This summer, between my thriving garden and regular CSA deliveries, I've been eating plenty of healthy, fresh food. I'm experimenting with recipes for things that turn up in the CSA box -- like shishito peppers -- and ways to preserve what I'm growing. I have bright-red ancho chili peppers drying on the windowsill, a freezer … Continue reading Gettin’ Sauced: Single Malt Milk Chocolate Sauce
One of the items on my Summer Bucket List this year is "blackberry picking at a local farm." Blackberry season here in the Bay Area is rather short, usually running from the end of June until the end of July. If you want to get the best berries (or any berries at all, for that … Continue reading Field Trip: Webb Ranch Blackberry Fields
If you follow national food holidays, then you might know that yesterday was National Peach Ice Cream Day. Years ago, I came across a super-easy recipe for fresh peach ice cream in the New York Times Magazine. It's the kind of recipe that makes you want to make fresh ice cream as soon as possible: … Continue reading I Scream, You Scream: Easy Apricot Honey Ice Cream
Recently, while I was sitting in my home office putting together a post for this blog, I heard my elderly neighbor -- the one with the tomatoes -- yelling my name as he came across my driveway to the back door. He'd come over to give me a "zucchini" from his garden. Now that both … Continue reading Cooking from the Garden: Get Stuffed
The first time I went to LV Mar -- Chef Manuel Martinez' upscale, contemporary Latin restaurant in Redwood City -- I walked in on a private party. I was headed to Vesta with a friend on a cool November night, the week before Thanksgiving, when we walked by LV Mar and saw that window signs … Continue reading Eat Local: LV Mar
Time for the monthly progress report on my little edible garden! (Actually this post should have appeared last week, but the 4th of July holiday delayed things a bit.) We're about 9 weeks along at this point, for those of you playing the home game. Lots of sunshine and more than a few hot days … Continue reading Grow Local: How Does Your Garden Grow? — Part Deux
It's summer! Just writing those words brings a smile to my face. (Could you tell that it's my favorite time of year?) How did you mark the official arrival of summer? Did you barbecue at home with the family and neighbors? Take your kids to the park for a picnic? Pass a leisurely afternoon day … Continue reading Field Trip: Celebrating Summer with CUESA
The recent hot, hot days have kicked off the ripening process for stone fruit trees here in the 650. The 75-year-old apricot tree in my backyard is heavy with pale-orange, blush-kissed fruit. Every morning for the past week, I've stood under that tree, looking up and pondering which small treasures to pick for the day. … Continue reading Grow Local: Got Stone Fruit?
After last week's coastal berry run, I was all ready to segue to the bounty of local 650 apricots and plums. Our recent hot weather has got those babies ripening almost faster than we can harvest them! And then Little Cat got sick, tossing last week's blogging schedule out the window. When a little foodie … Continue reading Little Cat and Kitty Crack
While most of the 650 was sweltering through another 90-something-degree day this week, I decided to make a run for cooler temperatures on the coast. It was actually perfect timing to check off a couple of items on my Summer Bucket List: lunch at eco-resort Costanoa, followed by a short trip over the San Mateo … Continue reading Field Trip: Swanton Berry Farm
