Tips for Shopping Success at the Farmers’ Markets
This warm, mid-April finds me an extra happy camper. Not only is my Spring garden off to an early, robust start, but the coming weekend also signals the beginning of farmers’ market season (the first of my regular stops, the Bellevue Market in Northern Kentucky, opens Saturday.) Oh, fresh, snappy Greens, I have missed you […]
Surprises at the Grocery Store
Several years ago, I had one of those jobs. You know, the worst job you’ve ever had. Everybody has those. The stories we could share, right? And one of the many pains of this company was the person responsible for the software budget, officed in Cupertino, CA. Silicon Valley. Headquarters of Apple. Once ranked #2 […]
Desperate Times Call for Garden Socks
Over the years, I’ve grown some 30 or 40 varieties of tomatoes. It’s been an utter joy, and regardless of how I felt about the final product — some varieties are better than others — the effort was always worth it, no matter how hot or miserable the weather. To this day, online seed stores, […]
Summer Shakshuka
2011 marks my first year growing eggplant. I’ve had an odd relationship with eggplant, unable to decide whether I really like it or merely tolerate it. The jury’s now in: thanks to some very tasty crops, I have to give it the thumbs up. I should’ve known it would find my favor: it’s a member […]
Zucchini “Linguine”
There’s much to love about summer produce. When the days grow long and the thermometer inches up past 95°F, I can tell you that one of the last things I want on my tummy is something heavy, creamy and starchy. That doesn’t mean, of course, that I don’t love those things. (Gasp! Bite thy tongue!) […]
On Squash and Matchmaking
The first year I grew butternut squash, I was blessed with what you could only term Beginner’s Luck. I certainly didn’t do anything to deserve the harvest that resulted from my accidental efforts. And the one conscious decision I made that seemed right was also laughably wrong: I planted the seeds smack dab in the […]
Fresh Mozzarella & Local Milk
A few years ago, I decided to up the homemade ante and try my hand at making cheese. Like my butter project (if you can call 20 minutes a “project”), I wanted to learn for myself just how hard it is to create the magical substance that fills my culinary dreams. It was summer, and […]
Green Goddess Dressing
Early summer finds me in full-tilt salad mode. And vegetable greedy. While my own garden lags a bit behind in production, I find myself hitting the farmers’ markets 2 or 3 times a week, dashing from stall to stall, looking for carrots, eggplants, blueberries, peaches, and the elusive ripe tomato. Saturdays are not for sleeping […]
Smoked Egg Salad Crostini
Eggs are one of my greatest food weaknesses. I crave bland foods (like grains, rice and pasta), and eggs are to me what dark chocolate is to chocoholics. When I first learned about smoked eggs last year, it drove me nearly mad until I could try them for myself. I don’t know if it’s normal […]
Collecting Rain Water
Oh, Mother Nature. You are such the drama queen. First, all you do is rain, rain, rain. For weeks. Then months. MarchAprilMay. And then —poof!— it all simply dries up. It’s June 10th, and the temperature has topped out at over 90°F for five of the last seven days (normal highs: 80). My poor carrot […]
