My children have an arrangement with an area farmer. After the weekly farmers market, he supplies them with surplus produce, which they sell at a roadside stand in front of our house. They split the proceeds 50/50, with the farmer getting half, and the boys dividing the other. What’s in it for me, you ask?…
Not Quite Caprese
This time of year, it can be a challenge to name a single item of produce that isn’t ripe. The earth has tilted squarely toward peak veg, the gazpacho days of summer when anyone can be a vegetarian with barely an effort. Even the most dedicated carnivore might find themselves satisfied, at the end of…
Like Peas and Carrots
Peas have a warm and fuzzy vibe. The very name sounds like peace, and the cliche, “like peas in a pod,” denotes compatibility. Along the same lines, the phrase “like peas and carrots” refers to things that go together harmoniously. Snap peas, being so sweet and fun to pick, are a hit with kids. Shelling…
The Broth of Summer: Korean Cold Noodles for Hot Days
Naengmyeon (n-yang-me-on) translates to “cold noodles” in Korean. This simple name renders incomplete justice to this kaleidoscopic dish. The noodles are indeed cold, thanks to pieces of ice floating amongst them in the pre-chilled daikon radish broth. Atop the noodles are a colorful combination of proteins and plant parts, including meat, egg, blanched vegetables, pickled…
Caprese Frittata, a la Cafe Lena
\When I lived in Portland, Oregon in the late 1990s, there was a breakfast spot on Hawthorne Boulevard called Cafe Lena, where I used to go for a dish called “BBG Scrambled Eggs.” BBG stands for Basil, Brie, and Garlic. In today’s world of hybrid recipes and fusion cuisine, most menu readers are too jaded…
The Best Thing to Do With Fresh Herbs, Hot Peppers: Make This Put-It-on-Anything Condiment
Some of the best chefs I know are vegetable farmers, preparing their own produce in their home kitchens during the heat of summer. With a hungry crew grumbling in the fields, time is of the essence, but the rush won’t diminish the farm cook’s determination to serve fresh, high-quality produce at its absolute best. Cooking…
Searching for the Secrets of Caldo Verde
I recently visited Fall River, Massachusetts, a sleepy fishing town on the Rhode Island border whose long-established Portuguese community has made it the capital of Portuguese seafood in North America. There, amidst the wine-sauced littleneck clams, grilled cod, scallops moçambique, and Portuguese paella, I found a bowl of kale potato soup that almost stole the…
The ‘Perfect’ Summer Parfait Starts With Home-Gathered Berries
When visiting family in the Boston area, I’ll do some eating, to put it mildly. The way a hungry coyote finds time for a wounded rabbit, I’ll make time for the farmers markets to see what’s in season, and for the old world markets for dolmas, hummus, and Aleppo peppers. I’ll carve out a block…
Don’t Fear the Fennel: How to Cut and Enjoy These Beautiful Bulbs
Every year, growers bring their frizzy-headed fennel bulbs to the farmers market. And then they’ve got some explaining to do. The customers wish to buy this attractive vegetable but have no idea what to do with it. Maybe they’ve brought one home before, only to be stumped, and are now twice shy. So they ask,…
The Best of Both Pastas
The name translates to “spring pasta” from Italian, so forgive me for assuming that pasta primavera was a classic springtime Italian dish. But while primavera sounds classy, it turns out the dish was invented in Nova Scotia during the summer of 1975. The bottom line is that we can prepare cheesy noodles with vegetables any…
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