A Farewell Feast: Reflections From Seven Years at the Cup of Jo Table
It’s a strange thing to type: today is my last official food column for Cup of Jo. After nearly seven years of writing for this beautiful community — sharing recipes, telling stories, laughing over kitchen disasters, and learning what feels like everything there is to know about your thoughts on Trader Joe’s — I’m taking a step back.
Not gone-gone, mind you. I’ll still pop in now and again (probably with a recipe I couldn’t keep to myself), but I’m shifting focus to a few personal projects that have been patiently waiting in the wings. It felt like the right time, even though saying goodbye to a weekly ritual that’s meant so much to me is not easy.
Seven years. That’s hundreds of Wednesdays. Hundreds of conversations about food and life and the funny, tender places where they meet. I’ve written through seasons of life — both mine and yours — and what a gift it’s been to cook alongside you.
To mark the moment, I wanted to round up a few of my favorite memories from this column — recipes that brought joy, meals that sparked conversation, and stories that still make me smile. Think of this as one last shared table for now, set with love and maybe a little nostalgia:
1. The “Can’t-Mess-It-Up” Parmesan Chicken
Ah, Ina Garten. She never fails us. This simple, crisp-coated chicken topped with lemony salad greens became an instant favorite — so much so that my boys and I made it again days after first trying it. Whether you serve it with mashed potatoes and green beans or keep it simple with just the salad, it’s always a win.
2. Yogurt Bark: The Toddler Snack That Saved Me
If you’ve ever watched a toddler methodically eat one-third of a banana and walk away like they’re done for the day, this one’s for you. Yogurt bark (frozen, fruit-topped, breakable) became my snack salvation — healthy, easy, and toddler-approved. Win-win-win.
3. Saturday Night Cereal with Freddie
One of my most personal pieces: a quiet moment, two bowls of cereal, a ridiculous TV show, and the soft kind of love that sneaks up on you. Not exactly a recipe, but one of the most romantic things I’ve ever written about food.
4. The Soup Group That Got Us Through Winter
Years ago, my friend Liz dreamed up a soup group to help us all survive the long, gray stretch of winter. We’d rotate houses, share stews, and huddle around steaming bowls. It was community in its warmest, most literal sense.
5. Karak Chai & Stories from Zaynab Issa
Talking with Zaynab Issa about her Karak Chai recipe — bubbling black tea, cardamom, milk, and patience — was a beautiful reminder that food is history, identity, and love passed through generations. I made it the very next day, and it really did warm me head to toe.
6. The Velveeta Queso of My Texas Childhood
Sometimes the most humble recipes are the ones that stay with you. A microwave bowl, a brick of Velveeta, a splash of milk, and a bag of Tostitos — eaten in front of the TV as a kid. That’s comfort food, Texas-style.
7. What We Serve When Friends Stop By
Focaccia mix from a box. Yes, really. One of my biggest revelations was realizing that good food doesn’t have to be fancy. If it brings people together and makes them feel welcome, that’s enough.
8. A Love Letter to Blintzes
During my pregnancy with Birdy, I couldn’t stomach anything — until a plate of IHOP blintzes with fruit compote magically did the trick. Ever since, those sweet cottage cheese-stuffed crepes have had a piece of my heart.
9. The Weekly Ritual That Meant Everything
Writing to you all each week became more than a deadline — it became a rhythm. A way to pause and take stock of life through the lens of what we were cooking and eating and sharing. I will miss that rhythm. I already do.
So, to every reader who has made a recipe, left a comment, sent a note, or simply read along: thank you. You’ve welcomed me into your kitchens, your lives, and your hearts. And while this may be the last “official” installment, I’m not going far.
Because once you’ve cooked with someone, you’re connected for good.
