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!
I made a lot of things this weekend on a visit to my parents’ house, including some batik eggs. Wax on a convex surface is decidedly unruly, but that is not the story here. This story is of a cake that almost didn’t get made: one I planned to bake and serve on Easter morning, [...]
There’s nothing better than going to sleep in a house that smells like breakfast. Knowing that when you wake up, a nice heap of something will be waiting for you, whether it’s oatmeal from a slow cooker, prunes stewing on the stovetop or muffins, just pulled from the oven. But as wonderful as breakfast can [...]
Last week, I started a yoga program called “The Forty Days,” pretty self-explanatory, really. Forty days of yoga, plus a fast and twice-daily meditation. Sometimes my body aches, but mostly I feel extraordinary. Open and calm and centered—qualities I usually admire from afar. When I’m unhappy, I can be a bit of an anxious recluse. [...]
Christmas! And I’m staring at a half a plate of Russian Tea Cakes, lips white with powdered sugar. Like ginger snaps, these were not my first choice as a child, although they have moved high up the list of foods to appreciate. First of all, they are not super sweet—don’t be fooled by their coat [...]
I am predisposed to love September. There’s no better season than the onset of fall, I say, with its cool currents slipping in under the warm air; the sound of geese squeaking in the morning, shuttering in their bulbous bodies before they decide to fly away. And nothing beats wild grapes along the side of [...]
When summer ceases, salads usually wane as well. I am determined to change that. It' s not so hard to do here in Texas, where there are twice as many growing seasons as up North, but last time I was visiting New England I conceived of a great autumnal mix that manages to lay lots [...]
