Today I’m welcoming Ruth Newman to the podcast, a “cookier” who specializes in creating intricately decorated sugar cookies for showers, charities, and friends. However, she has never felt the urge to turn her beloved hobby into a career. 

And that, in fact, is exactly the reason she is my guest today. In 2024, I wanted at least some of the episodes I release to be just easy, meandering conversations with everyday people that I’ve never met before. Without publicists or books, series, or movements to sell, sometimes it's everyday people who restore our faith in the power of food and remind us to nurture and celebrate connections to our closest people, the people who, quite frankly, may cheer for us, but don’t really care what we do or how successful we are.

Ruth begins by sharing her recipe for German Rouladen, a complicated beef dish she made for the 200 guests at her only child’s wedding. After discussing the recipe and a day so special it still stand out in Ruth’s memory 25 years later, we wind our way through topics and stories, ending with the people who are supporting Ruth and her husband through his Parkinson’s disease, which has now reached a 4th stage. 

While I’ve got some powerhouse episodes lined to share with you in the next few weeks - and I’m thrilled, honored, and excited to share those episodes - I know I will not enjoy them any more than this simple discussion with Ruth about the memories and values that truly make a life worth living. Thank you, Ruth!

• A day so special Ruth clearly remembers it 25 years later
• The best daughter-in-law in the world