Way back in the day, when I was just finding my way around my mother’s kitchen, we often had a canning jar of bean sprouts on the counter. My Aunt Janet, the family health nut, was the first to introduce us to the idea, and we loved it. They were hard to find in the…
Juniper Scented Haddock with Green Olive Sauce
If you like a dry martini made with gin, you’re going to love this one! I’m not sure why juniper berries aren’t more popular here in the United States. Such a deliciously floral and citrusy spice, it has a unique flavor that blends well with so many things. If you like gin, you’re experiencing the…
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Sage Kitchen Wisdom that might steer you wrong!
Following ‘expert advice’ does not always produce the best cooking! There are certain things we do in the kitchen because kitchen wisdom tells us to. Or our mother, or Julia Child or other TV personality. “The Christmas fruitcake batter must be stirred with a wooden spoon clockwise only.” Not a clue why. “Add oil to…
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Whole Wheat Scones with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Basil
When you’ve been away, even just for a few days, it’s always nice to get back in the kitchen and make something healthful! When winter holds on, even a mild one like this year, we can get in a rut and realize we are staying in the house way too much. Even when the days…
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Sole with Mandarinquat and Fresh Mint Sauce
Mandarinquat? What in the world is that? At the co-op last week, in the beautifully vibrant seasonal citrus section, there was a bin of “Mandarinquats.” I had never seen or even heard of these beauties before, bigger than a kumquat, smaller than a Mandarin, and a bright orange. They exuded such a beautiful aroma, I…
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Rutabagas! A Favorite Winter Mash-up.
What a funny name, rutabaga. It makes you want to cook with it just so you can say it. A sweet root brassica that is hardy in the north and hearty on the plate. They are also really good for your heart as well, so it is win all the way with these, even though…
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New England Lobster Étouffée
Mardi gras is tomorrow, and I’m always looking for something from the south to help celebrate the day. We take seriously all the celebrations we can in mid-February, and tossing beads and dancing to a Zydeco band is right up there with Valentine’s dinners, and the first maple sugar on snow celebrations. Oh, that flavor!…
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Herbed Whole Wheat Naan
Don’t you love it when a new recipe just delights everyone? I had a big group of my family coming for dinner, and decided on a curry with all the trimmings. The curry was loaded with lovely local veggies and wild shrimp, a family favorite. Basmati rice, cucumber and winter radish raita, and curried green…
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How to tame a sweet potato…
I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with sweet potatoes. I love that they are extremely nutritious, full of so many vitamins and minerals – beta carotene, vitamins E and C, B vitamins, potassium. They are high in fiber and protein, and they are a winter staple that is also quite appealing on the plate. So…
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Feast or Fish Bait?
It’s true, smelts look a lot more like bait than a main course. But they make up for it in flavor. Right now, they are in season in New England, so you’ll find them not only in the fish markets but in the fish counters of supermarkets as well. A New England classic, these fish…
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Cookbook Confidential: A glimpse at Jewish Cookery and culture around the world
Cookbook Confidential: Roden, Claudia, (1996) “The Book of Jewish Food: An Odyssey from Samarkand to New York,” New York, Knopf My friend Bernadette from New Classic Recipe (https://newclassicrecipe.com) came up with the wonderful idea to have an on-line cookbook club with some of her blog buddies. What a fun, and great way to choose a recipe…
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So, there are times when you really shouldn’t lick the spoon!
