Atole and Pinole

Atole and Pinole

  Sunrise at the Sand Point Cabin.      .   Warmth on a sled. .   Corn.  Soaked in the mineral lime.  Dried.  Ground.  Mixed with a sweetener and cinnamon. . Atole is generally made from toasted masa (corn hominy flour soaked in lime) 

Paprika

Paprika

  A giant snow egg on the Hemlock Trail at ABR.     Snow angels outside of the sauna.     And the awesome wood stove responsible for the snow angels… .  . It’s been a hearty season here in the Upper Peninsula.  Lots of 

Cumin Ginger Tea

Cumin Ginger Tea

  Half pack—not looking so bad.   To make things more interesting, in the wee hours of the morning the day before we left I came down with a stomach/intestinal bug. This made for a very slow day of packing that was not planned to 

German Onion Pie

German Onion Pie

  This may sound a little like ‘stone soup’ or just a way to use up loads of onions in a pie but it really is scrumptious, summer or winter.   These tangy squares will be our travel food—snacking in the car or popping it 

Creamy Mexican Potato Soup

Creamy Mexican Potato Soup

  Hot soup in the cold days of January—it’s never a bad idea.       We are knee deep in the process of prepping and amassing supplies for the annual trek north.  Pulling skis out of hibernation for waxing, dragging out sleeping bags and 

Favorites New Year’s Day 2014

Favorites New Year’s Day 2014

  Recently a friend lent to me the cookbook Fäviken by Magnus Nilsson from Phaidon press.  I thought it was a sweet gesture to pass along this book but I didn’t understand why she thought of me until I began reading it.  Holy mama, it’s 

Hoppin’ John

Hoppin’ John

    Eat Good Luck for your New Year!   There was an idyllic snow on Christmas eve, and after walking home from a Norwegian Jule dinner on quiet streets in the falling flakes, we awoke to more snow and a perfect day for a 

Smoked Sweet Potato Puree

Smoked Sweet Potato Puree

  Nearly everyone who eats this deep orange treat asks for the recipe, it is yet another dish that will convince even the anti-yam-ites to change sides and join my Orange-Love Camp.  The original recipe was from Scott’s family and has seen adaptations along the 

Bacon & Liver Pâté

Bacon & Liver Pâté

  Two liver posts in one year?!?  I must really have a need to push your boundaries, and this time there is no conclusion to the cliff-hanger story.  Just think of it as another tasty grey spread….creamy and rich and great on a cracker. Step 

Polenta Pancetta Dressing

Polenta Pancetta Dressing

  This is another recipe that appears the November/December edition of The IOWAN magazine.  They asked for “Iowa-Sourced” holiday recipes so polenta seemed like a good direction to take the classic dish since organic polenta is grown and produced near Cresco.  It resembles cornbread stuffing—flavorful and 

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary

    Apparently my celebration for the two year anniversary of this website was to take a week off.  Many things going on and very few of them have to do with food.  But that’s okay.   I started this little project because people often 

Favorites October 2013

Favorites October 2013

    Still some color left and I’m soaking it in.  We spent an entire day last week hiking in the woods, the leaves were still bright yellow and the sun shone through as we wandered in the golden dome effect.  Funny how I so 

Basil Salt

Basil Salt

  It’s a drizzly overcast day with a chilly night coming on, and time for all of the basil to be dug out of the garden and processed.  I’ll be up to my elbows in pesto of course, but I’ve been wanting to try herb 

Parsley Shallot Butter

Parsley Shallot Butter

  I was searching at the Farmers Market for shallots and unable to find any so I finally asked one of my favorite vendors.  He pointed to containers on the table filled with what appeared to be red onions. Shallots!  Shallots the size of baseballs! 

Balsamic Maple Walnuts

Balsamic Maple Walnuts

  It’s time for a little image-tribute to the last days of summer and the radiant color of its bounty.  These are two photos from my friend David Cavagnaro of Pepperfield Project.  I never tire of looking at his pictures.  He photographs using only natural light, 

Homestyle Tomato Soup

Homestyle Tomato Soup

  A pile of ripe tomatoes and a drizzly day remind me of another soup we used to make in the deli.  This creamy tomato soup is simple and homey, and if it doesn’t bring up good childhood memories hopefully it will create warm fuzzy 

Sumac Basil Tea

Sumac Basil Tea

    Tis the season of these fuzzy tart rubies. The cicadas are buzzing, the days are steamy, but the nearly-sharp chill of the early morning gives away that secret I’ve been aching to hear…that fall is knocking at the door.   Sumac is often 

Favorites August 2013

Favorites August 2013

  In this late-summer heat the largest organ of my body has been working hard—my skin.  Opening up those pores and flushing out toxins, there has been no shortage of the that salty substance flowing forth.  I am not one of those who adore summer 

Scott’s Waldorf Slaw

Scott’s Waldorf Slaw

. Cabbage.  Magnificent.   This is an easy-to-make Waldorf-Coleslaw hybrid that Scott created and I love it.  The cabbage is already at Farmers Market and the early apples are coming in so it seemed like a perfect time to share this salad with you.   

Green Coriander Seed Paste

Green Coriander Seed Paste

  If you’re growing cilantro in your garden it probably looks like this right now: a mass of beautiful little flowers and bulbous green seeds.  Usually I don’t have time to deal with them and just wait until they dry in the garden then harvest