Downtown Chicago on a fall evening

    At the Bar: What Umami is All About

    In this At the Bar column, I talk about Umami’s approach to storytelling, what our goals are, and how we’re working to become an essential publication for people interested in food and drink.

    There's an emptiness to this type of silence

    At the Bar: When the Last Guest Leaves

    One of the hardest things for me and I’m guessing for other people who like to host things is when the last guest leaves and you’re left with an empty house.

    Wouldn't it be nice if the holidays were simpler

    At the Bar: Trying to Make the Holidays Worthwhile

    As the holidays wind down we take a look at overcoming the holiday paradox and figuring out how to enjoy the holidays.

    Kayaking at the Channel Islands

    At the Bar: Why Umami

    I was coming back from kayaking around the Channel Islands recently, thinking about why I wanted to start Umami and what it should be about.
    Nothing like making sun tea in the snow

    At the Bar: Thinking About Spring During the Hard Time

    It was a long bitterly cold winter in Minnesota this past year, the kind of winter that makes you think about how you can’t wait for global warming to get here.