Knobby celery root doesn’t look like a vegetable to cuddle up to, which is why most Americans don’t cook it. But scratch its skin for an earthy aroma that’s celery-like with a distinctive edge. When classically paired with neutral potatoes, it elevates both vegetables, so that together they become something more than either alone. Serves about […]
A week in Oaxaca inspired me to mingle the maple season here with a classic Mexican dessert — flan with a New England twist. Fried from my trip but blog-faithful, I preheated the oven and laid out the ingredients. Then I remembered something — a fabulous custard recipe from Lindsey Shere’s Chez Panisse Desserts. So, […]
Smooth and milky with a upbeat tang, no wonder fresh goat cheese production and consumption has boomed over the last few decades. Likely there’s a small regional farm in your neck of the woods, say a 70’s homesteader like Susan Sellew’s Rawson Brook Farm near me, who chose her goats for their good looks and […]
My husband, Tommy, who at times I affectionately call “Mr Potato head,”kindled my passion for potatoes early in our 26 year marriage. Half Irish Catholic, half Irish Protestant, he grew up eating potatoes at every meal. These days, we often roast 5 pounds at a time for the two of us to keep on hand […]
Seasonal shrimp anyone? Most of us are used to frozen or defrosted rather than fresh shrimp, so these Maine babies with their softer texture and slightly sweet flavor are a winter gift. Look for regional shrimp near you. (See below for more.) Here, I found them at the supermarket and at Rubiner’s in Great Barrington, […]
Moist, sweet and laced with tart cranberries, these staved off my winter blues by perfuming the house with their spices. They’re a relative of pumpkin bread, but with the locavore edge — local butternut, eggs, butter, apple and regional cranberries — all widely available during the cold months. (I even threw in some local whole […]
Back to basics this week: Two local ingredients in a mug — Warm Highlawn Farm milk with Ioka Valley Farm maple syrup to taste. Very soul satisfying. Plenty of upcoming book events and signings, including one tonight (Friday) at the library in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts at 7 pm. If you come by, be sure to […]
Here in New England where it’s been gray or white, white white, my breezy old kitchen seems to shake in the winter wind, and the supply of local fare is dwindling. So it’s time to winter forage, throw a log on the fire, crank up the Billie Holiday, and cook up a warming mushroom stew. […]
Wake up winter! Now’s the time for fermented foods with their heady smell and stand-up-and-shout flavor. Good for the gut and dense with accessible nutrients, foods like sauerkraut and the kim chi here, extend the season when the ground is unyielding. Preparing fermented vegetables is easy, and you can invent your own variations over time. […]
On a snowy day, this soup reflects my locavore’s craving for the Caribbean — coconut with a touch of fiery ginger and cayenne pepper party with butternut’s sweet silky texture. The Berkshires produces fabulous butternut squash, and happily the local stuff is still around. Roasting it whole makes it effortless to peel. Use local onions […]
USDA approved school-tested local food recipes and a supplement for educators.
