Food + Drink
Dirt to Table Experiences: Old-Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup
A walk through my winter garden beds reveal damaged leaves from late evenings of below freezing temperatures, soggy root systems caused by the deluge of rain that quickly followed. A bed of stunning bok choy was given up as a sacrifice to save my large head cabbages from pesky garden pests. Mother Nature was not
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Dirt to Table Experiences
The Art of Salad: Fennel Slaw with Grapefruit, Cracked Pepper, and Pistachios
There are a million creative and innovative ways to prepare fennel. It can be grilled, roasted, braised, sautéed, added to soups and stews, and still my favorite way is to use fennel in salads. The crisp crunch of raw fennel with a very subtle anise flavor is beautiful and provides a worthy foundation for an
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Dirt to Table Experiences
Learning to Preserve: Easy Spicy Habanero Mint Jelly
The summer garden has come to an end. The abundance of hot peppers is winding down too. The peppers will continue to produce (albeit at a slower rate) until the first frost in December. However, I am finished for the season trying to preserve peppers, and this jelly was a nice end to a
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Ramblings and Rants
Part I: The Inspiration of an Unintended Beekeeper
Life surprises me in ways that are not earth shattering or life changing but are in response to unique extraordinary events that are outside of my ordinary experiences. These moments often provide me with clarity in this journey we call life. The inspiration from our son the beekeeper was one of those experiences. If you
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Food + Drink
Learning to Preserve: Freezing Fresh Tomatoes
Tomatoes are the hit of my summer harvest. Finding ways to preserve them has been my challenge. With a little help from my friend and garden buddy Maureen I learned that freezing tomatoes is a fast and easy way to preserve fresh tomatoes. 1. Select fresh garden or farmers market tomatoes that are ripe and
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Dirt to Table Experiences
Dirt to Table Experience: Fried Green Tomatoes with a Buttermilk Dipping Sauce
The first time that I had ever heard the words “Fried Green Tomatoes” was the title of the 1991 movie that I absolutely loved. This was the beginning of my point of reference. My mind opens and begins to expand around this often viewed southern dish (which is served up in northern states too). Fast