a lot of food and do a lot of writing, and Bread & Courage is what I have to show for it. It started as a simple food blog called TASTE but evolved into something more—a place where I express my love of food, community and the environment. Thanks for spending some time here—and be in touch!
It’s a bit late to begin writing about winter, but I have been hibernating. Still and quiet, but whirling with ideas. Many come up when I sleep.This morning I got up quite early and did some stretching and had some coffee and my sleepy thoughts took shape.
The best thought was that I need to write more [...]
Thank God I am still in Vermont! It gets better and better, if a bit colder. We had dinner recently, with new friends who have lived here a while, and the gentleman said he didn’t mind the cold because the sky tends to stay blue. That’s been true. In the morning, though, it’s often pink.
Lupe [...]
I love fall. I haven’t had a lot of time to cook for myself, but I immensely enjoy eating things other people make, especially if those things involve apples. Also, I love cider donuts. I’ve even found a recipe to try, someday…when I graduate from law school, start my career, have children and watch them [...]
It’s fall, so I rush around a lot. I’m getting used to not having time to linger over lunch. I have to bring it with me most days, and eat it while I read about hearsay or the Fourth Amendment. Despite the rigors of daily life, Sundays are sanctified by a roasted chicken. Christopher and [...]
Zucchini, summer squash: crunchy, crisp, soft, charred, somewhat sweet, sometimes runny, best salted. I love these things. I hear a lot of people moan about how much is coming out of the ground. Too much, some say. Too much? I’ve eaten a lot of zucchini this summer, but it feels like our affair just got [...]
Gazpacho is always a surprise. I’ve never made the same batch twice, because the market and my mood are never the same.
I am a big fan of blending my gazpacho, although I also like it chopped. It depends on the goal: if avocado and lots of herbs or a green pepper are part of the [...]
Is this the time for ginger granola? Probably not, but I’ll tell you something: it got me through a lot this spring, and it goes great with slivered nectarines. It’s certainly the kind of thing I imagine eating in flannel PJs and slippers, but it has gone just fine with cotton t-shirts and old cut-offs [...]
I hope you’ll enjoy tonight as I will.
Go Huskies.
Texas Guacamole
Serves 4
1 large shallot, chopped
1 medium, red onion, diced, divided
1 jalepeno pepper, finely diced
1 large, red tomato, diced
2 jumbo avocados (or 4 small)
1/2 c chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
lemon juice
–
Saute the shallot and 1/2 of the onion in olive oil until soft and transluscent. [...]
A while ago, I though I would have time for salmon gravlax with buckwheat blini. Who was I kidding? I barely have time to butter an English Muffin. It might have been around New Year’s–when I was finishing up a month-long vacation, and when smoked salmon felt ’seasonal.’ The truth is, sometimes I get seduced [...]
I made this last winter for the first time, and recently came back to it. It’s as bright as ever–please enjoy.
Thank you, citrus, for gleaming through these gray winter months. I’ve got an appointment to have my teeth cleaned soon, and I’m sure my dentist will admonish me for my very much eroded enamel, but [...]
