tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31338128661277301882012-01-22T12:34:23.505-05:00Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.comBlogger2391100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-7076573623923690142012-01-22T12:33:00.000-05:002012-01-22T12:34:23.547-05:00

Sometimes, I get lazy and make soup by tossing a whole lot of veggies and sometimes a little meat in a pot with chicken broth and simmering it for a while.  Then, I go to Whole Foods and think that their mom's chicken soup is better than mine.  With all due respect to Whole Foods cooks, that's mass-produced salad bar fare.  I pride myself in at least doing the down home recipes that I know better

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-16436498769915331412012-01-15T21:15:00.000-05:002012-01-15T21:16:15.228-05:00

I am not one to fool my children into eating things they normally don't like; I am more of a briber, cajoler, or outright demander when it comes to eating. I want them to learn that foods that they've never tried should be, lest they are missing what might become a favorite, or at least an experience, and that suffering through something you don't love is okay. Short of actually serving something

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-36285082192781364012011-12-31T15:49:00.001-05:002012-01-04T11:13:15.715-05:00

With spurts of more and less intensity, I've been baking sourdough bread at home for about six years now.  Last week, I made this. I've never written it up here because I use a cookbook--Nancy Silverton's La Brea Bread Book.  But my mom pointed out recently that "use" has become fairly loose for me.  I open the book, or rather, I sort of tilt it around and it flops wide to exactly where I want

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-74250264968878669182011-12-19T12:43:00.000-05:002011-12-19T12:43:22.497-05:00

I was making Lamb Bandit Style from Greek Cooking for the Gods - one of my childhood favorites whose realtime flavor actually matches my memory.  I had "bone-in stew meat" as one of the cuts from my half lamb about 6 medallion shaped rounds probably weighing 2 lbs.  I cut each one into about 3 big bite-size chunks, leaving in the bone because my son is obsessed with any meat "on the bone" thanks

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-69063531535318964462011-12-12T12:33:00.000-05:002011-12-12T12:33:56.465-05:00

The past month or two, I've been in a cooking slump.  Instead of excitedly reading food magazines, making menus, browsing grocery story aisles in anticipation of kitchen fun, I nixed most new ideas as too time consuming or too likely to meet with groans from my son.  The low point: when I realized that we were looping the same seven meals, and Monday had become not just pasta night but spaghetti

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-29716555428704577942011-12-06T21:04:00.000-05:002011-12-06T21:04:40.504-05:00

I can usually count on one of my French or Mexican cookbooks to have recipes for kinds and cuts of meats that even some of the more adventurous American standards like the Joy of Cooking or Gourmet eschew.  I found a whole bunch of goat recipes in Cocinero Mexicano, a 19th century Mexican cookbook that was reprinted a few years ago, and I felt totally connected to traditions of the Americas and

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-71379704071786104782011-11-29T12:29:00.000-05:002011-11-29T12:29:37.803-05:00

A friend called earlier today to ask me for this recipe.  It's so easy, I could tell her over the phone without even waiting for her to grab a pencil.  Simple.  Delicious.  Even my 6-year-old likes it.  Uses the potatoes that are in season and the broth that I always end up with in overflow after Thanksgiving.  Oh.  Belongs on the blog. Potato Leek Soup Serves 4 as a meal 3-4 large leeks 6-8

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-12521892198992261552011-10-27T22:07:00.002-04:002011-10-27T22:09:49.513-04:00

As fall roasting comes along, I tend to turn toward the sweetness of apples and pumpkins, cider braises and maple syrup or red wine sauces to stave off the encroaching chill.  But New England Fall crops are also perfect for another option: firey tart salsa verde.  I often feel a little unorthodox when I turn my Somerville local and seasonal ingredients into Mexican classics.  If the

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-8693214295797133352011-10-20T00:00:00.001-04:002011-10-20T00:00:55.989-04:00

According to one of the cereal boxes that I was reading out loud at breakfast this morning, there are 7,500 apple varieties.  I've been eating a lot of them lately.  They come from the CSA every week.  I went apple picking.  My son's school went apple picking.  I thought I was overwhelmed with apples, and tired of them.  I made an apple pie to bring to Renee's just to get rid of apples.  And then

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-53582316250399587742011-10-13T19:25:00.000-04:002011-10-13T19:25:36.841-04:00

This recipe goes out to Amy Leah, who requested a recipe to use the goat meat she got from the local market. We could only come up with 1 lb. of goat meat, but made a recipe that fed 6 adults anyway. It was nicely root vegetable heavy, but if you are able to procure more than 1 lb. (we'd actually recommend 2 lbs.), just add in the extra meat and follow the recipe as is. 1 TBSP olive oil 1 lb.

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-16547061010901736002011-10-08T15:03:00.000-04:002011-10-08T15:03:23.362-04:00

Taking advantage of both a freezer full of gorgeous frozen fruit and a stunningly warm October day, Cal and Dave made smoothies. As their name implies, they were yummy! The Yummy Smoothies serves 4 In a blender add: 2 large handfuls frozen raspberries 2 large handfuls frozen strawberries 1 large handful frozen peaches 3 large spoonfuls yogurt 1 cup milk 4 ice cubes Blend until very smooth.

