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 […]

Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Spiced Bread Crumbs

Even my husband, a cauliflower hater, loved this recipe — Cauliflower cut into steak-like slabs, roasted until slightly browned to bring out its nutty flavor, then topped spiced bread crumbs. Dense heads of the freshest local cauliflower are plentiful now at farmers markets, farm stands, co-ops, CSAs and even some supermarkets (ask). The recipe can […]

Smoky Black Beans with Local Booty

Try adding cubes of colorful sweet butternut. I love developing core recipes that serve as a foil for local foods, which end up being the star performers. In this flexible dish, beans and local booty can easily be made into a soup, stew or rolled into a tortilla. And the smoky smell of the beans, […]

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 […]

Tangy Food Processor Tomatillo Salsa

Now that the edges of the trees are tinged with color, I feel the push to put things by for the chilly season when they’ll deliver the taste of the sun into my breezy old house. This time it’s a traditional tomatillo salsa. Tomatillos are pictured here in stages of undress. Sometimes called a Mexican […]

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 […]