All summer, I have been diligent about putting food by. I call it the self preservation plan because there is something truly satisfying about a pantry filled with homegrown and home canned chutney, salsa, jam, pickles and bundles of herbs. I’ll admit, I am already longing for tangy berries, savory herbs and greens and fresh […]
True Kitchen Gardens
I like to suggest that gardeners plant a kitchen garden near the kitchen door, but if you can actually bring it into your kitchen, well, you’ve got the real thing. Here are some images I found inspiring. While not entirely practical, but I sure like the idea of integrating growing food into our daily cuisine […]
Celebrate Beautiful Food.
Growing up in New England, I have always felt a special affinity with Thanksgiving. I can even claim ancestral connections with William Brewster, the minister on the Mayflower. Annual visits to Plimouth Plantation as a child, was a good way to create appreciation for the strength, courage and determination of the first settlers. The tiny […]
Stacking firewood and books
These days, with the garden demanding less time outdoors, the move indoors prompts me to surround myself with books. I naturally gravitate to books on garden design and food, yet lately have been drawn to read about the environment. I am focused less on what I know and more on my journey to learn something […]
Mary Azarian Prints
Like every good Vermont kitchen, mine is a meeting place for friends who migrate to the stools at my counter and don’t want to leave. So I’ve made my kitchen a welcome center, and placed all of my favorite art on the walls. This includes three prints by my favorite wood cut artist, Mary Azarian, […]
Beaming Bioneers
The annual Bioneers conference took place in California this past weekend, beaming live via the Internet to 23 cities across the US with 40,000 viewers. I was among a group in Montpelier, listening to a diverse group of passionate speakers who balanced traditional knowledge with science, looking deep into the heart of living systems […]
Hot Pepper Jelly
Hot pepper jelly is not for the timid, nor for toast. Try it as a spicy sweet condiment over a mild cheese or add a spoonful to stir fry for a powerful punch of heat. Cookbook author, Ellen Ecker Ogden author of The Complete Kitchen Garden cookbook, shares her recipe for hot pepper jelly.
