Nicole Gulotta's Blog, page 4

"Immigrant Picnic" by Gregory Djanikian + Warm Potato Salad With Yogurt Vinaigrette

For the past several months, I've had a ritual at work. After arriving to my desk and pulling my computer from its sleeve, I snatch a tin of tea from my drawer. Lately it's been a robust black tea, but since I've recently finished every last drop, I've brought a green tea called Ventura Highway, with notes of meyer lemon and fresh grass. I walk the 50 steps or so to the kitchen and pour hot water into my pot, and while the tea steeps, I read the New York Times.

I scan the morning headlines, t...

When You Must Kill Your Darlings

Kill your darlings.

Remove what you are most in love with. Remove any words the story no longer needs. It can be the most heart-wrenching thing to do, which is why editing is best left to the daylight hours, after you’ve spent some significant time away from the page.

The phrase “kill your darlings” is most widely attributed to William Faulkner (although there’s evidence to the contrary). Regardless, it’s sage writing advice. While working on the manuscript for Eat This Poem, I killed many, ma...

The Eat This Poem Pre-Order Bonus!

An illustration from inside the pages of Eat This Poem, drawn by Cat Grishaver.

I love pre-ordering books because it means the day a book is released (and occasionally, a day or two before), the book will be in my hands. Isn’t there something special about sharing that moment with others? Checking the mail, walking inside with a box, and pulling the book out of its packaging materials…all of us simultaneously anticipating what we might find between the pages. Then, of course, there’s the mo...

5 Poems for the New Year

Of the many things poetry is good for, marking occasions is one of them. Lauren F. Winner calls it “decorating a life-cycle event,” noting how people whose “last encounter with a poem was tenth-grade British Lit, grasp for a poem when their child marries, or dies.” Jim Morrison—The Doors late frontman, and poet—wrote “If my poetry aims to achieve anything, it’s to deliver people from the limited ways in which they see and feel.”

He’s right about that. Poetry provides access to emotions we can...

Celebrating 100 Literary City Guides

Back in 2013, I emailed two of my friends—Shanna and Stacy—and asked if they'd be willing to help me with a new project. A couple of months later, I launched Literary City Guides with three destinations: Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Nashville.

It's been three years and we've hit a pretty celebratory number—100!I haven't been able to travel nearly as much as I'd like to this past year, so I've been living vicariously through the beautiful guides our community has offered. If you're lookin...

9 Non-Book Gifts for Literature Lovers

I can’t think of an instance when giving the gift of a book is not a good idea. From graduations to birthdays, or major holidays like Christmas or Mother’s Day, a good book is always thoughtful and appropriate.

Over the years, I’ve been on both the giving and receiving end of many literary gift exchanges, like the time when everyone who came to my baby shower arrived with their favorite children’s book, or unwrapping the latest cookbook releases under the tree each Christmas. I’ve given peopl...

"Baking With My Daughter" by Joseph Robert Mills + Sarah's Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I first met Sarah, we shared a bowl of terrible guacamole. (Here's a picture to prove it.)

I was in Minneapolis for work and in the sliver of free time I had one evening, Sarah drove to the suburbs and met me in the hotel restaurant where I was staying. It was dark and lightly sprinkling, so the whole thing felt sort of moody and cozy while we sat next to the window overlooking a courtyard fountain. There may have been a fireplace, although my memory escapes me now.

The wild rice soup was...

First Birthday Cake

Our little man turned one earlier this month so of course, I made him a cake.

My birthday dessert policy is simple: pick what you want, and I'll make it. This applies to anyone old enough to have an opinion (I've made my husband a cheesecake and friend a coconut cake in past years), but since Henry isn't talking just yet, I decided on a festive, mini-sized, and mostly wholesome cake to celebrate.

There are a lot of things we could discuss in this post. How fast the year has flown by. How diffe...

"Ramps" by Kyle Potvin + Grilled Scallion pizza

For your consideration, a list of ingredients with very, very short seasons: figs, persimmons, perfectly ripe strawberries, and ramps. There are others, of course, but these come to mind as I draft this post—a post that, unfortunately, is paired with a poem whose brief window of glory was back in April, or thereabouts.

So we will adapt, as we do. Adaptation (the evolution, not the film starring Meryl Streep and Nicholas Cage) has been on my mind this year occasionally when I've had time to st...

September Food Haiku Winner + Steel Cut Oats with Fig Sauce

My recommendation for fig season is a simple one: don't hesitate. As in, if you see a basket of figs while you stroll through your weekend market, buy them. If you say to yourself, I'll get some next week, they might be gone. I speak from personal experience, it's worth noting.

So, now that you have your basket of figs, you can make this comforting fall breakfast. It's a warm bowl of steel cut oats with syrupy figs, made sweet from fresh orange juice and a touch of maple syrup. But first, c...