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-24970659661505961342011-10-03T23:08:00.000-04:002011-10-03T23:08:03.425-04:00

Sometimes, I'm just blown away by the brilliance of the universe.  Just as the evenings get cool and I start craving carbs, here at the CSA and in the Farmers' Markets are piles of squash that just need a nice half hour in a warm oven.  Could thousands of plants really have deloped over thousands of years to so perfectly answer drafty old New England houses and how much I love to gather with

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-13306300914116693352011-09-26T21:07:00.000-04:002011-09-26T21:07:03.086-04:00

Thanks to Kiersten, who submitted a query about including more leafy greens, especially kale, in her diet. Our immediate thought was . . . kale chips! These are easy, quick, and delicious. We have found that kids usually like them, too. Start with one bunch of clean, dry kale. Any variety works, though we prefer curly leafed varieties. Preheat oven to 375. Remove the stems and tear remaining

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-22580747162525842842011-09-22T08:39:00.002-04:002011-09-22T12:00:13.548-04:00

Thank you to everyone who has sent in requests!  I've started with: "My family of four consists of a vegetarian, a celiac, a picky child, and a child who will eat most things as long as they are not spicy at all. Have you got a recipe for that? If not, anything with pumpkin or squash would be good."  I usually like to approach food by thinking expansively about what I love and what is delicious

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-3521287443334225182011-09-20T09:42:00.000-04:002011-09-20T09:42:26.630-04:00

Hello Friends. Keja and I have been posting new recipes to this blog for three years now - sometimes frequently, and, if you still follow us of late, sometimes not very often. The reason for our blogosphere silence of late is two-fold: we have been working this summer to prepare our recipes for their original intent - a cookbook; the other reason is that we have run out of ideas. So, we now

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-78895833948174568582011-08-26T22:25:00.000-04:002011-08-26T22:25:52.074-04:00

We are waiting for Hurricane Irene and had a busy afternoon putting everything away outdoors that could potentially become a projectile object. We also have a bounty of tomatoes, peppers, and basil from our own yard and the CSA. How to feed a hungry bunch? Stuffed peppers! Stuffed Peppers feeds 4 4 bell peppers, any color, cut in half lengthwise and deseeded 8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-19807408586678632922011-08-09T17:02:00.000-04:002011-08-09T17:02:42.621-04:00

I have four gorgeous tomato plants in my raised bed. They are seven feet high, have thick, dark green stems, no sign of wilt or browning on leaves. True specimens. Except that they have five tomatoes between them. These are the same seeds I've successfully used the past two years, the same growing conditions. If anything, Dave and I were priding ourselves on the massive amounts of compost we

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-39619517199277033972011-08-05T12:19:00.000-04:002011-08-05T12:19:04.114-04:00

Big bags of slightly bruised basil are arriving weekly from the CSA, the basil in my garden is trying to go to flower, and every neighbor I stop to chat with offers me some...fresh basil!  I love basil, but it does not save well, unless of course it's made into pesto!  One of the things I've discovered lately about pesto is that it is endlessly variable.  There's a basic pesto base: dark leafy

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-19460366086841397052011-08-01T00:14:00.002-04:002011-08-01T00:17:34.852-04:00

My watermellon vines are actually flowering this year!  I don't hold out much hope for actual fruit, but this is the first year I've gotten beyond the inch-high stage. I can take no credit, the ones I planted are still only inch-high; the flowering vine is a volunteer from the compost pile.  It's probably a distant relative to the beautiful yellow watermellon I got in my CSA share from Red Fire

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-69054292502125013042011-07-28T00:50:00.000-04:002011-07-28T00:50:11.916-04:00

Local and seasonal food in New England tends to be high on vegretables and fruits in the summer. Local grains are harder to find, although Sherman Market carries a nice selection of flours from Maine.  Local meats and cheeses tend to be lean and organic.  But eating local and seasonal is not a diet that aims directly for anything like wieight loss, and if you've been following our blog you've

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-3078522930282572322011-07-18T20:33:00.001-04:002011-07-18T20:38:35.362-04:00

It's hot. Sticky hot. Try this cooling cocktail to soothe sweaty moods. It is easily made into a non-alcoholic drink (see below). Humid Citrus Cocktail makes 3 single-sized drinks (perhaps not a typical amount but as I'm too hot to do math, you'll have to deal) In a shaker filled halfway with ice mix: 2 oz lemon juice 2 oz. grapefruit juice 1/2 oz simple syrup (more can be added for those

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-11459727758271141762011-07-13T23:21:00.002-04:002011-07-13T23:31:01.058-04:00

Strangely, it's whole fish that makes me most squeamish.  Maybe it's because it's so very whole and as-if-it-could-jump-back-into-the water looking.  But slaughtering the chickens last year only made me like chicken more, and thinking about their recent aliveness makes me feel better about eating them.  Maybe it's because I still really conceive of fish as a wild animal rather than

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-4026670292723323772011-07-08T08:43:00.000-04:002011-07-08T08:43:45.569-04:00

I have hoarded garlic scapes for the past few weeks. They last quite a while in the fridge and have been showing up daily in our dinners. My newest use for them is salad dressing. Yogurt Dressing Heat a small frying pan (I use my 6 inch cast iron) over low heat. Add 1 teas. olive oil and 3 garlic scapes which have been cut into inch-long pieces (with my overabundance of scapes, I discard the

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-87665011218781117892011-07-05T12:30:00.003-04:002011-07-05T12:55:27.623-04:00

The fact that, in my tomato frenzy, I forgot to plant cucumber this Spring is being more than made up for by the abundance of cucumbers from the CSA. I don’t love pickles, so fresh cucumbers now feature prominently in just about everything I eat. But that does not mean all salad all the time – remember tea sandwiches? Yes, cuke pairs beautifully with bread, and also with brie. Cucumber-brie s a

