If there was a silver lining to be found amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the emergence of independent businesses that took advantage of a unique niche. For Melissa Christensen, that meant capitalizing on a trend that had been sweeping gatherings across the globe: Charcuterie boards. “There is something fun and convenient about them for...

Comedian Steve Martin once said, “Those French — it’s like they have a word for everything!” Charcuterie is one of those words. The art of pairing meats and cheeses with all kinds of delectable accompaniments is derived from the French words “chair” (flesh) and “cuit” (cooked). In 15th century France, the word was used to...

For me, holiday parties always impart a warm, cozy feeling of getting together with friends, family and neighbors. But hosting such a party can be stressful, expensive and time-consuming, which defeats the whole warm and cozy philosophy. My solution is a holiday open house. The idea behind this easy-to-pull-off gathering is that there is no...

The past few months have been unusually busy for my husband, John, and me. We have decluttered our house, sold it, packed everything we own and moved to a different state. As we weed through all the boxes, it’s easy for us to get overwhelmed. Have you ever felt this way? Do you ever struggle...

For me, holiday parties always impart a warm, cozy feeling of getting together with friends, family and neighbors. But hosting such a party can be stressful, expensive and time consuming, which defeats the whole warm and cozy philosophy. My solution is a holiday open house. The idea behind this easy-to-pull-off gathering is that there is...

When I was a college student, I was living in a fifth-floor walk-up apartment in downtown Iowa City. The apartment was on the top floor of a converted seminary/converted office building and, consequently, had a tiny kitchen — maybe 6-feet long by 3-feet wide, but my very first. And it was here that I began...

Comedian Steve Martin once said, “Those French — it’s like they have a word for everything.” Charcuterie is one of those words. The art of pairing meats and cheeses with all kinds of delectable accompaniments is derived from the French words “chair” (flesh) and “cuit” (cooked). In 15th century France, the word was used to...