Last winter I visited Stone Barns Farm outside of NYC, where sustainable farming meets world-class cooking. Chefs and farmers work hand-in-hand to grow and to prepare the most delectable food, with a menu dictated by what’s in season.
It was February, and they had just harvested their parsnips. On the menu were several soups and dishes using this nutty-flavored root vegetable. But the item that caught my attention was Parsnip Cake. I had to have it, and I was not disappointed.
It’s spring and that means rhubarb and strawberries, a classic combination. Turn these fruits into fermented strawberry rhubarb soda and you have a real treat!
I love refreshing fermented sodas like root beer and ginger ale. But since I’ve learned to ferment with wild yeast, I may not go back to my former ways of fermenting soda and other beverages like lemonade. Wild fermentation is so much easier than keeping a ginger bug active, and a plus for those who can’t use whey which is a dairy product.Continue Reading
There’s something special about seasonal eating, don’t you think? It seems to me that is was more common when I was a child. Apples were only available in the fall. Oranges and tangerines in the winter. These days you can find most anything all year round.Continue Reading
I love supporting local families who produce maple syrup, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy tapping the two black maple trees in our yard. We’re lucky if we get a gallon of syrup, but it’s our syrup. We’re the type of people who get joy from sitting down to a meal where there’s something on our plate that we produced ourselves from our quarter acre lot. Continue Reading
I have to admit, I’m a sucker for a beautiful book. And The Homesteader’s Herbal Companion does not disappoint. While beauty will certainly get me to pick up a book, the contents must be just as attractive and interesting. Author Amy K. Fewell has done a great job of delivering the whole package.
Have you tried 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies? They are all the rage, especially for those who are avoiding grains. But the typical recipe has a lot of sugar. And I prefer not to use peanut butter (I’ll explain later). I’ve come up with a great solution that uses coconut sugar or maple syrup, and almond butter to make delicious 3 ingredient almond butter cookies. Continue Reading