One Local Summer hasn’t officially started up yet, but here in Berkshire county, we’re eating local several days a a week thanks to the amazing, beautiful bounty of the Caretaker Farm CSA. Tonight we had a positively sublime summer salad due, in part, to a bit of a cheesemaking fluke. From failure comes total deliciousness [...]

The Brattleboro Farmers’ Market is a little over an hour’s drive from our place in northwestern MA, but, much to my surprise, it’s only a mere 45 miles — albeit on twisting country roads and over the beautiful Green Mountains. (Why isn’t Vermont Monts Verts, I always wonder…) Well within the 100-mile diet we try [...]

On Saturday morning I went out for my usual early-morning walk with Bix, down by the riverside. It was just after eight, but instead of feeling bleary-eyed, I was alert, almost tingling. I watched the river rush past the sandy shore and saw, right in front of me, the unfurling fronds of ferns. Just weeks [...]

A sure sign of spring in New York City is the arrival of fiddlehead ferns and ramps in the Union Square Greenmarket. Through the wet, gray winter I’d pined for those first green leaves’ arrival, and nearly leaped for joy when I finally spotted them some late April morning on the way to my old [...]

Today we received our first spring greens from semi-local Sidehill Farm. We carpool with friends to pick up veggies from their greenhouse. This week: teenaged chard (above — I’m calling it that, since it’s not baby, but not big), bok choi, white radishes, pea shoots (LOVE), salad mix, and spinach. Spring is here!
Tonight we sauteed [...]

Last night for dinner we had a simple winter favorite: miso soup. The photo above is from a couple of weeks ago, but I make this soup for dinner frequently enough that I don’t feel too terrible about posting it now. (And the shots I took last night were sort of uninspired.)
Miso is easy to [...]

Carrie at Sommer Designs has started a little dinner challenge Flickr group. I’ve decided to participate, since just about the only thing creative I can do these days is whip up something tasty in the kitchen. It’s cold outside, and cooking keeps me warm.
Unfortunately, I’m not the best at sticking with recipes, which is [...]

I still haven’t been to Chez Panisse, having not yet attained the kind of financial freedom that allows for spur-of-the-moment California trips and $150 dinners. Still, I have always admired what Alice Waters has to say, even if, at times, her preciousness grates. It’s important — now more than ever — to be conscious about [...]

My goodness! Has it really been three weeks since last I made a peep? Why am I surprised? After all, sometimes this blog taunts me with its blankness. And the more time elapses, the less likely I am to tiptoe over and reward its patience with a few pathetic words.
Friends, I did attend the [...]

No more than an hour after I posted that last entry, I walked down to MASS MoCA to lunch with Dan at the picnic tables outside his office. We chatted with one of his coworkers, the one who loves Bix and borrowed our pasta machine last week. Turns out she’s holding a cheesemaking class this [...]