Category Archives: Uncategorized
Rutabagas
A rutabaga is a root vegetable something like a large turnip but sweeter and tastier. It is one of my favorite vegetables but, like parsnips, it doesn’t show up often at farmer’s markets or in the CSA basket. So this … Continue reading
Making Pesto
Making pesto is something that never caught my attention until this summer. It started when I noticed that a lot of lambs-quarters had planted itself in my garden and I started thinking about things one can do with an abundance … Continue reading
Wood Sorrel
Wood sorrel is a low-growing plant with heart-shaped leaves and small yellow flowers with five petals. It is sometimes mistaken for clover because its leaves look a bit like clover leaves. Wood sorrel may also be confused with a garden … Continue reading
Refrigerator Pickles
I was thinking the other day about the delicious refrigerator pickles I made last summer when cucumbers were abundant, and feeling sad that I would have to wait many more months before tasting them again. Then I realized – why … Continue reading
Carrot Greens
When you come home from the Farmer’s Market, the CSA, or your own garden with a bunch of fresh carrots, don’t discard the carrot greens. They are delicious and nutritious and can be used in a variety of dishes. Here … Continue reading
Bee Balm Bread
Bee balm is an unusually pretty garden flower, attractive to bees and hummingbirds, as well as to gardeners. It has a delightful fragrance reminiscent of oregano and mint. I dry some bee balm every summer to make a fragrant tea … Continue reading
Local Cake #2
When I woke up this morning, the outside temperature was several degrees below zero. So I decided to stay in and bake a cake. I chose this recipe for “harvest cake,” a layer cake based on grated vegetables – carrots, … Continue reading
Local Cake
Local eating isn’t only about fresh fruits and vegetables. Cakes can use local ingredients too! Encouraged by a cake baking class I took recently, I decided to try my hand at making a sacher torte. This rich, chocolatey cake traditionally … Continue reading
Overabundance
I’ve gleaned quite a few treasures from our neighborhood garden dump over the summer. I am amazed at the still-good things people dump there. My edible finds this summer have included two perfectly good and still-growing basil plants from which I’ve made … Continue reading
Sprouts
In my quest for ways to have fresh greens to eat during the cold months of the year, I have been experimenting with sprouts. From one point of view, you could say homegrown sprouts are about the most local food you can … Continue reading
My Edible Backyard 