Revealing where our food comes from
Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries and Blackberries Flavor, cost, and quality improve when in season. Most berries can be grown in the northern regions of the United States, and blackberries can be grown nearly everywhere. Where I am in California, we pick strawberries in April and blueberries in May. Raspberries and blackberries are best in the summer,…
How to Cook Potatoes You need to know the type to know how to cook it. The humble potato is a root vegetable that we don’t give much credit. We blame it on making us fat in the form of French fries or mashed potatoes or potato salad, where it becomes a vehicle transporting oil or butter…
Recipes that let the alliums be the star of the show. The allium family of vegetables is at the heart of all cooking. Across cultures and geography, alliums are the not so secret, secret of all chefs. I was once asked to tell someone which dishes had onions and garlic in them and I realized, it…
An ancient vegetable demystified. The artichokes we eat are the unopened flower buds of the artichoke thistle plant. Each plant will make several artichokes during the spring, and there is a second harvest in the late fall. This vegetable from the Mediterranean region was domesticated from the cardoon, selecting the plants to produce more and…
How to Make a Salad When I went to college, my new roommate would grab a salad from the salad bar and come back to the table with a second bowl; they were both plastic. She would then put the second bowl on top of the salad and shake the mixture to disperse the dressing…
Celery tends to only show up around Thanksgiving, where it is the star ingredient in turkey stuffing. As a child, my mom made a traditional meal, and I suppose I knew celery was in the dressing, but I didn’t realize it provides a crucial flavor to the dish, and without it, it wouldn’t taste the…
This gateway vegetable is so sweet, it makes the perfect snack. Even though carrots are available year-round, there are different varieties grown at different times of the year for better yield and to work with the growing conditions. Bringing them Home If you have a full bunch, remove the tops. If the greens are fresh, use them…
This past week I cooked something that made me question my mission of cooking at home. I love to cook. I can make a complete healthy and tasty dinner in less time than it takes to get in the car and go through the drive-through. It does help that I have many years of experience,…
If you are struggling with your bread, I have help. I made my first sourdough starter in 2008. I knew all of the best bakeries in the Bay Area where I could buy the best bread, but I wanted to make it myself. This came in handy. Soon I would live where I couldn’t easily…
Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, and Oregano The fragrant oils of rosemary, thyme, sage, and oregano turn up the volume in the kitchen. Rosemary, thyme, sage, and oregano have fragrant oils that will keep in your pantry for several months after drying. Fresh or dry, these oils release when cooking and add fragrant aromas to slow-cooked soups and…