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-8509752137445315112011-06-26T23:46:00.000-04:002011-06-26T23:46:59.581-04:00

Sometimes, when I’m standing in front of the meat counter at Whole Foods looking at close to $20 per pound for local pork, I wonder about things I don’t believe in and wouldn’t do: factory-farmed meat, vegetarianism, corporate America… But behind the ridiculously overpriced loins and chops, you can sometimes find a beautiful bone-in shoulder. $4.99/lb. this week. It needs time to cook, but that’s

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-72067793369269328622011-06-13T18:08:00.000-04:002011-06-13T18:08:11.189-04:00

Though the farmers' market is two weeks old, and the CSA one, I have yet to partake. We were on a family vacation in Colorado, which, for all its beauty, is either way behind in the growing season, way behind in their appreciation of local farmers, or simply unable to grow so much that I consider to be Spring staples. A month or two ago I was sorely missing fresh greens, holding out for June,

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-7305441869910165572011-05-23T22:55:00.003-04:002011-12-28T18:19:47.788-05:00

Cranberries are out and strawberries aren't in yet, but in my freezer... I'm torn on this freezer thing.  It's the only way to survive doing local and seasonal in New England.  If it wren't for my freezer, I would have been eating tasteless tired fruits and veggies from thousands of miles away all winter and spring.  But what if I wanted to be really hard core, and really just eat what was in

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-6577395165677989672011-05-19T13:58:00.000-04:002011-05-19T13:58:39.393-04:00

Dave and I had the good fortune to be sent to Craigie on Main for his birthday last month. We had a delightful meal which included bone marrow. I'd had it once or twice before, and I have to say, it's one of the best things I've eaten. It's not for the faint of heart, nor people averse to fat. You really check into your basic animal instincts when eating it. I decided to make it myself, so got

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-48491349593960063532011-05-16T10:48:00.003-04:002011-05-16T10:50:30.739-04:00

We were going to grill this, but it’s spring in New England: in spite of sun that actually got warm this afternoon, by 4pm clouds had rolled in and it was cold. By 5, it was raining. Of course, many of our friends grill right through the winter, but we’re wimps and a pork loin is so delicious roasted that for this there’s really no need to endure any chill beyond what you catch running out to the

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-57261864195278109732011-05-10T00:06:00.000-04:002011-05-10T00:06:07.402-04:00

With relatively minimal effort, I froze enough fruits and vegetables last Summer and Fall to carry over to Spring!  In fact, I did such a good job that I was afraid about a month ago that I'd end up having to use last year's stuff even as this year's came in.  But Spring here is fitful, we're in the lull between the end of the winter farmers' market and the start of the spring ones, and about all

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-77379577879379626732011-04-20T22:26:00.001-04:002011-04-24T20:24:37.409-04:00

Every once in a while, Renée and I cook without measuring or weighing or writing things down.  And we love it.  We glance at each other as we toss in a handfull of that, stick our fingers in and add another shake or two, and giggle.  Are we going to try to guess after the fact just how much my two pinches plus her three make in teaspoons?  Can we count by how many times the kids asked is it ready

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-80197011911020554322011-04-10T18:05:00.001-04:002011-04-10T21:28:18.838-04:00

A first real spring weekend with sun enough to wear t-shirts, go into the yard, and root around! The garlic has sprouted in surprisingly neat little rows, the chives are long enough to cut, the herbs are coming back to life, and the weeds are really quite happy. OK, the rhubarb is just a cluster of little red nubs, but when I look at it the back of my tongue gets warm and the tip curls up just

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-18910082071158079972011-03-22T11:25:00.000-04:002011-03-22T11:25:31.921-04:00

The berries that we still have left in the freezer from last summer and fall are so delicious all on their own, we could just stir them together and bake them and be happy.  But they taste fantastic AND look beautiful when wrapped in filo.  Most of the time, with food, pretty adds to delicious and delicous adds to pretty and it just keeps going up.  But every once in a while, when you get down

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-32686320779647563062011-03-22T11:12:00.000-04:002011-03-22T11:12:41.059-04:00

Did I mention that I  froze a lot of kale last summer and fall?  I have had a very healthy dose of leafy greens this winter.  But spring is thinking about coming, or at least it was last week, and that deep dark green just isn't as appealing as it once was.  I want bouncy bright spring somethings on my plate.  A little filo and ground lamb give just that to the kale.  My mother and I made a more

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-73030844874764082642011-03-13T22:16:00.001-04:002011-03-13T22:17:26.686-04:00

Leaves are unfurling everywhere, bits of bright green are poking their way through the last few remnants of the snow bank that took over my front garden, and my compost pile is almost thawed enough to turn into the soil--Spring is around the corner!  Now is the time to clear out the bottom of the freezer and the back of the cupboard, sloughing through those last bags of frozen kale (I'll be

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-73628465197214249512011-03-07T23:06:00.003-05:002011-03-08T09:18:48.983-05:00

Crispy, creamy, in five or six different storage varieties, apples are one of the best things about Somerville's winter farmers' market.  I have had fantastic fresh local fruit all winter.  No more need to buy those tasteless exotic imports.  No more excuse to try anything but apples.  They are piling up on the counter, in the fruit bin, in my backpack, in the tupperware I take back out of my

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-81218018850896195172011-03-02T08:20:00.000-05:002011-03-02T08:20:08.298-05:00

