I just wanted to say…I have been cooking my way through your list of recipes for a few months now, and I'm in love with your food perspective. My parents were foodies, but of the brut-hardcore, old-world New England meatasaurus style…lots of finicky French cream sauce bases, 20 lb roast beefs, etc etc…and that is all well and wonderful (childhood holiday memories will attest), but it's, you know, a bit overwhelming when you're first on your own in a tiny apartment kitchen with a limited big city supermarket budget and schedule, and some new-school health and animal well-being concerns. I love your recipes, and your approach in general. I keep singing your praises to anyone who'll listen, and even though I'm late to the party I feel like this is the perfect time to have found ya–I just snapped up your (fairly new) book, and get excited every time I see it in a walk-in bookstore (!), I discovered your marriage story just shortly after getting engaged myself, and I really Spring and Summer are your time to shine (all those wonderful salads boasting fresh flavor and produce bounties!). You talk a couple times about turning to certain food experts with the hope they can make it all better, make it simple, make it foolproof now that you're on your own. I totally hear you, and–ta-da!–you along with Beth Hensperger and Joyce Goldstein have proved to be those kind of comforting resources to me. I have yet to make a single dish you've mentioned that wasn't delicious and easy. I don't have that kind of track record with ANYBODY–not even the Chris Kimball and crew or Mark Bittman. It is awesome, and I salute you.

Cheers.