When I signed up for the Rolling Prairie Farmers Alliance’s subscription produce program eleven years ago, I was enthusiastic about eating locally grown, organic (almost always) produce. I discovered, though, that I needed to expand the ways in which I typically used produce in the kitchen if I had any hope of using all the [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Food preparation'
Basic recipes lay the foundation
April 25th, 2007 · No Comments · Cooking for one, Food preparation, Food selection, Healthy eating
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Spring is back; bring on the greens
April 19th, 2007 · 2 Comments · Food preparation, Food selection, Healthy eating
Spring is here, and so are tender young greens. Let us forget for the moment that regional apples and peaches won’t materialize in the fall, and citrus prices will soar, and let us focus instead on what’s close at hand: beautiful, delectable greens that offer a wide range of flavors and textures. The Food Thesaurus [...]
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Home cooking feeds soul, soothes grief
April 17th, 2007 · No Comments · Food preparation, General
When townspeople asked Virginia Tech students what would help them cope with the horrific aftermath of yesterday’s massacre there, students said they would like home-cooked food, according to a report I heard today on NPR. The statement surprised me for a moment, given the current college generation’s having been raised in an era heavier on [...]
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Ham and beans, part 2: fat removal
April 11th, 2007 · 1 Comment · Food preparation, Healthy eating
It’s another dreary, gray and chilly day, and my pot of beans is simmering on the stove. The fragrance alone is enough to improve my mood. It turns out, however, that I am not going to be eating my beans and ham this evening. After soaking the beans, I realized I have other plans for [...]
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Gooseberry glaze on ham and other post-Easter observations
April 9th, 2007 · No Comments · Cooking for one, Food preparation, Healthy eating
Easter dinner was delicious, simple and traditional, with the exception of the gooseberry jam glaze on the ham. It was delightful, if I do say so. Baked the ham, covered, at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes a pound, headed to 160 degrees. When about 30 minutes of baking time was left, I uncovered the [...]
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Trans fat avoidance goes wild
April 1st, 2007 · No Comments · Food preparation, Healthy eating
Everybody always knew that butter was better than margarine, so we all chuckled knowingly when the hazards of trans fats became public knowledge. Scientific knowledge seems to operate in smaller increments than public knowledge, however, and the scientific distinction between artificial trans fats, as in solid shortenings (like standard Crisco), and natural trans fats, as [...]
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