The other day, Dave and Viv ventured into Union Square to do some local shopping. They returned victorious, having cleaned out Reliable Market of their frozen dumplings, miso, tofu, and dok rice cakes. They also stopped by Sherman Market and bought some beans. Dave and I snickered to ourselves at the price - $4.15 for a pound of beans, but agreed it was good to support local agriculture. And

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-1329540865594029552011-02-27T12:17:00.000-05:002011-02-27T12:17:40.169-05:00

I have fond memories of helping my mother make bread, and then getting to eat the heel, fresh out of the oven, with too much butter. When I was fifteen or sixteen, I started making bread on my own, and remember feeling great pride that I could actually make something edible. As an adult, I am very comfortable with baking and I look back on my teenaged self and have two thoughts: one, how naive I

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-31844039156021283352011-02-18T22:59:00.000-05:002011-02-18T22:59:07.339-05:00

I have an image of my parents bringing home to eat random strangers they ran into who were in need of a home-cooked meal.  It probably actually happened only a few times--there was a monk with a travelling planetarium who might have even stayed with us for a while, and maybe a man who was biking accross the country--and I'm guessing the encounters and the indviduals weren't so random.  But

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-63850658513140577162011-02-15T10:16:00.000-05:002011-02-15T10:16:30.527-05:00

Typically, I make a menu every week, shop once or twice, and feel pretty organized. A few weeks ago, Dave and I decided to involve the kids. We have been blessed with good eaters, and we want to encourage their enjoyment of food. So, once a week, they are responsible for a meal. When I'm making the weekly menu, I help them look through their cookbooks and cooking magazine Chop Chop. It's locally

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-33206620939140719492011-02-11T23:02:00.002-05:002011-02-12T16:49:02.921-05:00

It's not that this jam is particularly noteworthy for its length of preparation, and even less that it's time-consuming in the typical way, but jam takes a long time to make.  We started at 5pm.  I left close to 10 and Renee still had to finish processing the second-to-last batch and then process the last one.  Of course, in interim we had supper, played, let the kids watch a movie, had a long

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-48626158181321576612011-02-02T13:07:00.000-05:002011-02-02T13:07:41.261-05:00

We began this blog two and a half years ago with the idea that we wanted to make our small impact on the world, or rather, NOT make an impact on the world, by supporting local agriculture, growing some our own food, and making a concerted effort to be more aware of what we ate, where it came from, how it was produced, how it lived. Now we are faced with a crisis that is forcing us to fully

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-3157977261871502382011-01-20T20:41:00.002-05:002011-01-23T21:29:31.308-05:00

Because I stubbornly refuse to turn the heat up, I bake. I suppose when it’s chicken it’s called roasting, though at least in my home oven there’s no difference. And because I’m in search of internal as well as external heat, I keep thinking of spicy things to add in to Renée’s general rule of “more garlic, more cilantro, and more black pepper.” Mexican Roast Chicken Serves 4 1 whole chicken

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-45977651042599815632011-01-17T18:17:00.000-05:002011-01-17T18:17:58.172-05:00

The dead of winter is not a great time to hit a dry spell in original recipe creations. There are no strange vegetables coming into the CSA or farmers' market. You are stuck with meat and roots and frozen veggies for inspiration. We have a fun, new, winter farmers' market in Somerville, which is just another reason I adore my town. The first two weeks there have been lines 20 to 30 minutes long

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-65402476220666453952011-01-11T22:23:00.001-05:002011-01-11T22:28:05.196-05:00

Filo dough is difficult to work with. But not as totally impossible as I thought, and the results are so beautiful and delicious, it’s one of those kitchen feats that’s worth the effort. A key step in any filo creation is the painting on of melted butter or olive oil, which it turns out is an ideal task for little hands. I’m not sure if it’s because he can, because it comes out so pretty, or just

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-30580286303379151302011-01-08T12:01:00.000-05:002011-01-08T12:01:58.833-05:00

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Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-72646770137433058272011-01-03T15:52:00.000-05:002011-01-03T15:52:28.648-05:00

I haven't posted in a while, and while I'd love to blame the Holidays, the reality is, it's hard to come up with more new recipes. However, a few weeks ago I had a vision: a gingery, lemongrassy cocktail. I get these visions about food once in a while, and usually I am able to recreate it fairly closely to how my brain's taste buds envisioned it. However, this one stumped me. Maybe it is because,

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-19581080473912868712010-12-21T09:42:00.000-05:002010-12-21T09:42:11.102-05:00

Pizza and Pasta are not only the perfect holders for almost anything, they quite easily hold the very same things. And they hold them in ways that kids love, or at least that make it easy to pick back out the things that kids don’t love. Add to this my newfound refrigerator pizza dough method and my newfound pre-roasting plan, and either are ready in 30-60 minutes with only about 10 of those

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-53276850328315065742010-12-09T21:31:00.001-05:002010-12-09T21:34:14.535-05:00

Most days, no matter how much is going on, I relish standing in the kitchen for however many minutes I have, stirring and pouring, watching a meal emerge from piles of carefully selected ingredients or from the scraps at the bottom of the refrigerator.  There is something concrete and fleeting about making a meal that grounds the end of each day for me.  But then, every once in a while, dinner

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-10073977960741706282010-11-23T22:07:00.000-05:002010-11-23T22:07:55.689-05:00

A year ago I took a trip to Austria and Germany, cruising down the Danube, to visit the Christmas markets with my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and aunt-in-law. Many of you may cringe at the thought of that trip, but then, you didn't have the good fortune to marry into the Scott family. On this wonderful trip, we discovered mulled wine, and while usually the wine tasted pretty similar from one

