A little gift to me.

Hello, new knife.

Hello, diced onions and chopped pork shoulder and minced garlic. Hello, finely sliced carrots and chunks of winter squash.

Good morning, oranges. Good morning, banana bread. Good morning, peppers and onions in egg-white omelets.

Hello, soup and chili on cold days. Hello, gazpacho and sangria on warm ones.

Hey there, new recipes. Hello, consultations to "How to Cook Everything" and "America's Test Kitchen" and torn-out pages from Food & Wine.

Hi, small nicks to index fingers. Bits of blood and uncomfortable band-aids. Hello again, pitiful calls to Mom.

Hello, white cheddar and aged Gouda. Oh, hello, Manchego!

Goodbye, excuses for buying lame frozen dinners. See ya, visits to the pizza-slice place across the way.

Hello, friends around my table and friends in my kitchen. Hello, wine poured, jokes made, and stories told.

Hey, new knife.

I think you might like it here.