Leah’s Life is about, you guessed it, my life. My life includes the tedium of day to day, the big thoughts, and little smiles that come out of such a life. It includes, the places we go and the journeys we have. It includes dancing, singing, laughing, crying, eating, drinking, traveling far and exploring close to home.

I spend a lot of time writing, taking pictures, being with my children and husband, locking myself in the bathroom, laughing, crying, being silly and then serious…and then silly again. The heart of my home is the kitchen, not just because it’s in the center of the house, but because what goes on in the kitchen is often paralleled with what goes on in life. Great things can come out of it as can sticky messes. There is success, there is failure, there are preserves that last a long time and delicate zucchini blossoms that need to be enjoyed right away in the moment.

Who’s in the kitchen?

Any number of people can be in the kitchen at any given time. Most of the time I’m in the kitchen. I’m Leah, wife to a hard working man who also enjoys cooking and definitely enjoys eating. We have very different backgrounds in the kitchen (you’ll get to know us more as the days, months and years go by). I also have two little kids (they’re 2 and 4 now) (they’re 6 and 8 now) (they’re 10 and 12 now) but who are still often seen dancing in the kitchen, playing in the kitchen, chopping, mixing, and stirring in the kitchen, and yes occasionally eating in the kitchen.

Where is my kitchen?

Most of the time I’m in Cambridge, MA cooking in my kitchen. Sometimes I can be found in Mt. Vernon, NY cooking with my mom in her let’s try this recipe and improvise a little kitchen. There are times I’m with my friend Samantha’s in Watertown cooking in her getting back to our Jewish and Canadian roots kitchen. Other times I am hanging around my friend Clara’s kitchen in Cambridge watching her mix her American Jewish and Catholic roots with her love of Vietnamese flavours and cooking (thanks to her husband and in-laws). And if I’m not home, there is a good chance you can find me just down the street at Formaggio Kitchen picking up a few things or up the road in the bakery at Hi Rise relaxing, inhaling, noshing, sipping and watching. Lastly, if my bags are packed and the lights are out, you may find me in my Aunt Kathie’s kitchen in her perfect little flat in London watching (and perhaps helping) her cook up the most delicious and beautiful bites for her next catering gig.

What am I cooking?

For the most part I’m cooking dinner, making breakfast, or packing lunch. I’m planning the next holiday dinner, kid-friendly brunch with friends and neighbours, cocktail party, school potluck or birthday party.

I try to buy organic because I think it is healthier for my body (and my family’s) and much better for our planet. I like to buy local. I particularly loathe Californian offerings especially when I know we have some of our own locally grown produce in season right here in New England or even just north of us in the Niagara belt. (Sorry California. I know you have great food, it just isn’t so great by the time it travels here.)

I visit the farmer’s market weekly with the kids. We are members of a CSA in Lincoln which is also organic. I try to buy sustainable seafood and I don’t enjoy added hormones and antibiotics in my meat. We eat a lot of veggies. We enjoy fresh seafood (my husband will eat frozen but I don’t like it).

I love simple, classic and seasonal “peasant food”. I can appreciate fine foods as well, but I really enjoy fresh, clean flavours that are not too heavy or complex. I lived in France as a child for two years and definitely have a taste for simple French cooking. I am Canadian and Jewish, which has shaped what I like to eat and cook. I am also British, from my father, and I can’t say I cook English food too often, but I do really enjoy vinegar on my “chips” (as in French fries) and although we don’t like them mushy, we love our English peas (fresh out of the pod). I like to cook Indian food, but have not cooked much lately (I did a lot in college). I cook seasonally. I love to bake anything from bagels and bread to muffins and cookies. I don’t do pastries or anything with a pâte sablée, brisée, sucrée or other. I leave the pastries, pies, and cake decorating to my husband.

If you want to get in touch, here is my contact info.