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-62537398977073764552010-11-08T00:06:00.000-05:002010-11-08T00:06:03.400-05:00

A recent issue of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food had a whole section on soups made out of pre-roasted vegetables.  I wondered, is it really worth the effort?  Isn't one of the things I love about soup that you can do it all in one pot, in a very few steps?  But then I happened to have in the fridge both leftover roasted chicken, and leftover roasted squash, so I threw them together along with a

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-32244901616849098722010-10-30T23:50:00.001-04:002010-10-30T23:52:12.877-04:00

Oysters and crab have a long season in New England (the Island Creek Oyster Festival was the second week of September this year), and they are always delicious.  The last time I bought raw oysters for home serving, I asked about shucking them myself and man behind the counter (somewhere near Haymarket) expressed such doubt about whether I possessed sufficient strength that there was no way I

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-35251081441038308732010-10-30T01:15:00.001-04:002010-10-30T01:16:45.654-04:00

A few vegetables actually thrive in the colder part of Fall.  Broccoli and cabbage seem to get sweeter at the end of the season, or maybe I'm just starting to cling to whatever remains plentiful at the last few farmers' markets.  It's a perfect time for broccoli soup, but simple steamed broccoli takes on a Fall heartiness when dressed with this lovely sauce. Serves 4 as a side Broccoli Cut 2-3

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-52925699320084619772010-10-28T17:20:00.000-04:002010-10-28T17:20:34.357-04:00

This past Whatever Night Dinner Club dinner brought a new guest, Renée's sister, Amy. And she brought with her the fixings for a lavender cocktail. It went well with our lamb and salad and roasted veggie risotto, though it probably would have accompanied most dishes nicely. It is a perfect pink color. Lavender Vodka 3 hours (or longer) prior to drinking, soak 3 TBSP lavender flowers in 750 ml

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-64382598683372091292010-10-18T13:19:00.000-04:002010-10-18T13:19:01.025-04:00

If you had to pick two items that are most plentiful this time of year in New England, you'd pick squash and apples. They are spilling out of my fruit bowls and taking up valuable counter space. I steam the squash and serve it with butter, and give the kids apples for snacks and make various baked items, but finally I'd had enough. Squash and Apple Soup 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock 2

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-28265889493485781532010-10-14T23:17:00.000-04:002010-10-14T23:17:47.418-04:00

The other night, lacking any other ideas and needing to use some lovely bacon, we decided to make BLT sandwiches. They were ridiculously good as a photo would show, but, just as the shoemaker's children have no shoes, this blog has few photos, despite that the rest of my time when not parenting is happily taken up doing photography. Sorry. You'll just have to believe me. We followed it up with a

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-10294044330179612502010-10-08T00:47:00.000-04:002010-10-08T00:47:52.926-04:00

Some things are worth making from scratch, and some things are not. But how do you tell which is which? The money I save is balanced by the time I spend baking my own bread, but then when I add in the baker’s triceps, the air freshener, and the warmth of the oven, it’s definitely worth baking my own bread Fall through Spring. But homemade pasta has always seemed to me really not a great

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-75492684837548153072010-09-27T12:38:00.000-04:002010-09-27T12:38:08.355-04:00

We got gorgeous, local calamari from New Deal last week. It had been caught that day, and was the most tender, flavorful squid I have ever eaten. 2 lbs. calamari, tubes and tentacles 1 cup white flour 1 teas. salt 1 teas. pepper 1/2 teas. oregano 1/2 teas. thyme olive oil 1 to 2 lemons, cut into wedges Cut tubes into 3/4 to 1 inch thick slices. Mix flour and spices together in a mixing bowl or

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-79264058177423769342010-09-23T13:04:00.001-04:002010-09-23T23:00:44.096-04:00

If Renée and I find slaughtering chickens more useful than terrifying, what else might we kill? I was only half-joking when I suggested that on the way home from Vermont we stop in New Hampshire to buy a rifle. And I wasn’t joking at all when I asked my brother if he could set me up with his gun and some tin cans the next time I’m out in Colorado. So far, the closest any of this has gotten to

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-14807438836641089402010-09-19T07:56:00.000-04:002010-09-19T07:56:03.247-04:00

Pasta Salad is just about the least informative name a dish could have, second maybe to Soup or, if you're in Minnesota, Hot Dish.  "Pasta," kind of like "broth" can hold just about anything, gently creadle its flavors, and deliver them to youin fantastic--or just kind of average--combination.  So what distinguishes a great pasta salad?  First, of course, it's one that uses local and seasonal

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-79223659678764604902010-09-15T12:36:00.000-04:002010-09-15T12:36:16.735-04:00

We roasted up the 6-pound chicken that I brought home from Vermont. I kept it simple, to really taste the meat. I rubbed it with oil, salted and peppered the outside, and put a lemon that I had poked holes in into the cavity. It took longer to cook that I thought it would; I've heard that fresh chicken (never frozen) cooks faster than it's defrosted brethren, but I was wrong. It took two hours to

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-16056462006335494202010-09-14T00:35:00.000-04:002010-09-14T00:35:17.019-04:00

This weekend will stand out as one of the most fun and relaxing I’ve had in a long time. It's the same one Renée describes below.  We were there together, shared thoughts, concerns, curiousities on the drive up and down.  And just like when my son and I lick off the same ice cream cone we still come up with different descriptiosn of its flavor, we experienced the chicken slaughter in unique ways.

