In recent months, I’ve been reading and talking with people about the advantages of becoming a locavore*, a person who eats food grown, farmed, or produced locally. I’m giving it a try here in Whatcom County, Washington.

I’d been looking forward to the annual BelleWood Acres Ciderfest for weeks. When I came in the door I was enveloped in the sweet, fruity smell of fresh apples and the lively sounds of the fiddle and guitar combo of the Gallus Brothers.

In this Sweet Potato Salad, I’ve used a favorite German potato salad recipe and adapted it to use sweet potatoes instead.

Unexpected food finds are one of the things that make shopping at any local farmers market fun and interesting. Most recently I was excited to find locally grown organic sweet potatoes from Broad Leaf Farm (Everson).

In honor of the 2013 Wild Mushroom Show, here is a recipe for succulent short ribs braised in a bone broth flavored with vegetable mirepoix, shiitake mushrooms, and fresh rosemary.

Every year in October the Northwest Mushroomers Association (NMA) hosts a Wild Mushroom Show at Bloedel Donovan Park in Bellingham. It is a unique event, and a remarkable demonstration of the diversity of nature. It’s also really fun!

Borscht recipe is reprinted by permission from The Northwest Vegetarian Cookbook by Debra Daniels Zeller. It’s been adapted for local Whatcom ingredients.

One of my favorite cookbooks to browse is The Northwest Vegetarian Cookbook: 200 Recipes that Celebrate the Flavors of Oregon and Washington by Debra Daniels-Zeller.

One fall day at the Bellingham Farmers Market, Nooksack 9 was offering Butterscotch melons, a deeply flavored variety of cantaloupe. Cantaloupe is something I’ve missed since moving to western Washington state years ago.

A fall chill was in the air, and by “chill” I mean it was windy and cold. I hadn’t been into town to visit the Bellingham Farmers Market for several weeks, so I was looking forward to seeing the produce vendors and what they were offering.

Don’t let the work of seed cleaning stop you from fixing this healthy autumn snack. The rich flavor and concentrated nutrition make Roasted Squash Seeds worth the effort.

If you want a real winter squash adventure, as well as a creative challenge, start with a large squash and try to figure out how to get to the delicious, creamy flesh inside.

This recipe uses a vinegar reduction for a tart contrast to the sweet Bosc pears, some hazelnuts to add a roasted crunch, and some basil as an earthy note to warm up the pear’s brightness.