The most amazing part of this recipe is how the corn is truly the star here. The kernels pop in your mouth with each bite, and the flour really acts only to hold the whole thing together, not weigh it down. I am already imagining delicious variations, namely adding jalapeno to the fritters themselves, or a couple crumbles of cotija cheese. They are a great summer dinner, yummy with things from the grill or a large salad on the side.
Read MoreUs San Franciscans have the added benefit of living in a perfect lettuce growing place. Lettuce doesn’t love hot weather, which to my dismay, we don’t get very often.
Read MoreSo, my roommates and I decided to get chickens. When I tell people I have chickens, they are either happily shocked or look at me as if I’ve lost my cookies. While there are lots of folks in the city getting into raising chickens themselves, it’s still rare enough that most people are stunned by the idea. But, I feel we are in good company.
Read MoreI find there are few things more satisfying than a productive day in my garden and one of my most favorite moments in life is the first time I sit down at the end of the day to look around at all the progress I’ve made. I pull up a seat at the long farmhouse table we built last year, drink something refreshing, and take it all in. I imagine what plants will look like once they’ve grown a bit and begun to fill out the space. The new mulch always cleans things up and does such good things to the soil health and I love the newly tidy vines along the fence.
Read MoreAs I began embracing cauliflower, I discovered that I had ignored one of my most favorite vegetables of all. I started pureeing it in Indian spice soups, mashing it like potatoes and baking it with cream and cheese into a gratin. But by far my most favorite way to eat it is my favorite way to eat everything. Chopped into bits, drizzled with olive oil, and left to roast until it is incredibly crispy. Cauliflower (good, fresh cauliflower) sweetens as it’s roasted, and each little floret clings to the salt and oil, creating a caramel crunch that is positively addicting.
Read MoreRaw kale may be a big leap for people that don’t like it at all but I would argue that sometime soft leaves are a turn off for people, and that a salad of crisp fresh winter greens may be more appealing in the end. For me, preparing vegetables is all about the combination of flavors, and nothing holds more to true to this than kale salads. With a few basic techniques, the possibilities are endless.
Read MoreMany people come to our garden and ask us what they can grow in our unique climate. While some crops are more challenging, there are many that flourish in our mild weather and sandy soil. Leeks are one such crop that is easily grown in San Francisco backyards. And their mild flavor and bright green color are welcomed into our kitchens this time of year. I love this recipe for leeks vinaigrette – it is the perfect winter salad option when lettuce is less available.
Read MoreWhile I still pass on my black licorice bits to my mom, I have full embraced fennel, raw and cooked, into my kitchen. Here is my new favorite way to cook it, from my new favorite cookbook. I’ve used this caramelizing method after grilling the fennel and on endive as well.
Read MoreAs much as I love pumpkin curry, and pumpkin soup, or diced and fried pumpkin added to most anything (salad! rice! pasta!), pumpkin really does make such a delicious dessert. I found this recipe a few years ago and love to wow people with the name. Soufflés always seemed fussy, and a little old fashioned, but I’m so glad I looked past that nonsense to make this most ultimate delight. Enjoy!
Read MoreThis time a year in the Bay Area, markets can turn into a wide sea of different tomatoes. Some are firm and almost storybook red, others are lumpy and misshapen, and there are long skinny ones with almost mealy flesh. Each of these tomatoes has unique flavors, textures and uses but how do you know which will be the best one to use for your grandma’s famous tomato soup? Or sliced up on a large platter for a simple September meal? Below you’ll find a guide to tomato shopping and eating – how to choose, how to store, which ones are best for sauces, canning, slicing, salting and just plain munching.
Read MoreOne other way I appreciate this late summer bounty is by always having a jar of olive oil slow roasted tomatoes in my fridge. I throw these in the oven, sometimes nearly forget about then, and then pluck their shriveled selves off the cookie sheet and into my mouth. These tomatoes have a sweeter and more concentrated flavor than their raw counterparts and keep for up to a week and a half in the fridge.
Read MoreWhile the ripe, peak, growing season feels relatively short, here is a great recipe for preserving this early summer flavor all year long. I love this sweet and aromatic jam on my toast or waffle for breakfast, but it also pairs well with more savory things – say with a fried egg or on top of pork chops.
Read MoreTalk to most farmers or avid vegetable gardeners and they will tell you that often squash plants begin the season as a blessing - Tender! Versatile! Delicious! But then things change, and as the months go on the plants keep producing. Suddenly you’ve grilled squash, roasted it, made ratatouille, added a flash of basil or mint or a yogurt sauce to mix it up, and then you’re not sure you can eat it anymore. And while you may not be there just yet, it is only June after all!, soon you’re going to thank your lucky stars for squash pizza crust.
Read MoreBut fresh berries often have delicate skins, and even too much contact with the little green baskets they come in can cause puncture and bleeding, shortening the berry's life. I get lots of questions at the farmer's market every week (where I work on Saturday's for Tomatero Farm) about the best way to store berries.
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