I’m Laura, and I live nestled among the fir trees on the edge of an urban forest with my husband, three daughters, and a golden retriever. I have always loved to cook. But in recent years cooking has become my creative outlet and a meditative practice. It is also an act of love. Here in the Pacific Northwest, I’m constantly inspired by our bountiful local ingredients and fresh produce.
Each day, as I transition from my day job to family life, I come back to the kitchen. It’s my sanctuary. I clear the clutter of the day from the counters, clean mismatched dishes, organize produce, and pull ingredients from the fridge and pantry. I take time to put on music and fine a piece of cheese for the dog. And I settle in to create something for dinner.
My week begins with a menu plan, and at some point, there are grocery runs, CSA pickups, and a stop at a local market or two. But many days, I find myself pivoting. Maybe it’s creating a new salad to go with a favorite pasta, or a new version of chicken soup. Sometimes it’s a completely new dish inspired by a unique ingredient from the market or my CSA box. Other times, I’m simply improvising because I forgot a key ingredient or don’t feel like making what I’d planned. And sometimes, I’m full of inspiration from a video or article but want the freedom to just play.
Somewhere along my cooking journey, I moved away from following recipes and embraced a looser, more creative way of cooking. This approach relaxes my brain and allows me to truly use up all my ingredients while being as creative as I want each day. This is the food that eventually makes its way to our table, night after night. This is what I want to share here. How every day can include fresh homemade food and how the practice of making a meal can be as lovely as the food itself. Welcome to my table.