š» Start Here
What's inside the TIME FOR DINS newsletter
Hi, Iām Emma Frisch
If youāve ever stood in your kitchen at 5pm wondering what to make for dinner, and whether youāre somehow failing at this whole thing, Iām glad you found your way here.
Iām Emma Frisch, a chef, cookbook author, Food Network Star fan favorite, and mother of two devoted to helping people find easier, more joyful mealtimes, and more adventure and connection with themselves, each other, and the world outside their door.
Over the past two decades, I've built a hostel and cafe in Nicaragua and a glamping destination in Upstate New York, written two cookbooks (including New York Times-acclaimed Feast By Firelight), and launched the Dinner Last Night podcast with my identical twin, all while raising kids. Along the way, Iāve learned that the goal was never a perfect dinner.
It's a good one, made with what you actually have, and shared with people you love - all while having a good laugh.
What Youāll Find Here
TIME FOR DINS is my personal home base, where I share easy, stress-free seasonal recipes, travel essays, and honest dispatches from a full, multicultural life.
As a first-generation American, raised bilingual with family on five continents, I draw on the wisdom and flavors of my Italian, British, and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, and a lifetime of eating my way around the world. The food I cook is rooted in simplicity, seasonality, and tradition.
Why subscribe?
Hereās what one paid subscriber told me: āLike everyone, I get the blahs around cooking even though I love good food. From your recipes, I know thatās what you promote. Iām excited to see if you can help me avoid Chinese takeout when Iām busy.ā
That is exactly why Iām here. But Iām also going to tell you that if you need to order Chinese takeout, thatās ok too.
As a culture, we put an enormous amount of pressure on parents and caregivers to get it all right, and the list is inexhaustible. Ten years into parenting, Iāve learned that while thereās no single right way, joy is always a better choice than stress. Some nights, that means Cheerios for dinner, again. But on the nights when you do have the capacity to cook, Iāll be here with something that actually works for everyone at the table.
Free subscribers get:
A one-week meal plan to start
Every other week: Previews for seasonal recipes, mealtime tips, and resources
Every other week: Travel essays from our familyās world-schooling adventures across Europe, and beyond (āļø Start here: One-Way Ticket to London)
Paid subscribers ($5/month or $42/year) also get:
Access to CookStack Collective (July, 2026 - June, 2027): Monthly, live Zoom classes featuring a different host, fresh recipes, and the chance to cook along, ask questions, and learn directly from some of Substacks most talented food writers, recipe developers, and chefs. If you canāt show up live, youāll have access to the recording and all class materials.
Every other week: Seasonal recipes, mealtime tips, and resources (ex. š 11 Genius Table Games / š„£ Italian Minestrone, with Weeknight Shortcuts)
Every other week: Travel guides and resources (ex. šA Packing List 20 Years in the Making)
My Recipe Archive, Monthly Meal Plans (80+ weeknight recipes), and Travel Guides & Resources
Direct access to me through email and chat
Becoming a paid subscriber is the best way to support this work and keep it going. I never want cost to be a barrier, so please reach out if you need support.
I write between my desks in the wetlands of upstate New York, the marshlands of southern Connecticut, and sometimes the foothills of the Italian Dolomites, amidst the beautiful chaos of a full home with my husband, two daughters, and Stripey the cat.
Iām so glad youāre here!
XO, Emma