From Scratch

Today’s Sunday Times of London reports the largest-ever study of organic food has concluded organics really are more nutritious, providing up to 40% more antioxidants and higher levels of zinc and iron. Milk from organic herds had antioxidant levels up to 90% higher than milk from conventional herds.
The study spanned four years and cost £12 million […]

Perhaps I don’t pay enough attention to commercials, but I was aware of a store brand of microwave steamer bags long before I knew about the national brands. It was about a year ago and I thought they were so clever, but I didn’t remember to buy any till recently.
The concept is the same as […]

When I am back in New York, I torture myself by going to the Greenmarket at Union Square. It’s enormous and the variety of foods for sale, not just produce, is amazing. It was at the Greenmarket that I was given this recipe ages ago when I bought either basil or tomatoes, perhaps both, I don’t recall.
They’re […]

I created this with several kinds of “goodness” in mind. Of course, I wanted to take advantage of sweet, local corn but I also strove to cut down on the bad fats and cholesterol in most cornbread. And I wanted the double goodness of fast prep and minimal cleanup; there’s no pot of water to […]

Even with a roadside sign, this tiny farmers’ market is easy to miss, tucked as it is in the verdant front grounds of a New England church.

I was in a bit of a rush, as usual, but of course I stopped. The line between “almost late” and “late” is a fine one and I was […]

High summer is prime time for green salads and burgers; many people do not share my aversion to mayo and love Thousand Island dressing on both. It’s a long-time American favorite, popular for about a century. That much we know for sure.
Several legends compete for the story of its origin. According to Wikipedia, it might have […]

I’ve always loved soup, especially cold soup in hot weather, and there is more to summertime soup than just gazpacho. Jacques Pépin’s soups are favorites. They are generally simple, relying on just a few top-notch ingredients, and always delicious; many use a touch of something unexpected, such as the sesame oil in Velvet of Carrot or the Tabasco […]

Perhaps the weekend will bring a stop at a farm stand or farmers market and you’ll come home with an armload of produce. Where to put it to keep it fresh longest?
Fruits and vegetables do breathe — anyone who’s ever put peaches in a paper bag to ripen them has seen the effect — and some […]

When fresh, sweet corn is available, locally-grown or from warmer states, I make this wonderful side dish over and over. It takes little more time than the five minutes needed for the couscous, a pasta not a grain, to steep. In winter I use frozen corn and it’s almost as good. And when I haven’t got fresh chives, like […]

New Hampshire is like Ireland in this regard: if you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute. Earlier this week it got cold enough at night that frost was possible. Yesterday reached the low 90’s and it’s almost as warm today.
I always enjoy a good salad, but when it’s hot I actually crave crisp, cold greens. […]

 
Like most people, I appreciate a side dish that takes care of itself, more or less, while I tend to other parts of the meal. When it’s fast and tasty, as this is, so much the better. I make this every other week or so, for it compliments all sorts of protein. I made it […]

I’ll come right out and say it. I hate mayonnaise. Never liked it, always hated it. To this day. Odd, perhaps, for a woman who has willingly eaten and enjoyed pigs’ feet, beef heart and wild boar, but there you have it. I am a mayo-free zone.
But I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like; […]