Category: Winter

3 Ways to Love Cauliflower

A classic winter staple, cauliflower is a hardy, healthy, low-calorie vegetable of the cabbage family (Brassica oleracea). With its mild taste and versatility—easily steamed, boiled, roasted, or fried—it can be transformed into all sorts of dishes. It’s also a huge help for those following a gluten-free or paleo diet, and today, it has become increasingly…


Taming the Chicory

Winter is chicory season. Chicories are the often-labeled bitter greens, which include radicchio, endive, puntarelle, and escarole. Bunches and heads of chicory are prolific throughout the season, difficult to miss with their with dramatic frilly, spiky, and cone-headed leaves. And while their bitterness can be off-putting to some, at winter’s peak, chicories are crisp, juicy,…


To Beat the Winter Blues, Think Like a Norwegian

You might find inspiration for handling the dark months ahead from Norwegians, according to Kari Leibowitz. Leibowitz, a doctoral candidate in social psychology at Stanford University, has studied how Norwegians cope with winter and “polar nights,” the period beginning on Nov. 21, when the sun sets in Norway and doesn’t rise again for another two…


The Coldest Time of Year Is Here, and Spring Isn’t Far Away

A solar term is a period of about two weeks and is based on the sun’s position in the zodiac. Solar terms form the traditional Chinese calendar system. The calendar follows the ancient Chinese belief that living in accordance with nature will enable one to live a harmonious life. This article series explores each of…


Finding the Flavor of Childhood in a Winter Salad

The village is covered in a blanket of snow so thick you can build labyrinths from door to door, on bridleways and pathways, raising snow forts or small igloos on the way—little retreats in a rural wonderland. Inside, a fire crackles in a rustic terracotta stove, drawing pictures in the embers. These are some of…


New Year, Same Chili: A Comforting Family Tradition

Growing up, it was never an option for my siblings and me to miss New Year’s at home—nor did we want to. My parents, who have a house on a ski resort, loved to invite friends up to spend the holiday with us. We’d spend the afternoon on the slopes, soaking up the fresh air…


How to Make Eggnog From Scratch

Eggnog season is upon us! To be honest, in some parts of the Midwest I am not sure there actually is a season. While part of the dairy section fills up with various brands from Thanksgiving through New Year’s, I am fairly certain there are at least a couple around as early as October and…


Cozy, Comforting Meatballs That Capture the Spirit of Hygge

It’s winter, nearly the new year, and uncertain times. With that convergence, we could all do with some hygge right now. You might have heard about hygge, a Danish word that’s made a splash beyond its Nordic borders. It’s an appealing term, albeit linguistically challenging (pronounced WHO-gheh). The meaning, however, is hardly challenging. Hygge is…