Now that we’re heading into fall and then winter, jamming and canning are on a lot of people’s minds. Mine, too — it sure would be great to enjoy summer’s ripe fruits in January! I haven’t quite gotten up the nerve to jam or can full-tilt (although both are near the top of my to-do [...]
Given my recent preoccupation with macadamia nut butter, I’m sure you knew another mac butter recipe would be on the way. How could it not? The stuff is simply fabulous! I’m in a bit of culinary mourning right now, actually, because I polished off my jar this morning when I stirred the last spoonful of [...]
Some side dishes are place holders — they just occupy a parcel of real estate on the side of the plate without actually contributing anything to the property. (White buns, anemic iceberg lettuce, bland mashed potatoes…) But then some side dishes are so dang good you wish they were the main dish. This is one [...]
Traditional fats are one of the building blocks of food: they carry flavor, they provide a creamy taste and texture, and they have more nutrients per gram than their cousins carbohydrates and proteins. (When I say “traditional” fats, I mean fats from whole foods — both plant and animal — not man-made, refined fats that [...]
Continue reading about Of Macadamia Nuts, Salad Dressings & Oil Labels
“Corned” meatballs might sound odd, but I’m hearkening back to the original meaning of “corned” here, back when corns referred to any small grains. Often, those grains were coarse grains of salt used in brines and pickling solutions. That’s where we get corned beef from — it doesn’t have anything to do with the kind [...]
Grill them, stuff them, use them as hamburger toppings … portabello mushrooms are a favorite summer treat. But my favorite way to enjoy them is to slice them very thin and sautée them with extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of sea salt so that you wind up with portabello crisps. It’s the perfect base [...]
Continue reading about Crispy Portabellos Make the Best Salads
Scandinavians do a lot with crisp, sweet vegetables and fruits. So do Russians and Pols (and anyone else who lives in cooler climates where you’re more likely to grow carrots than bananas). I drew on those sweet-and-cool traditions to make a simple summer salad featuring two of Michigan’s best crops: apples and cucumbers. Nothing beats [...]
Assuming you can find a comfortable spot in the shade, now’s the time to go on a picnic! Fresh fruits and cheeses, pickles and olives, pasta and potato salads tossed with crunchy vegetables…heck, if you can find a grill, you can bring along lamb kebabs, too.
But let’s say you decide to go on a last-minute [...]
Continue reading about Creamy Goat Cheeses and Sweetly Fragranced Fruits
When it comes to vegetables, you can’t beat the roasted ones. The slow-cooking process (as opposed to a quick pan fry) both accentuates and moderates the flavor of everything from beets to zucchini. The prize for Most Amazing Transformation probably goes to garlic, which turns into a creamy, smooth paste that’s almost sweet.
It occurred to [...]
