“Everything depends on the moment the spice hits the pan: whether it sizzles with mouthwatering fragrance or turns to ash. Once, I thought happiness was the sizzle in the pan. But its not. Happiness...”

“There are many dreams in a lifetime dreams that flourish or flounder for reasons much more complex than can be pinned down to any one person or situation.”

“Its true: A slice of pound cake does wonders to thaw the coldest of days.”

“The easy truth is as much a lie as any.”

“My first encounter with a baguette, torn still warm from its paper sheathing, shattered and sighed on contact. The sound stopped me in my tracks, the way a crackling branch gives deer pause; thats ...”

“The contortions of the gargoyles were the only therapy we had.”

“Children betrayed their parents by becoming their own people.”

“But marrying within one's own family can get monotonous. One has heard all the same family stories, knows all the jokes and all the same recipes. No novelty.”

“She took comfort in the familiarity of his smell, knowing that if she lost all her possessions and her home, at least she would have her family.”