Behind the Pulse Story: More Than a Meal

When Debra Fitzgerald wrote me after my first Pulse article and said, “If you’d ever like to write something regular, or cover something about cooking in Door County, please let me know,” I had to read it twice. Write again? Me? I’m the one giving you the messy, colorful version of the story, not the perfectly formatted one.

But the timing was uncanny. As we wrapped up Theo’s cookbook, all of us—Theo, Ella, and I—realized this journey was about so much more than recipes. Yes, I had learned techniques from a chef. Yes, we had finished a book. But the real story was the connection: why it matters to reach out, to meet a neighbor, to share a table.

Too often today, neighborhoods are quiet. People are busy working, or they come and go from second (or even third) homes. We don’t always know our neighbors—sometimes not even their names. And yet, what really matters—the recipes, the stories, the memories of a meaningful career or life well-lived—slips away if we don’t preserve it.

That’s why this story felt so important to tell. Because sometimes we get an idea on our heart that feels small at first, maybe even impractical—but it keeps tugging. And when we say yes, when we take that little step, it has a way of unfolding into something bigger than we imagined. That’s exactly how this journey has felt: like confirmation that cooking, connection, and community were meant to come together. Much like when we started 100 Women Who Care with just a small group, people showed up, and the idea grew into a movement.

👉 Read the full story in The Pulse: Connection Through Cooking: More Than a Meal