For several years now, I’ve been reading and talking with people about the advantages of becoming a locavore*, a person who eats only food grown, farmed, or produced locally. (* Note: The word “locavore” was coined by a group in San Francisco for the World Environment Day in 2005.)
I’ve learned a lot. I could go on at length about why eating locally is more sustainable, uses something like 94% (!) less petroleum than food that’s been transported the average distance of 1500 miles, and why it’s good for the earth and all living things in many other ways, but instead I’ll refer you to three books that got me interested in the first place. Continue Reading
Here’s a beef sausage recipe I created as a substitute for chorizo in a recipe for
Local hazelnuts, known to some as filberts, are a wonderful counterpoint to a lot of fruit and vegetable flavors. They also can add a crunchy texture to soft foods, and ground hazelnuts make a nice finishing touch as a topping for meat sauces, desserts, and casseroles.
I recently
Caramelized onions add a sweetness to savory dishes that is hard to beat. If you want to make people hungry, start sauteing some onions. Works every time!
My daughter Joan created this delectable recipe, inspired by ingredients harvested from our home garden. Our garden is small, but we grow an amazing amount of food in it.
By August, local food sources are overflowing with bounty. Early berries are pretty much gone, but nearly every kind of vegetable is being harvested, and the promise of fall apples and pears are on the horizon.
Eating to improve your mood isn’t always a bad thing! Healthy local foods can actually 
Blackberries inspire ambivalence in most of us who live around them. Their aggressive, spiky, spreading growth requires fortitude and determination to prevent their unwanted invasions into parts of the yard intended for human use. 
Purslane is a common weed in many parts of the world. But it’s also a green with a gourmet flavor. You’ll sometimes spot this delicious plant for sale at your Farmers Market. It’s a special treat of summer! 
Simplicity itself in terms of preparation, this colorful slaw salad has spectacular flavors. It makes a unique summer picnic or potluck dish. The overall effect on the palate is light and refreshing. It’s a wonderful way to try a couple of ingredients you may not have used before–
Never poached an egg before? Have you tried, but had trouble keeping the egg from turning into a lacy mess?
Warm biscuits fresh out of the oven and dripping with melting butter–what a luxurious way to start a Sunday brunch!
