Winter Black and White Truffles

Thinking of a locavore treat that you can make in the winter? (Full and festive winter locavore meal below) These truffles were so popular last year that I’m blogging them again. They’re extraordinary in their simplicity — fresh local cream mingles with the best chocolate you can find. I used Belgium Callabuat chocolate with butter […]

Roasted Chinese Chicken

You’re going to love this juicy bird, because it’ll perfume your kitchen with ginger and anise and arrive well-browned with hoisin glaze. My old neighbor, Ruth, raised meat chickens and I’m the beneficiary. Hers were fed on whatever they could find around the yard during the warm months, along with grain raised up county, so […]

Weekday Chinese Cabbage 2 Ways

My mother-in-law called my husband half lace-curtain and half shanty Irish. He calls himself neither, but has an Irish passion for cabbage and potatoes, which I have learned to embrace. Right now my house boasts both the giant Chinese cabbage used here and large glass crock with half-fermented multicolored sauerkraut with ginger and anise. I […]

Thanksgiving Turkey The Locavore Way

Now that you’re starting to think about shopping for bird-day, what are you gonna buy? This passage from my last book, The Locavore Way, might clarify. Try a real turkey this holiday, or anytime at all. Farm fresh turkeys are a different bird entirely from the standard factory farmed frozen turkeys, which are raised as […]

A Rush to Harvest — Herb Extravaganza

For those who haven’t hit a killing frost already, it’s time to use those herbs! Here are some fabulous ways to savor them over the long winter. (Excerpts from my book, The Locavore Way.) Tips: Scan below to blue for general directions on preparing and freezing herbs. Salt Drying Sage or Rosemary About 12 years […]

Rice ‘n Greens

Rustic, country-style, comforting. In this simple dish, white rice serves as neutral companion to robust fall greens. Use any braising greens, such as collards, mustard, kale or a mixture. Turn it into a one-pot entree by stirring in a can of drained and well-rinsed pinto beans or black-eyed peas. Makes 4 large or 6 small […]

Wok and Toss Bok Choy with Buckwheat Noodles

Mark Twain said cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education, but he may have been talking about bok choy, who went to college in Asia. Baby Bok Choy, a variety of Chinese cabbage, offers eaters both silky mild greens and a crunchy cabbage with a subtle taste and excellent mouth feel. It is […]

Celebration Corn-Tomato Soup

Maybe I should have called this Last Chance Soup. I cooked it to celebrate the end of the corn season. Finally, we’re sick of corn on the cob. That’s the idea, right? Eat it until you’ve had enough, then wait till next year. I also made this to welcome Sanjaban and Cynthia’s visit a few […]

U-Pick Best Fruit Kuchen

What’s- Left-Of-My-Market-Shop-Kuchen I used apples, peaches and a few cherry tomatoes tossed in sugar. Little input, great results. This quick ‘n easy crowd pleaser is ideal for those who hate to bake or are pressed for time. Serve it to holiday guests or at pot luck meals. I especially like it for brunch. Better yet, […]

Tomatoes Provencale

A classic, these are shockingly good when you use local tomatoes. The picture above shows them prepared with multi-colored heirloom tomatoes (from Moon in the Pond Farm) and basil (from my garden) before they’re sprinkled with cheese and popped in the oven. You can use a local aged cheese, such as Hawthorne Valley Farm’s sharp […]