It started as a really nice thing to do for a friend who was not feeling well. As I start this story, let me introduce Betty, one of my dearest friends and a kind and loving soul, who is a very active community member, business entrepreneur, and one of those people who travels through life…
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Ruby Swiss Chard with Leeks and Marinated Feta
“Eat your greens!” When I was a kid, I believed my mother was obsessed with greens. They were frequently on our table (cooked longer than I would now) and served with butter and vinegar. Spinach and Swiss chard were Mom’s favorites, both to grow and eat. Fresh in the summer and fall, canned spinach in…
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Grilled Cabbage Winter Stew with Smoked Paprika Olive Oil
Apparently, this has been a good year for cabbage, and I’m not complaining. If you live in the north, you have plenty of local cabbage available, always a staple crop. A lot going for it Big heads, green or purple, stay beautifully crisp all winter, and bulk up our farm shares along with the many…
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(Left-over) Potato Chip Crusted (Fresh) Walleye Perch
I recently learned that Vermont has not one but two official state fish. Brook Trout is the state’s cold water fish, and Walleye the official warm water fish. Although I find that all our waters are cold! If it comes out of Lake Champlain, those waters are anything but warm, especially this time of year….
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Pick-me-up Broccoli, Radish, and Carrot Slaw
Food is our energy, and when we find ourselves running on empty during the busiest times of year, it is good to have a little something up our sleeves for a pick-me-up. Save time, make a lot A nutrition-packed vegetable slaw tucked in the refrigerator is a great time saver. This one holds there for…
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Welcome the New Year’s first light with a scrumptious Wild Mushroom Frittata
Flavorful, craveable, and yes, of course there’s a vegan alternative as well! The festive platters have been washed and put away. The last of the Christmas cookies tucked in the freezer for safe keeping. We’ve feasted and indulged, but now we want to start the year off on a more healthful note. But, of course,…
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Penne with Broccoli Rabe and White Beans
At this time of year, our time fills up quickly with commitments, errands, and tasks. Yet, we still have to eat! It is tempting to just nibble away at that holiday tin of cookies and call it a day. Or we pick up the phone and order take-out, which is often more time consuming than…
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Have a Wonderful Holiday, and a Happy New Year
May the light and love of the holiday season shine throughout your New Year! Thank you all for your support throughout the year, and all the amazing conversations, thoughtful posts, poems, stories, recipes, and fascinating links that have decorated my life all year. Here’s a little something that always makes me smile, and tear up…
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A Family Feast and Tradition: Tourtière, a French Canadian Meat Pie
This post is an encore holiday performance! The French Canadian Meat Pie, or “tourtière ” is a traditional dish passed down in my family, served on Christmas Eve and other special occasions, but never fear, we can even make it vegan! The story of my grandparents’ families is shared with…
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Bûche De Noël A Classic Holiday Yule Log, mostly
Our Family’s Traditional Bûche De Noël Christmas Eve was filled with food, family, and festivity when I was a child, but I also loved the magic of all the food preparations that filled the week before – fussing and primping and putting everything together for the grand finale. Lots of baking Mom would make her…
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Christopher’s Burbon Butter Tarts
Sweet little butter tarts are a quintessential Canadian treat. Little pastry shells filled with butter, syrup, egg, and vanilla. They’re also the topic of much disagreement about what exactly, if anything, should be added to these little pastries; some bakers add a little extra something. Raisins? Nuts? Be careful not to declare your preference too…
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Snow Day! Winter Bean Soup with Crispy Shallot Topping
The kids had a snow day here today! Some of us are wondering why! It was a quiet weekend here, but with weather all over the place. Saturday night, the North Winds howled like banshees, knocking over heavy outdoor furniture, and bending the trees. Sunday, the winds died down, the temperatures rose to the low…
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Dairy Free Corn & Maple Crème Brûlée
Corn. Maple Sugar. A candy top? What is she thinking? We only had crème brûlée once when I was a kid. My mom did a great job of preparing and baking the little custards, and carefully covering the top with sugar. She commandeered my father’s blow torch to do the brûlée part, and promptly set…
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Delicata Squash: Simple and Fancy
Delicata Squash: A seasonal favorite from our local farms The farm stands and farmers markets are loaded with winter squash of just about every shape, size, and color right now. One might find a giant Blue Hubbard squash that could feed an army, or maybe a small Sweet Dumpling squash, just right for tonight’s supper…
