Hello Friends,

A family member and I were having a discussion the other day — what is a MAHA Mom? I said to them that I thought of myself as one, as I am nutrition-forward. I feed my family mostly organic foods, purchased at farmers’ markets and the local co-op where I live. I believe in a balanced diet of raised-right or caught-right proteins, vegetables and grains. I cook regularly, have a garden, believe in fact-based, scientific research, wish to ban social media from the face of the earth (it is ruining human consciousness, not to mention generations of minds), and more.

And yet, when I said I felt MAHA, she asked me “is that a good thing? Or are MAHAs nuts?” Hmmm…as an East Coast-raised Californian, my European-raised father always used to joke that Californians are “fruits and nuts.” Also true, if you don’t mind the double-entendre. And again, I find myself wanting to take back the term “fruits and nuts.” What is nutty about eating right? I’m raising my kids in a place where salad is a course and grown in the earth all around us and as far as the eye can see. (We eat LOTS of salads.)

I like to say that my body requires me to eat like a 17th century peasant or it gets very (very) cranky. That is, lots of foods I grow or catch myself (or know the provenance of), foods aged a bit to break down the proteins or add beneficial probiotics, foods that do not interrupt my circadian rhythm. I still can’t eat gluten or drink cow’s milk – I can’t handle the proteins of either. I believe in a style of eating that Michael Pollan once called: “Not too much, mostly plants.”

Has health – the “H” in MAHA – been hijacked by influencers with opinions, not facts? Not if I have anything to say about it. So, I hereby take ownership of the term. Or at least the “healthy” part of MAHA.

Here’s where I’ve landed: I believe in science-backed nutrition and functional health. I also believe that you are what you eat, including fruits and nuts. And no child should die of measles. EVER. I am proud my children eat real food, cooked by real people. I am glad they can distinguish a porcini from an enoki. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Does that make me a MAHA Mom? I’m going with “yes.”

What’s Hot: 

These are just a few of the food and food-adjacent events that have caught my attention in March.

Chef Azalina Eusope (Azalina’s) and Chef Mat Schuster (Canela)

International Women’s Month at Nightbird (ASAP)

Make a Reservation for March at Nightbird

Sunday Supper at Bistro Lagniappe (March 8, 15, 22)

Make a Reservation for Sunday Supper at Bistro Lagniappe

Chef Diego Kahlo at Compline (March 18 – April 26)

Reserve a Table for Kahlo at Compline

Lechon at Merkado for SF Giants Opening Week (March 25, 27 & 28)

Make a Lechon Reservation at Merkado

Azalina’s – Canela Collab (March 26 – 29)

The fifth-generation Malaysian street food vendor turned Michelin Guide–recognized chef and San Francisco restaurateur, Azalina Eusope, heads across town to the Castro for a four-day collab at Canela with Chef Mat Schuster. Shareable, tapas-style dishes will blend Spanish and Malaysian influences. Dishes will include:

• Spring White Sesame Gazpacho with Pa amb Tomato
• Coconut Milk Béchamel Croquetas with Anchovy Crumb
• Salt Cod with Malaysian-Style Samfaina and Malaysian-Style Risotto
• Malaysian-Style BBQ Pollastre amb Gambes
• Olive Oil Churros with Sparkling Wine Granita

Yum!

Make a Reservation for Azalina at Canela

Where to Read My Work

This month, I focused plentiful energy on my new website and newsletter – have you taken a look yet? Please do. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I wrote about a few of the new places that have dropped into Marin for The Marin Dish.

I’ve also shifted my cookbook coverage. Instead of writing a review every month, I’m cooking – and writing about – one cookbook each quarter. This gives me the space to dive deeper into each cookbook I write about, cooking more than a few of the book’s recipes.

For Q1 2026, I chose, Nagi Maehashi’s Delicious Tonight. I had not heard of Maehashi until a visit from a grad school friend who lives in Hong Kong. She so loved Maehashi’s first cookbook, Dinner, that she encouraged me to review Delicious Tonight. I found the recipes well-planned and straight-forward with an undeniable global tilt. Maehashi’s cooking is approachable and saucy. She’s not afraid of a good carbohydrate as a vehicle to transport flavor. Her food is family-friendly, fun, and often delicious. Here’s my review.

FYI that I’m planning to bring back my holiday season Cookbook Gift Guide for 2026. (Here’s 2025’s Gift Guide as a reference).

Aaaaand, more next month!