February 9, 2019

Welcome to Lilacs and Green Onions! This project has been a concept for a while and I am excited to finally share my blog with you. Almost eight years ago, I first discovered food blogs and they have since been a source of inspiration for me and what I cook. For almost as long, I have had conversations with friends and family, tossing around the idea of creating my own blog. I have wanted a way to document what I cook and to share the stories around what inspires me. My intention for this space is to invite others to cook their food with me, and to share their family food traditions. 

The name Lilacs and Green Onions was born out of a childhood memory. I remember standing in my grandmother’s farmhouse kitchen around age seven. It was late spring and the windows above the kitchen sink were opened wide. A warm breeze blew through the room in soft gusts, carrying the heady scent of lilacs from the bouquet in a Mason jar on the table. On the kitchen counter a drinking glass was filled with green onions freshly pulled from her garden and leftover from lunch. My eyes closed, and with the sun warm on my face, I let my senses process the moment: the heavy sweetness of lilacs, the pungent onions cutting the air, and the underscore of the musty 100-year-old farmhouse. The kitchen seemed to pulse with the warmth and the scents. I was captivated for a glorious moment. This unique combination of fragrances is one I associated with my grandmother for years after. 

My lineage is woven with women who were talented cooks and bakers. I grew up at my mother’s elbow while she turned out pie crusts and cinnamon rolls. When my siblings and I were in grade school she was known as the “cookie lady.” Even today, my childhood classmates tell me they remember the heart-shaped sugar cookies with buttercream icing she brought for Valentine’s Day parties, and the miniature candy bird nests she made each spring around Easter. When I advanced a grade each year, my peer who were no longer in my current classroom would stop me in the hallway and ask me if I could smuggle them a cookie. If I had been an entrepreneur at all I could have started padding my retirement fund in the third grade.

My style of cooking is mostly inspired by the seasons and the produce available. I look forward to the changing seasons because I know comforting stews in the winter will be followed by fresh greens in a few months. I draw inspiration from everything and everyone around me, including my ever-growing cookbook collection. I look forward to sharing the experience with you. Welcome to my table. Let’s eat.