by Devin Tooma
This is a dish I learned to make while living in Italy: spaghetti with garlic, olive oil, and chili pepper. It is always nourishing, always available, and I’ve learned something new from it each time – the parable of pastas. This is a blue Christmas for me – the...
by Wallace Minder
In the shadow of the Great Depression, when the world outside was filled with uncertainty and hardship, my twin brother and I found joy in the simple things. Living in a dusty tent on the outskirts of Portland, Oregon, we shared laughter and dreams, tethered together...
by Germeen Fargo
My mom had gone to the American Embassy multiple times before and had been denied a visa, but this time was different. The situation carried an intensity that went far beyond a simple visa acceptance. This wasn’t about touring the country. It wasn’t about visiting...
by Walt Lancaster
My father was the jelly/jam maker in my family. During the fall in southern Mississippi, the wild and domesticated fruit trees and vines provided my father with an assortment of fruits to choose from as he created the jams or jellies I looked forward to as a child. As...
by Candace Wilson Jorgensen
It was nearing 9 p.m., the end of visiting hours in the coronary ICU. Beverly lay there recovering from a “widowmaker” heart attack the night before. Soon I would have to leave. Our last few moments for the night needed to be comforting, hopeful. They needed meaning...
by Norman Bunoan
For many Filipino families, the holiday season kicks off not with the sparkle of parol lanterns or the first notes of Christmas tunes. It begins right in the kitchen. Picture a bunch of lumpia wrappers next to bowls filled with tasty ingredients, as family members...
