Aromatic Poached Salmon with Anthology, Cal Peternell's Braised Chicken Legs with New York Times, Birmingham Magazine Sweet Potatoes

Some years, January is one of the slowest times and affords contemplation: to dream up new projects, to consider what the arc of the year will look like...

Not this year.

Which, I guess is a good thing, but I have had trouble keeping up already. There are a number of pretty fantastic projects now finished which will soon make their way out into the world. Some will debut soon, so keep your attention here and when they go live, I'll be sure to let you know.

They are gorgeous displays of beautiful, real food, articulated in new ways that I am quite proud of. Others - like the party for thirty I just single-handedly put together (from scratch!) - were huge labors of love for friends, and now poof, they're gone.

I also just completed my latest column with Anthology, which is very much in the spirit of the above: a labor of love, gorgeous displays, and completely about real food. If you're not sold by the pictures, tell me what it is they lack….

Because for me, their elemental nature - and knowing just how delicious everything tasted together - is enough to make me want to cook it all over again.

The full story and recipe is here.

These are for the plump aioli into which everything got dabbed….

The flavorful poaching liquid, which I have used for soups and to cook grains in, since. Nothing goes to waste if I can help it…

Yum. What do you think?

Another hearty, straightforward meal I produced is these chicken legs from Chez Panisse's own Cal Peternell. They were recently featured in The New York Times, and taste as superb as they look.

This soothing recipe with sweet potatoes I created for Birmingham Magazine is also out now - 

For the same month, I was asked to photograph soup dumplings at a local restaurant. They were quite good. (I love my job.)

Though spring isn't here yet and I pine for the soft breezes and warm sunlight, I am also very grateful because I have more winter incubating to do. There will be so much good work to share once spring does grace us with its presence, but let's be invigorated by the heartiness of winter foods for a little while yet.

If you wonder where does all the food go, I have a good lot of fun figuring out ways to use up all the remnants and leftovers, over on Instagram. Always a challenge to use every last bit in an interesting way (that isn't the same thing), I am constantly surprised by the new things I discover. So many happy accidents. :)

I hope you're nourishing yourselves as we roll out 2015. Every meal is an opportunity to delight your palate and soothe your bones!