A traditional seafood feast for the festive season may seem prohibitively expensive this year, but the good news is that you can eschew the high prices charged for lobster, crab, and scallops, and still make a wonderful celebratory meal for your friends and family. When you visit your local market this holiday, look for sustainable and […]
Pumpkin Spice: words that conjure up an idealized world of glowing fall leaves, holiday treats and cozy evenings by the fireplace. But there is a lot of Halloween trickery afoot in the grocery aisles and your favorite coffee shop at this time of year. Chances are that the confections, lattes and smoothies on offer have […]
I started out with a simple, plant based, one-pan dish using the best of the early fall produce. The beautiful organic Kuri pumpkin that I had purchased at the farmstand would be cooked in a rich and spicy coconut broth with lots of onion and chickpeas. A one-pan dish, indeed, if you do not count […]
Summer lingers on, and so do some of our favorite seasonal foods. My passion for fresh local corn invariably results in enthusiastic overbuying at the local farm stands. After I have eaten as much grilled corn as I can, what to do with excess before it shrivels up and loses its juicy sweetness? As the […]
Welcome to late summer! The corn is high, and I am in a race to pick the cherry tomatoes at just the right stage of ripeness before the birds move in for a crafty peck or two. The zucchini are abundant on the vines and need to be harvested before they turn into inedible monsters […]
If you are searching for the perfect summer dish that is quick to prepare with minimal ingredients, then look no further than the national dish of Spain. This tapas bar favorite is pure simplicity and ideal for a quick and filling lunch or dinner and robust enough to qualify as a picnic staple. A slice […]
I have a lot of respect for the brave people who first tasted rhubarb in its raw and natural state and experimented until they finally rendered it edible. Its virtues are not immediately evident, with its poisonous leaves and sour stalks. Yet, once cooked with the required amount of sugar, this fruit (which is really […]
When late April hits and we have a few warm days, I start scouring the roadside stands for signs that fresh asparagus has arrived. I had my heart set on making a spring vegetable risotto for May and the press deadline left little wiggle room for finding my prize. A knock on the door and […]
As we head into spring, I am craving lighter meals with a comfort factor to see us through this fickle weather. Both of this month’s featured recipes are plant-based and quickly prepared with store cupboard staples. One-bowl, one-pot chickpea and spinach stew is vibrant with spices and the first of the local spinach. Hearty organic […]
I have been enjoying my friend Patty Zelinski’s Italian-influenced comfort dishes for more than three decades, and this month she shares her family recipe for Pizza Rustica. For me, nothing compares to her magnificent Easter feasts, and I particularly enjoy this delicious pie. In fact, I must restrain myself from consuming too much, as I […]
