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What's Giving Me Life
The places, people, recipes, traditions, and little moments that are inspiring me lately. Think of it as everything I'd tell you if we were catching up over coffee—or cooking dinner together.
The 2025 Gift Guide
Every item in this guide has earned its place in my kitchen. These are the tools I reach for, the cookbooks I cook from, the pantry staples I buy on repeat, and the gifts I've happily given to the people I love. If you're looking for something thoughtful for the home cook in your life—or simply need a little inspiration for your own wish list—I hope you find something you love. Global Fish Spatula — or any high-quality fish spatula. After many not-so-subtle hints, Frank got m
Maddie Umali
Jul 24
The 2024 Gift Guide
Every year, friends and family ask me what kitchen tools, cookbooks, and pantry staples are actually worth buying. Rather than rounding up trendy products I've never touched, this list is made up entirely of things I use in my own kitchen—items I reach for daily, gift to friends, and would happily buy again. Whether you're shopping for a seasoned home cook, someone just learning their way around the kitchen, or simply treating yourself, I hope this list gives you a few ideas.
Maddie Umali
Jul 24
Peach Caprese Salad
This is summer in a salad: peppery arugula, juicy tomatoes, sweet peaches or nectarines, fresh basil and the creamiest burrata, all finished with olive oil and balsamic glaze. It’s fresh, simple and endlessly adaptable depending on which tomatoes and stone fruit look best at the market. Servings: 6 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 0 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes Ingredients 5 ounces arugula 3–4 ripe peaches or nectarines, sliced or cut into bite-size pieces 2–3 heirloom toma
Maddie Umali
Oct 22 min read
Palisade Peach & Pancetta Pizza
Sweet, juicy Palisade peaches, crispy pancetta, creamy ricotta and fresh thyme come together on a crisp homemade crust for a pizza that tastes like Colorado summer. It’s the perfect mix of sweet and salty, with just enough garlic and smoky sea salt to bring everything together. Recipe comes from my dear friend, Kate. Yield: 1 pizza Servings: 2-4 Prep Time: 30 minutes Rise Time: 3-4 hours Cook Time: 10-12 minutes Total Time: About 4½ hours Ingredients For the Pizza Dough 153 g
Maddie Umali
Sep 13 min read
Classic Peach Pie
When peaches are truly at their peak, I don’t think there’s a better way to show them off than a classic peach pie. This one keeps things simple: juicy peaches, lemon, vanilla, nutmeg, and just enough sugar tucked between two flaky, buttery crusts. It’s the kind of summer dessert that deserves a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and absolutely no unnecessary fuss. Yield: 1 (9-inch) double-crust pie Servings: 8 Prep Time: 40 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 30-45 minutes Total Time: Abo
Maddie Umali
Aug 213 min read
Peach Cobbler
When you have more ripe summer peaches than you know what to do with, make cobbler. Juicy, cinnamon-spiced peaches are covered with a buttery, crumbly topping and finished with turbinado sugar for a little extra crunch. It’s unfussy, very peachy and absolutely meant to be served warm with something cold and creamy on top. Yield: One 9x13-inch cobbler Servings: 10-12 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes, plus cooling Ingredients For the peac
Maddie Umali
Aug 212 min read
Classic Peach Crisp
When peaches are at their peak, I don't think there's a better dessert than a peach crisp. Sweet, juicy peaches bubble beneath a buttery oat topping that's crisp around the edges and just tender enough in the middle. It's simple, rustic, and exactly the kind of dessert that feels at home at a summer cookout, Sunday dinner, or weeknight treat. Just don't forget the vanilla ice cream. Yield: 1 (8-inch or 8x8 inch) crisp Servings: 6-8 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 40-45 minut
Maddie Umali
Jul 272 min read
Olive Oil Cake
This cake will always be special to me because it was our wedding cake. My mom and mother-in-law baked it for Frank and me, layering it with vanilla bean whipped cream, fresh peaches, and blackberries for our celebration in the Colorado mountains. While it'll always remind me of our wedding day, this is the kind of cake that deserves to be made year-round. It's incredibly moist, lightly sweet, and lets good olive oil shine. Dress it up with whipped cream and seasonal fruit fo
Maddie Umali
Jul 273 min read
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