AWE = Art, Wellbeing and Edibles.
Ah, late June—the season of the Willow Weavers! This year’s Willow Gathering focused on traditional basket work and hosted instructors Joe Hogan from Ireland, Katherine Lewis from Washington, Karen Tembreull from Michigan and Joanna Schanz from Iowa. They led their participants through in-depth projects that …
Sankt Hans Aften St. John’s Eve, Midsummer, Summer Solstice (“sun stands still”)….whatever the name, it’s a good celebration: good food, friends, and a bonfire on a short summer’s night. My friend Dennis Larson is an avid celebrator of this Danish version of a …
Avocados are nearly a perfect food. They’re creamy, tasty, filled with nutrients and healthy fats, rich in omega-3’s, and they go with so many different kinds of dishes both sweet and savory. Lately we’ve been eating them with a spoon out of the …
It’s true, there was a similar post last year about lemongrass pork patties, but when something tastes this good it’s okay to do variations on a theme. I made these buddies small for a tapas-style potluck, but you could make them larger for …
Nothing like trying out new recipes on a few hundred people… There was a request for plantains at a large graduation party a couple of weeks ago. I’ve made simple chips before by slicing the starchy fruit and either frying or baking the …
My little Sweet Bean. A few weeks ago a friend asked if I would concoct a hummus out of local ingredients for a celebration at the Farmer’s Market. They wanted to serve hummus in lettuce leaves which is a traditional Iranian dish of spring, …
These are the foods I had so this is what happened for dinner. You can’t go wrong with asparagus and bacon together so really this is more of a reminder to you than it is a formal recipe. It probably falls into the Vague …
Spices that launched a thousand ships. Aren’t they beautiful? Five Spice Powder is used extensively in Chinese and southeast Asian cooking, often as a rub with meats like duck or in sauces and stews, and as many foods do it has now spread …
Remember this little guy from two years ago? We did figure out he was a guy by the dots on the wings, check out better pictures here to see the visual differences of male and females. Spring is a great time to plant milkweed to …
From a run in the woods today: it’s good to be alive. Since catering became a major part of my life spring has meant the beginning of the crazy season, the listmaking-emailing-ordering-prepping-ducks-in-a-row pseudo-calm before the storm, the beginning of nearly non-stop intensity. …
photo by Roy Hampton It has been so fun going through my father’s photos of our times in Mexico. Good memories of a slower life, and my oh my we all looked so young. This is a print of two nopales (prickly pear cactus) growing …
photo by Roy Hampton Blacker than the inside of a box buried in a cave one mile below ground, caramelized coffee (sometimes referred to as the brand name Café Combate) is the northern Mexico style of roasting green coffee beans with azucar, or sugar. The …
Red Lentils—one of the most colorful legumes around. They’re nutritious, delicious and they cook fast if you need some quick protein in a meal. Check out World’s Healthiest Foods for an afternoon read on these adorable orange delights. They’re best if rinsed numerous times …
Spring means freak snowstorms and a gathering of my sisters…and last week we had both. Once everyone made it through the weather and to our destination safely we had a lovely weekend of eating, laughing, sharing, sight seeing, and then of course eating …
I’m a little under the weather today so have been enjoying numerous cups of this delicious and potent elixir. When we think of turmeric we probably think of curry and the golden-orange brilliance it brings to many dishes. This remarkable root has a bitter side …
An Irish potato pancake just in time for St. Patrick’s day. These are hearty buddies for any kind of meal and a great way to use your leftover mashed potatoes. The basic idea is to mix mashed potatoes with grated raw potatoes and an egg, but …
A crust should be both a snack by itself as well as a vehicle to transport delicious toppings to your salivating mouth. I’ve known of recipes using cauliflower for various crusts but had never tried it until recently. This recipe has no grain but …
I love dips. I love spreadable flavor that I can eat on a cracker. Maybe it’s the social aspect of which it hints—Spreadable and Dip-able concoctions often mean time with friends and wine…and that just sounds like fun. We first tried a version …
. Ah, the end-of-February Birkie-Season post. The American Birkebeiner is the largest cross country ski race in North America and is a combination of fun, fitness, friends, fretting, fueling, waxing, fretting again, throw in some stress and insanity for entertainment, and if all goes well…skiing …
