Fall is most definitely upon us. With it comes apples, lots and lots of apples. Did you know that there are 2,500 different varieties of apples grown in the United States and 7,500 varieties worldwide? Do you have a favorite recipe for apples? How about a favorite varietal? The apples above are [Virginia] Winesap, my … Continue Reading
When you think of soup and salad, seaweed is probably not the first thing that springs to mind. But, there’s a whole world of seaweed out there to be discovered. In fact, there’s almost an entire aisle devoted to seaweed at my local Asian market. Wakame, hijiki, arame, dulse, kombu, kelp, and nori are some … Continue Reading
I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, nor am I much of a baker per se, but I do rather like the idea of incorporating local seasonal vegetables into dessert. The basis for the cake batter–kabocha squash that I steamed and whipped into a puree and grated carrots–makes for an extremely moist, but light … Continue Reading
Lately, I’ve been on a pickled vegetable kick. This may have been sparked my most recent visit to Big Star, a Wicker Park (Chicago) “honky tonk” bar, serving a great assortment of beer, whiskey, and tacos. The sounds of Nashville and Bakersfield (a genre of country music developed in the mid-to-late 50s) fill the bar. … Continue Reading