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-83179011909902662582010-09-13T09:28:00.000-04:002010-09-13T09:28:44.836-04:00

A word of warning: this post contains full details on chicken slaughter. As I have said before, I feel strongly that if I am going to eat meat (which is at the top of my list for food enjoyment), I should be able to kill the animal I eat. This does not mean I will kill all of the meat I eat, for obvious reasons, but that I understand the process and have actually been involved with it at some

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-56885369391406242912010-09-09T12:39:00.000-04:002010-09-09T12:39:41.628-04:00

Although modern life allows us the luxury of buying food whenever we need it, no matter the time of year, something about the late summer and early fall makes me feel kinship for people who lived before refrigeration and grocery stores. I would never pretend to know the hardship of that life, but I certainly appreciate what they must have gone through to ensure their family's survival over a long

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-84567566925106285082010-09-02T10:53:00.001-04:002010-09-02T10:54:00.538-04:00

Tuesday night I didn't even notice supper time come or go.  The kitchen isn't the coolest room in the house, so I didn't go near it, and when the outside and inside temperature have been over 90 and humid for hours, my stomach seems to shut down.  Then of course, around 10 pm a cool breeze began to stir and all of my senses reemerged, but there was still no way I was going to turn on even a

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-67142636549225116712010-08-28T20:54:00.002-04:002010-08-28T20:56:27.565-04:00

A guest post by Dave: One of my hidden talents is making a meal out of whatever is left over in the pantry.  After two or three nights of incredible Cooking-the-Seasons meals, Renée sometimes takes a night off.  She will complain to me, "there's nothing in the fridge," in response to which I only chuckle.  That saggy celery?  That half pint of olives?  That leftover rice?  Nothing?  Throw in a

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-13952663993169914722010-08-19T10:39:00.000-04:002010-08-19T10:39:32.465-04:00

Our CSA has come up with the wonderful idea of a swap box - after you pick up your share you can leave off things you really don't in exchange for someone else's discards.  Recently, there has been more and more zucchini in that box.  That's probably because while many other things come and go pretty quickly at the CSA (we had two or three weeks of onions, potatoes, kale), the zucchini just keeps

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-9501959453578435932010-08-12T23:32:00.002-04:002010-08-12T23:39:32.691-04:00

I have been so busy freezing peaches for the winter that I almost forgot to just eat them.  Luckily, a few days before they start to go bad, their sweet smell starts to creep around the house, and I remember.  There was one pile left in my fruit bowl from last week's farmer's market.  All but two went into the meal.  But this is high harvest time in New England, so we also had eggplant half from

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-69484455801679936642010-08-09T10:19:00.001-04:002010-08-09T10:21:14.016-04:00

I will now attempt to explain how to roll sushi, something I have been avoiding for a long time, since I am self-taught (and therefore self-conscious about it) and also still improving my technique. My one suggestion is to get good ingredients and, worst case, you eat a bowl of sushi rice, vegetables, seaweed, and fish. I try not to beat dead horses but once again I am going to plug New Deal

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-8017590751201958102010-08-08T07:47:00.001-04:002010-08-08T07:49:54.789-04:00

You can't get much farther from Somerville than China, so someone who knows will have to explain why while I was there the past few weeks sure I found plenty of fantastically delicious vegetables that don't even have names in English, but also in season the very same things that Renee was picking up at the CSA.  In fact, when you walk by a market in Chengdu in late July and early August, what

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-42323621856576686302010-07-30T12:48:00.002-04:002010-07-30T12:51:15.319-04:00

First, we are delighted to announce that our blog is being picked up by Somerville Local First (it's local and seasonal, so don't worry), a hip, in-the-moment organization that is bringing awareness to the public about supporting local businesses. It's right up our alley, and we're psyched to be a part of their new local blogging forum. Second, the CSA has kicked into high gear, and Keja was

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-57217982576590969362010-07-19T20:57:00.000-04:002010-07-19T20:57:35.321-04:00

I don't suggest serving these together. They are recipes I've tried in the past few days that need to be told. The risotto was great with green beans. The potato salad was great with steak and green salad. The Manhattan? With any or all of the above! And now, I hear rain. Ahhhh. Shrimp Risotto 2 TBSP olive oil1 medium onion, chopped4 garlic scapes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces1 summer squash,

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-79185921317947070952010-07-08T13:09:00.000-04:002010-07-08T13:09:33.252-04:00

We catered Keja's 4th of July gathering last week. It was so much fun to just cook, and not write recipes down! We made a broiled mussel morel mushroom dish that left us with a lovely mushroom, mussel, wine liquer that we were psyched to use last night in grits. The one problem? We also served peach iced tea on the 4th and the leftover tea was put into a container that looked the same as the

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-26066557430593311152010-07-01T09:10:00.001-04:002010-07-01T09:11:39.983-04:00

We had an honored guest tonight: Keja's mother, Amy. She is an excellent resource, constant reader, and frequent source of moral support in this cooking endeavor, so it was great fun to be able to share this with her.  The fish, cornbread, and shortbread all cook for about the same time, so timing-wise, have fish stuffed and ready to grill, cornbread mixed and ready to put into the pan and

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-55451532493790283142010-06-28T16:40:00.000-04:002010-06-28T16:40:09.523-04:00

The first part of this post is not for vegetarians or the faint of heart. I killed my first animal for food last week. By killed, I mean I actually stuck the knife through the lobster's head to kill it before steaming it. I have fished before, but my grandfather kindly took pity on 10-year old me and took care of everything after I pulled the fish in. I have witnessed lobsters being killed. But

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-91982848215490386752010-06-24T02:21:00.002-04:002010-06-24T20:15:01.060-04:00

