Hi.

I'm Jess.

Sweet Amandine is where I come to post recipes, tell stories, share photographs, and practice writing. I was born in New York City, grew up in Ohio, and I now live in Cambridge, Massachusetts with my husband, Eli (rhymes with “jelly”), and my daughter, Mia. Here are some of the other places I’ve called home: Seattle, San Francisco, and Jerusalem. For a short time after college, I also lived in Oxford, England, where I tasted my first good curry and learned to put milk in my tea.

I don’t believe in secret recipes.

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Here are answers to a few questions that I sometimes receive. If you have a question that I haven’t answered here, or you’d just like to say hello, please send me an e-mail at sweetamandine (at) gmail (dot) com. I love hearing from you.

Did your brain really explode?
Yep. I’m all better now.

Are you on Twitter? Flickr? Facebook?
Yes, yes, and no.

Do you have a recipe index?
Yes, right here.

Can I sign up somewhere to receive your posts via e-mail or RSS?
Yes, over here.

What’s your “real” job?
I’m a PhD candidate in Yiddish literature. If you want to read some more about that or, more likely, you’re looking for a good tomato soup recipe, click here.

What kind of camera do you use for the photos on this site?
It depends on the day. All of the photographs in the header, and many of the photographs on this site, are 35mm, medium format, or instant film. I use a variety of cameras, including a Nikon FM2, a Pentax K1000, a Yashica Mat, a Hasselblad, a Minolta Instant Pro, and a Polaroid Reporter. The rest of my photographs are digital. Until October of 2009, I took them on a Canon PowerShot, which is a point-and-shoot camera. Then, Eli and I invested in a Nikon D700 with a fixed, 50mm f/1.4 lens. (To “zoom in” you move your body.) I now make all of my digital photographs with this camera.

Can I use one of your photos on my site?
All of the work on Sweet Amandine is protected by copyright. So are the photos that I have posted on Flickr. If you would like to use one of my photos, please ask me first. I work hard to create this content, and I like to know where it goes. As long as you’re not using the photo for profit, you don’t alter it in any way, you attribute it to me and link back to Sweet Amandine, I’ll almost always say yes.

Can I advertise on your site?
Thank you for your interest, but no, I do not run advertisements on Sweet Amandine.

Can I send you a product to review?
I don’t write product reviews or host giveaways on this site.

Which pots (or knives, or baking pans, or appliances) should I buy for my kitchen?
The one tool that I cannot recommend strongly enough is an oven thermometer. Ovens, even shiny new ones, run hot and cold all the time, and the temperature in there can make all the difference to the success of your recipe. Beyond that, I hesitate to offer too many recommendations. I find that these things tend to be a matter of personal preference, so it’s really up to you! If you’d like to see some of the kitchen tools that I like best, you can click over to the Sweet Amandine shop on Amazon.com. I also posted some of my favorite books, music, and games there.

Are all of the recipes on Sweet Amandine kosher?
Yes.