Friday Round-up

What I'm reading this week:

What if You Just Hate to Cook Dinner? Virginia Heffernan, mother of two, poses the question "Why is food such a big part of raising children?" then proceeds to discuss the condescending language in family cookbooks, including mine. I have a fair amount I’d like to say about this essay, but for now, I'm going to do my mom proud and save it for the burn book I keep in the back of my sock drawer. I do feel the need, however, to address two things that I simply can not let pass. FIRST: The suggestion that I have ever implied, in my books or on this blog, that family dinner should fall entirely on moms. Wow. Where do I begin with this one? Maybe with the 100+ posts my husband has written for this blog, all of which address his day-to-day dinner-making for our daughters, from the post-soccer-practice scramble, to Friday-night Stromboli to his Pork Ragu recipe that people bring up with me over and over again, including, last month, someone sitting next to me on a plane who I had never met before. (People, it's that good.) I guess I could also point to the "Family Dinner Boot Camp" series I did for Motherlode, the theme of which could be summarized as: "All in." From the beginning, this blog has been about a return to the kitchen that involves everyone, including the kids who may or may not remember to set the table. If you find joy in making dinner, then you should make it yourself. If you need help from others, then you should include others. If others need help from you, then you should help. If you hate cooking, then dump a can of beans on toast (Andy's post, btw), serve with some baby carrots and call it a day. There is no one way to do this – every family is different, every situation is different, and I try my best to recognize and respect that. SECOND: I believe deeply in the idea that nobody should be made to feel bad about the way he or she approaches family dinner -- or whether they can pull it off at all. I do this blog because I enjoy cooking, and I enjoy helping people who want to make it happen. If my tone here ever makes anyone feel anxious or guilty or less-than, if I ever sound condescending, then I'm failing in what I'm trying to accomplish, and you guys need to let me know about it. I take this kind of criticism seriously, and I rely on you to keep me honest. Anyway, give it a read and let me know what you think.

The bottom line is, you can assume I agree with Luisa and Katie.

Onward! What else:

Abby, my almost 11-year-old, is absolutely tearing through this book right now.

100 Rules of Dinner Re-posting. Just cause.

Is there anything better than when Catherine Newman "thinks out loud?"

"Inside the Biggest Ever Hedge Fund Scandal" A profile of Steven A. Cohen that reads like a John Grisham novel.

Locals: Stone Barns Center still has a few slots open in their Little Cooks and Gardener's Program. My girls did one of these a while ago and we've been dining out on the buttermilk ranch dressing they learned to make there ever since.

Masterchef Junior Season 2 The DVR is already set.

Grain Bowls: I could eat like this every day.

How do you raise kids who are The Opposite of Spoiled? I intend to find out.

Cooking Fast and Slow: A conversation between Mark Bittman and Mario Batali at the 92nd St Y this Sunday. Tickets are still available.

Ice Cream Hacks I can't believe how much I love this. (Meanwhile: The ice cream sandwich cake reminded me of another classic cheat: ravioli lasagna.)

Another smart birthday party idea.

I'm a year late on this one, but these Fashion Icon Halloween costumes for kids cracked me up. (Anna Wintour!)

OMG, Malala!

Lastly, I had the great pleasure of hearing Lena Dunham read from her new book Not That Kind of Girl in Boston last week. At the end, when she and Mary Karr, who was interviewing her, took questions from the audience, someone asked, "I'm a second grade teacher and was wondering if you had any advice for inspiring girls, and for teaching them to be confident." I can't remember the first part of her answer, but eventually Dunham emphasized the need for girls, and women, to have each other's backs, and demanded we go home and google "Shine Theory." I did what I was told. Please read it if you haven't already. It's a good reminder for everyone, not just second-grade girls.