I know summer has set in when I wake up with even the sheet in a twisted pile at the end of the bed and almost don't want hot coffee because the night's cool air has barely penetrated the kitchen.  It's time for salad salad and more salad.  Even the kids turn away hot pastas for the stuff.  But that means we need lots of variety.  This one calls for a little stovetop cooking, resulting in gently

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-50463272361699678252010-06-09T09:49:00.000-04:002010-06-09T09:49:04.122-04:00

The farmers' market has begun! We got lovely beef kebabs, cherry tomatoes, and asparagus. And, please forgive the repetition, we had just a few more things frozen from last year (shrimp and mango) and - gasp! - 6 more roots that needed to be used up. As we were completely out of root ideas, we put Dave on the job. He's a cocktail master and leftover genius, but we weren't sure how he would do

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-47113496787712617882010-06-08T14:15:00.000-04:002010-06-08T14:15:17.507-04:00

Marx Foods awarded us the best dried mushroom recipe award for our oyster-stuffed morels with grits!

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-84985598758520521312010-06-02T03:21:00.000-04:002010-06-02T03:21:05.816-04:00

....and I'm ripe for a new experiment, so here it is: for the rest of the summer, I'm going to do my food shopping at the Farmer's Markets and Sherman Market.  I started to say all, but I know already there are exceptions.  I'll need coffee and citrus and four and sugar and a wider array of dairy than Sherman carries.  But that's a pretty short list.  I'm totally putting on the table all of the

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-76131759907601092192010-05-26T13:52:00.000-04:002010-05-26T13:52:39.352-04:00

Depending on your definition of local, you can get local corn now. Ours came from Pennsylvania, which is pushing it, but better than the alternative of Florida. As you all should know by now, we are not locavores (though appreciate that school of thought), but instead aim to eat food "as locally grown as possible" so when faced with a truly summer-esque day, one where lobster and corn were all

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-55125733790592667012010-05-19T20:47:00.000-04:002010-05-19T20:47:34.789-04:00

For as far back as I can remember, one of my favorite dishes has been "lamb bandit style," a scrumptious stew that my mom makes from one of her well-worn cookbooks (I'm guessing it's Greek Cooking for the Gods but I could be wrong).  Last week, she tried a new variation of it using ground lamb instead of cubed.    That sounded excellent, but since I have a child who turns up his nose at stews but

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-70700145765354934652010-05-17T11:08:00.000-04:002010-05-17T11:08:08.000-04:00

This is a guest post from Dave, cocktail creator extraodinaire. Here's a cocktail that I made up for a Preakness party. A traditional Black-eyed Susan is a punch; I was going for something a little more sophisticated but keeping with the theme of these lovely yellow-and-black flowers. 2 oz. vodka 1/2 oz. lemon juice 1/2 oz. St. Germain 1 tbsp simple syrup Place ingredients in a cocktail

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-62412594975753132712010-05-12T14:31:00.000-04:002010-05-12T14:31:46.549-04:00

Can you ask for anything more than food that is nourishing, plentiful, and tasty? This comes up a lot with my children. This morning, they were fighting over who got to have the blackberry container closer to their own plate. They are eating sweet, juicy blackberries for breakfast in May, and fighting! Ah. They will learn. It makes our Tuesday Night Cooking Club so much more fun because there is

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-70709273026281671802010-05-06T01:41:00.005-04:002010-05-06T01:51:37.213-04:00

but this is not because of global warming, it's the result of our latest trend: blending the remains of what we froze last summer with this spring's early bloomers.  Put all of that on the grill, and it's a (nearly) all-local midsummer in May.  And, with typical Spring exuberance, we're pushing into distant memory our unfortunate first experience with local CSA meat and opening our arms to more

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-73380945755609532562010-04-28T13:57:00.003-04:002010-04-29T17:48:14.099-04:00

Last night we made a meal that was a smashing success, start to finish, if I do say so myself. Even the kid taste testers approved. It was a lovely mix of using up canned and dried foods as well as harvesting herbs from our gardens, and taking advantage of the amazing grocery stores Greater Boston has to offer.  These dinners are also serving two very important functions: we have great

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-33307963378275337262010-04-25T23:42:00.000-04:002010-04-25T23:42:16.151-04:00

What with seedlings reaching (almost) sky high and herbs in full leaf, fresh from the garden and farmstand food is starting to seem like a real possibility again.  But we haven't quite hit the bottom of the freezer bin and if we don't get there soon, whatever's left will get buried and lost for ever.  This sounds like the makings for some profound reflection on the nature of time or the shared

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-52404859339246513962010-04-21T23:48:00.000-04:002010-04-21T23:48:33.071-04:00

Last Fall, I meant to pick every last leaf of parsley and basil to make large stores of pesto for the winter. I managed one nice batch before the frost withered the basil leaves and the snow buried the parsley. I’m sorry about the lost basil, but pleased as punch about the parsley which perked right back up as soon as the snow melted and has quickly returned to its vigorous early November habits.

