A simple cake I made to utilize the ginger sugar syrup leftover from the crystallized ginger post. Last month the pears were dropping in dozens daily from the tree in the front yard. The rush was on. Between the dozen or so deer that come through here nightly and me, the challenge was on to…
Archives for November 2014
Paperwhites
Love these beauties. Paperwhites may be planted in either soil or stones. Place the bulbs about 1″ apart and cover two-thirds of the bulb with stones or completely with soil. Water and place them in a light, cool place until the foliage stands 3″ to 4″ high. Then, place them in a sunny location at…
Shishito Pepper Scrambled Eggs and Cheese
Yes, I must have been living under a rock, for I had never heard of shishito peppers until this past September! These little green or red peppers are the darling of the culinary world this year. So where was I? Stephanie, my farmer friend and shishito supplier, eats them every night. That’s love. So I…
Red Lentil and Tomato Soup with Ras el Hanout, Harissa, and Preserved Lemons
All at once my neighbor Mark showed up with 30,000+ lbs. of gravel for the driveway and outdoor kitchen area, the sun came out, and I was craving some red lentil soup. This Moroccan inspired soup comes together in just over 30 minutes. Remember the recipes I posted for Preserved Lemons, Harissa, and Ras el…
Tabouli with Figs, Almonds, Orange, Parsley, and Ginger
Tabouli with Figs, Almonds, Orange, Parsley, and Ginger Print Prep time 15 mins Cook time 5 mins Total time 20 mins Recipe By: Sheila McDuffie Cuisine: Lebanese Serves: 4 to 6 Ingredients 1½ cups tabouli (cracked bulgar) 1½ cups boiling hot water 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 6 figs, cut in 8…
Seed Saving
Seed saving is either a simple activity or an elaborate fight against nature. It all comes down to cross-pollination and whether it will affect the plants progeny in an adverse way. First we must discard any consideration of propagating hybrid plants. They are manipulated by the grower who uses two different parents to produce a…
Preserved Autumn Leaves and Bittersweet
It was cloudy this morning, so while I was waiting for the sun to come out for some food photography, I went and foraged a few things from my woods. I had some glycerin from my soap making days, so it was time to preserve some autumn leaves a la Martha. Most of the leaves…
Composed Salad
This photo is over the top! First I think Mardi Gras, then I’m looking for the vegetable man a la Giuseppe Arcimbold. Still, I wanted to share this because parts of this salad were purchased at Green Thumb Farmstand in Southampton, NY. Yes, I actually got out of Upper Black Eddy and had a whirlwind…
Fig, Pear, Arugula, and Goat Cheese Salad
Found fresh organic figs! Actually gasped when first setting eyes upon them – yes, love at first sight. A rare sight, at that. Arugula is an assertive, classic partner with figs. How about some pecan and breadcrumb-encrusted warm goat cheese with a dried date and aged balsamic vinegar chutney? I have some 25 year old…
Earthly Delights
Back in June 2012 I attended Earthly Delights in Pottersville, NJ. Wow, what a place. This private home is opened up every other year for a tour of the gardens, lectures by the horticultural intelligentsia, and upscale vendors selling gorgeous plants and antiques. Jerry Fritz, of Linden Hill Gardens, told me about this and I’d…