Dessert Recipes

My niece Clara asked why I couldn’t just use a box of brownie mix for the cookies. I was mid-lecture—something about “real cocoa powder” and … Read more

The autumn I turned twenty-eight, I found myself living in a row house on a street where neighbors actually knew each other’s names. My across-the-street … Read more

There used to be a tiny, unassuming bakery tucked between a laundromat and a bodega in Boyle Heights called “La Estrella.” Every fall, they’d roll … Read more

This was supposed to be a last-minute batch of regular Jello for a school holiday party. I had the boxes, the boiling water, and a … Read more

I wasn’t expecting cooking advice from my accountant, but there I was, sitting in his cramped office last April, shuffling receipts while he described exactly … Read more

I’m not supposed to play favorites with recipes, but if I’m being honest, this one sits at the very top of the pile. It’s the … Read more

My niece looked up from the bag of Oreos she was crushing with her bare hands and asked, “Auntie, why can’t you just skip the … Read more

My neighbor Sarah wasn’t trying to impress anyone. I’d stopped by to borrow a cup of sugar—how cliché, I know—and the smell of chocolate and … Read more

The woman at the community garden stand watched me staring at her basket of strawberries. She didn’t say anything at first. Then she pushed the … Read more

The school Halloween party was in twelve hours and I’d completely forgotten. My son had reminded me exactly three times that week, and each time … Read more