As a kid on hot days in Southern California, I always looked forward to enjoying a cool treat after a long day at school. Sometimes I had an ice-cold soda or a smoothie, but the treat I loved most was frozen yogurt. Plain yogurt has … Read More

Many new herbalists panic when it comes to harvesting time, not sure what to do and when best to do it. It’s really easy! Generally speaking, harvest when that particular plant looks, smells, and tastes potent, flavorful, healthy, and vital. Basically, when it’s “happy.” Aromatic … Read More

My first time eating smoked mackerel is one of those Proustian memories: It was Father’s Day, and we were in Cornwall, England, for a family trip. The village we were staying in had one of those classic, large, white plastered buildings with a big smokestack, … Read More

The Grill Table Using a grill table is the most bare-bones way of smoking meat and the most reminiscent of the barabicu of the West Indies. This is still the preferred technique for smoking meats in most Asian and South American traditions. It is one … Read More

I’ve never been one to make resolutions. In fact, I’m not a planner at all. My natural inclination is to “plant ideas” and wait for them to flower at some later time (which they seem to do almost unconsciously, often surprising me). It was probably … Read More

Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” I have always believed this philosophy to be a foundational guide to our health, and I also think that our food doesn’t have to taste like medicine! There is no reason why using … Read More

It is possible for anyone to grow their own food, at least some of it; you don’t have to live in a small town or picturesque landscape. I’ve done it — at my third-floor urban apartment, where I planted tomatoes in pots in the parking … Read More

You can grow a garden in pots and planters even if you don’t have a yard. If you make your own planters, you can be creative! Pretty much anything that holds soil but allows water to drain from the bottom could work. Hypertufa looks like … Read More

Fresh cheeses like mozzarella require little equipment and are excellent choices for beginning cheese makers, as they are quick, delicious, and easy to make — no fermenting or aging required. Many of these high-moisture cheeses are called bag cheeses because the curds are drained in … Read More

The first rule of foraging for edible plants is never, ever, eat anything you’re not 100 percent sure of. This applies whether you’re picking in the wild or in your own backyard. “Foraging in your own backyard!” you say. “I thought you had to wander … Read More