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-5069194598864130632010-04-13T14:39:00.000-04:002010-04-13T14:39:33.173-04:00

Well gentle readers, here at Cooking the Seasons we are feeling pretty sorry for ourselves. For technological reasons beyond our understanding, our entry for the Morel Challenge was not received. To ease our troubles, we made the ultimate comfort foods: French fries and ice cream. You can't vote for our mushroom recipe (though you can make it) so instead, let us know what you think about these

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-81984211838534305912010-04-07T08:32:00.000-04:002010-04-07T08:32:24.695-04:00

We were recently asked to join the Marx Foods Annual Morel Recipe Challenge. We were honored to be asked, quickly agreed, and were sent an ounce of lovely dried morels. Our recipe idea came to us pretty quickly, and we are delighted with the results! We practiced last week with fresh morels and tweaked it a bit to bring you the recipe that follows. We hope you enjoy it.  Pork Tenderloin with

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-76387875540972662132010-03-31T22:34:00.001-04:002010-04-23T20:10:08.376-04:00

My garden has turned from a wish list and a stack of magazines to rows of two-inch seedlings on every available counter.  But beyond bunches of chives and small pinches of fresh herbs, the hints of actually finding local and seasonal ingredients in my own back yard lead me smack into the realization of how far off the first harvest actually is. And it's not just me: the CSA and Farmer's Market

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-20608638833230392802010-03-24T13:31:00.000-04:002010-03-24T13:31:40.237-04:00

Spring came in gorgeous and hot, and then turned cold and wet. Add to that three tired kids, one cold-ridden adult and two others back to school after a lovely week off, and it meant one thing: tonight was comfort food. At first glance, it was going to be a struggle to do local, seasonal fare. After perusing the supermarket, all we had come up with were shiitake mushrooms from Pennsylvania that

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-50388692125611398482010-03-17T04:30:00.001-04:002010-04-23T20:11:01.417-04:00

I'm in California on Spring Break this week visiting me parents; sad to miss experimenting with Renee on Tuesday night, but quite happy to be cooked for by my mother!  And this family visit has me thinking of all of the many generations of passing down and reinventing that I'm a part of.  So I'm pulling out a recipe I tried after a recent visit to my grandmother. Last weekend I visited my 86-

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-59995285131055921632010-03-11T00:15:00.001-05:002010-04-23T20:12:21.383-04:00

The up-side of our Tuesday night cooking experiments this week were the sides: a scalloped potato dish that had sophisticated hints of white wine and goat cheese with all of the kid-friendly creamy goodness of classic potato-dairy blends, and a stir-fried broccoli with a sauce whose slight spicy-saltiness perfectly complemented the crisp green-ness of the vegetable.  Oh, and the dessert was

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-78129940273071230932010-03-04T00:49:00.002-05:002010-03-04T09:27:59.101-05:00

On most of the food we froze over the summer, we have passed the 6-month mark that is usually given for freezer-freshness.  Luckily an early March week like this, when Spring taunts us with snowbells then covers them in an icy glaze, is perfect for sweeping the bottom of the chest for any remainders of our Summer and Fall gardens and markets.  Renee and I have turned up green beans, fruit and

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-81539138776267288812010-03-01T20:22:00.000-05:002010-03-01T20:22:57.803-05:00

This recipe is from our Scallop Night, a few weeks ago. You almost didn't need the scallops, the broth was so delicious. Probably chunks of tofu would be good in it, too. Thai-Inspired Scallop Soupserves four as an entrée or 6 as an appetizer 2 teas. vegetable oil3 cloves garlic, sliced3 scallions, sliced thin, whites and greens separated6 inch square of cheese cloth and string to tie it, or just

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-48951220673311199272010-02-24T20:06:00.003-05:002010-02-24T23:52:49.599-05:00

Tuesdays are now our official Make Up a Recipe and Try It Out on Unsuspecting Family nights. It's fun and confidence-inspiring and often tasty. We've come up with instant winners, as well as some recipes that required tweaking before releasing into the wild. So far, no absolute losers, but stay tuned! Below is last night's meal. The Swordfish was an appetizer. Except for the larger cake,

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-73389358660572257952010-02-22T13:29:00.000-05:002010-02-22T13:29:18.569-05:00

The problem is, strawberries aren't in season yet. The solution? Pretend they are and enjoy! Chocolate Covered Treats 1 quart strawberries1 cup mini marshmallows OR 1 cup large marshmallows and 4 skewers or more toothpicks3 1/2-inch slices pound cake1 package bittersweet chocolate chips Wash berries, keeping green ends on. Lay out to dry. In a double boiler, melt chocolate chips, stirring

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-39938208471812862622010-02-17T21:20:00.000-05:002010-02-17T21:20:56.709-05:00

When Renee and I set out to shop for yesterday's experiment, it was snowing and I was tired.  It was late morning, but already I was dreaming of curling around a bowl of thick hot comforting chowder and then climbing right into bed.  I've never made chowder, of any kind.  Renee had a good idea of what we'd need, but as I started to press her about what exactly makes chowder chowder, she wasn't

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-66230782041365278182010-02-15T09:26:00.000-05:002010-02-15T09:26:39.898-05:00

If it hasn't become abundantly clear over the past year and a half of posts, I'll admit here and now that I am a hardcore carnivore. Technically, I'm a hardcore omnivore, but (in a sheepish voice) I love meat to the point of feeling as though a meal is incomplete without it. My husband enjoys it but frequently, gently, expresses a desire for vegetarian meals to break up what he sees as the

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3133812866127730188.post-25575128523339139242010-02-11T21:37:00.002-05:002010-02-11T21:39:48.818-05:00

I think I've said before that one of the keys to having my son eat vegetables is ensuring that they are crunchy. The other day, after I had overcooked his broccoli, Lucca asked me to tell a story about a time when I was a little girl and my mom made a cooking mistake. So I told him a classic Valens family story, and remembered onr of Amy's standbys that I had quite forgotten (trauma does effect

Cooking the Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14398917793292896128noreply@blogger.com1