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!
All of my original TASTE blog entries with the new look.
It' s rare that I stuff myself so much in the afternoon that I can actually resist a meal later in the evening. While I might assert that a four o' clock meal will be my last of the day, the belly always beckons again and some late night snacking ensues. Last Sunday I ate [...]
I am a young woman, learning to cook. Raised by a professional pair of parents, there was little consistency in the kitchen–except at the holidays. I am from a Polish family that celebrates Wigilia and our Christmas tradition was always strictly enforced. Days of food preparation, an unchanging menu, specific eating times and exact methods [...]
Last time I made lemon bars I tried a recipe with eggs, which made them puffy and nebulous. It might sound nice—billowing heaps of lemon-sugar filling on a thick shortbread crust—but actually, it was not for me. I prefer my lemon squares flat and chewy, tart and sticky: none of this fluffy stuff. I did [...]
This weekend was merry. How merry? Most of us were drunk on red wine by 2pm, took naps on deep couches, and enjoyed long swims and a fire pit at the end of the evening. There was also a massive thunderstorm Saturday afternoon, lots of wind to clear it away and strong, if intermittent sunshine. [...]
This is another colorful meal, ready in less than twenty. Salmon is beautiful to bake, and most delicious when prepared simply. This batch is done with a drizzle of olive oil, a nice crusting of chunky sea salt and followed with a squeeze of lemon juice. A chopped salad is a great way to get [...]
I had a falling out with a big, yellow cookbook last night. The book has a rather grand name: “How to Cook Everythingâ€� by the super-confident Mark Bittman. With a title like that, you' re bound to disappoint. I looked at all of the relatively straightforward recipes, full of basic ingredients and simple descriptions, and [...]
Now that blueberries are fully in season, my mornings are better than ever. I know it’s a small dish, but I think my summer breakfast is worth sharing, especially since it doubles nicely as a snack or dessert.
1 c Greek or organic plain yogurt
1/4 c blueberries
1tbsp local honey
1/4 cup pine nuts and 1/4 c [...]
Endive is an element too often overlooked. I once worked at a restaurant where the chef placed little dollops of curried egg salad on an endive leaf as something of an edible spoon. It was a nice idea, but never one I replicated. Until just a few days ago, I almost always overlooked the little [...]
If you' re looking for something quick, light and pretty this combination is a great option for summer. It can be tweaked to serve many or few, and the quick prep-time makes it a worthwhile option, even if yours is the only mouth to feed. I sometimes approach cooking just for myself with something of [...]
You read right: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, smooth and crunchy peanut butter are supplemented by chocolate wafer cookies, graham cracker crumbs and old fashioned oats to make these dense, but crunchy-topped brownies. My relationship to these squares is one of a mother to an accidental babe. At first, they seemed cursed by the seed of [...]
