Spaetzle Time: 30 minutes Salt 2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste 3 eggs 1 cup milk, more if needed 2 to 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil Chopped fresh parsley or chives for garnish.

Potato-Celery Root Stuffing 6 large baking potatoes, peeled and halved 3 medium celery roots, peeled and quartered 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives or scallion greens 1 1/2 tablespoon salt 1 1/2teaspoons freshly ground pepper.

One week, in particular, was a succession of strange mishaps: It started when Wendy lopped off the fleshy end of a finger while chopping chives.

When the braise was done, she chopped chives for a grilled onion relish, in longer lengths than many chefs might.

The lobster is now ready to be eaten with an optional dash of lemon and an obligatory dip in warm clarified butter: or cold with mayonnaise thinned with a bit of lemon juice, to which chopped fresh tarragon and chives and perhaps chopped flat-leaf parsley have been added.

Ranch Dressing Time: 5 minutes 1 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade 1/2 cup buttermilk, more as needed 1/4 cup buttermilk powder Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives or parsley, optional.

BAKED EGGS WITH CHIVES 2 teaspoons unsalted butter 8 teaspoons heavy cream 4 eggs Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives.

Top with 1 ounce smoked salmon and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives; serve with an apple.

Herring Sandwiches Total time: 15 minutes 2 Boston lettuce leaves 6 table water crackers (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter) 2 tablespoons sour cream 4 ounces herring in wine sauce (available in 8-ounce jars) 1 ounce thinly sliced red onion 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives.

Mix 4 ounces canned salmon with 3 tablespoons chopped celery, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each of dried dill and black pepper.