California Fig, Feta and Watermelon Salad Today, August 3, is Watermelon Day. Good timing. There’s nothing more refreshing on a scorching August day than biting into a wedge of watermelon and letting those juices dribble down your chin. No wonder watermelon is so satisfying – it contains 92% water. But it offers more than hydration. […]
Baking with Summer Berries
July 28, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Berry Buckle with Cinnamon Figs Summer in the Pacific Northwest brings a bounty of berries, including blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, marionberries, loganberries, boysenberries and strawberries. Summer also brings visitors to enjoy our (mostly) glorious summer weather, trails and lakes. I like to serve guests visiting my home the best of local in-season foods. This Buckle recipe, […]
Addicted to Salad
May 27, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Emerald Salad I’m addicted to salad and I’m in good company – so is the much lauded author of the encyclopedic tome The Food Lab, Better Home Cooking Through Science, J. Kenji Lópes-Alt. (The book recently won a James Beard Award.) Here’s how he launches the salad chapter “I have something to admit: I’m ADDICTED […]
Love Lamb…or Not? The Answer is In the Fat
March 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Boneless Leg of Lamb with Fig-Olive Vinaigrette Lamb is traditional at Easter meals, with symbolism linked to both Christian and pagan celebrations (Reference 1), but not everyone is a fan. On a recent Splendid Table Podcast (Reference 2) Lynn Rosetto Kasper stated that Americans consume 11 pounds of lamb compared to 65 pounds of beef […]
Savor the Flavor
March 14, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Za’atar & Sumac Spiced Salmon with Pomegranate Molasses Glaze March is National Nutrition Month and this year’s theme, “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right,” matches my passion – marrying good taste and good health. One “flavor family” that’s captivated the palates of food enthusiasts in recent years hails from the Middle East and North Africa. […]
Curry For Comfort
February 3, 2016 by 1 Comment
Curry-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Figs & Vegetables Winter is in full swing and I embrace it by turning on the oven for a simple sheet-pan supper. I crave curry in cold weather and the fragrance of roasting richly-spiced vegetables warms the body and soul. So easy: curry and spice-rubbed pork tenderloin, winter squash and cauliflower florets […]
Chocolate Mousse for Just About Everyone
December 18, 2015 by 1 Comment
Chocolate Mousse Stress and eating often go hand-in-hand – and there are a lot of both during in the holiday season. What do people eat when stressed? Chocolate tops the list for many people. It’s a popular celebration food, too, starring in cookies, desserts and gifts. There’s science behind the soothing effects. Cocoa contains dopamine, […]
Break Bread this Thanksgiving with Rustic Grain, Fig and Walnut Rolls
November 24, 2015 by Leave a Comment
The classic must-have Thanksgiving dishes of today vaguely resemble what historians say was served at the “First Thanksgiving,” shared by the Pilgrims and Wampanoag people at Plymouth Colony in 1621, according to an article “What Was on The Menu at the First Thanksgiving” (Reference 1). Wild turkeys were available but they were more likely […]
A Golden Twist on Hummus for Fall
October 30, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Pumpkin Hummus with Fig Olive Gremolata Hummus is hot. Sales reached 695.5 million in 2014, a number that has doubled since 2009 (Reference 1,2). It’s become a staple in many homes, including mine. Not only is hummus scooped onto pita bread and chips, it is replacing butter and mayonnaise in wraps, sandwiches and more. Arabic for “chickpeas” […]
October is National Pizza Month
October 5, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Caramelized Onion and Fennel Pizza with Sausage I love pizza and I’m not alone – 94% of Americans eat pizza on a regular basis according to pizza.com (Reference 1) which also posts: •The average American eats 46 slices per year •Kids between the ages of 3 and 11 prefer pizza over all other foods for […]
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