The goods: Beer, peanut butter, olive tapenade and cream;
eggs, mango cake, chicken salad; pea shoots, Chinatown duck,
roasted red peppers, ricotta, beef tenderloin...

No matter what senior eat + drink editor Sara Deseran and I say to people, they don’t believe that our jobs are not always heaven-sent. Food writers aren’t allowed to complain about the daily grind…I get nothing but withering looks when I tell people that I wish I could spend a night at home on the couch, eating cereal for dinner. Sure, there are loads and loads of perks, but at the end of the day…well, it’s work.

I spent the better part of yesterday slaving over a hot stove, schlepping ducks from Chinatown, carnitas pork from the Mission, focaccia from North Beach, all in the name of a good story. Come August, all will be revealed: our blockbuster summer eat + drink issue will hit the stands, and you, dear reader, will see the results of all this cooking. I’m bringing you recipes—real, working recipes—that will explain the chaos that was my refrigerator yesterday.


The making of a masterpiece. See our August issue for DIY tips.