How are you all doing during this extraordinary time? Hoping you are all well. Not much has changed for me – the farmer’s markets were already my social life and although they won’t let me handle the produce not much has changed. I’ve been filming a lot of videos for the cookbook, frantically using the…
Plum Crumble with Pistachios and Cardamom
This most definitely requires vanilla ice cream. The combination is glorious. I hope this looks as wonderful as it tastes. Plums are naturally high in pectin so I only used 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. This thickened almost to a jam. Plum Crumble with Pistachios and Cardamom Print Prep time 15 mins Cook time 50…
Strawberry Rhubarb Rose Petal Jam
Strawberry Rhubarb Rose Petal Jam Print Prep time 10 mins Cook time 50 mins Total time 1 hour Recipe By: Sheila McDuffie Serves: 8 half-pints Ingredients 4 cups fresh rose petals (homegrown organic, please!) 1 cup well or bottled water 4 cups rhubarb chunks about ½-inch square 4 cups sliced strawberries, about 2…
Pear and Butternut Squash Chutney
This chutney, with the cinnamon and cardamom, has the taste of India. Here I’ve served it with a cheese and cracker assortment but it would go very well with samosas, pakoras, dosas, dal, or rice. The cheese, starting at the top center and continuing clockwise are a local cheese called Hereford, which is like a…
Baked Peaches with Pistachios and Rose Blossom Water
Another oldie, one of the most popular recipes from my Lebanese cooking class. This couldn’t be any simpler, just be sure to use the ripest peaches you can get your hands on. I actually used this as a topping on a Victoria sponge for Kendra’s wedding cake, we just sliced the peaches and made a…
Peach Galette
An oldie but goodie. This is from my very first blog. Learning how to focus a camera (it took tethering to solve that) and color balance. It’s now past peach season. Use the apples that are in abundance now. A galette is so much easier than shaping a pie. I’m a sucker for a rustic…
Baked Pears with Crystallized Ginger, Cinnamon, and Star Anise
It’s been awhile since the pear tree in front of our house was in bloom. Many pears and apples are every-other-year producers. There’s probably a botanical name for this, but I’m too busy picking fallen pears off the ground so the deer won’t get hit by cars each twilight, that I really don’t have time…
Melon Salad with Lime and Aleppo Red Pepper
Wow. This was a surprise. Lewis and I were taste testing these melons after I made the photograph below. Very, very sweet, especially the bright orange Ambrosia melon. I’ve only made fruit salad a few times, back when I realized the kids would eat more fruit if it was cut into snacking-size pieces. I’m more…
Rhubarb
Spring rhubarb, the first “fruit” of the year from the garden. They might seem on the fibrous side when you’re cutting the stalks, but when rhubarb is cooked it melts into a soft custard that fully expresses itself when paired with sugar. Synonymous with strawberries, but don’t forget the other berries, especially raspberries. Ginger (fresh,…
Tangerine, Frisee, and Microgreen Salad with Rosemary Croutons, Olives, and Almonds
Had some croutons, a tangerine, and some red beet micro-greens. There’s some frisee below and slivered almonds sprinkled on top. The touch of rosemary with an orange vinaigrette rounded out the flavors, reigning in some of the citrus bite. Citrus can really brighten a winter cloudy afternoon. Especially when you had your heart set on…