Designing a cornucopian cheese board to celebrate the start of a festive dinner can be a most creative and satisfying endeavor. At its simplest, the cheese plate is a humble gift before the main course unfolds. Or it can be the meal itself. On many … Read More

As an author, educator, and home cook myself I often find this time of year a challenge. It’s dark and cold, I have a growing list of extra tasks to fit into my schedule, and sugar-laden holiday treats are starting to pop up around every … Read More

You have undoubtedly cooked and baked with butter yourself, or others have prepared food with butter for you. But have you tasted a superior piecrust or a biscuit made with lard or beef tallow? Fat tastes good — and it defines the flavor of traditional … Read More

I don’t know about you, but for me the dinnertime scramble is real. Whether you have a job or kids or both, it can be a struggle to satisfy the desire to eat something vibrant and delectable without having hours to spend in the kitchen. Read More

We’ve officially arrived in the season of late summer abundance, when food ripens faster than it can possibly be consumed. Every afternoon I’m greeted by a new, sunny cluster of ripe Garden Peach tomatoes on my lone tomato plant. I’ve been using the fruit, bursting … Read More

Humans have been successfully drying food around the fire, in the sun, or on hot rocks for centuries. Dried food is portable, flavorful, and ripped with a toothsome, chewy texture. Flavor combinations and permutations abound, as do the cuts of protein that can be dried, … Read More

I first ate Pesto Genovese while in France and Switzerland 45 years ago and have been making it ever since. Over the years, I graduated from growing a few pots of herbs on a city balcony to a country herb garden. When … Read More

 The earliest cheese makers had to do everything themselves, even make their own equipment from whatever materials they had on hand. Some cheese makers … Read More

Lake Michigan is a quiet, subtle force in the American landscape. It’s a source for recreation and fishing and food, affecting what we grow, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. On clear days, we stare into the sunset, thinking we can catch … Read More

This is the time of year when menu fatigue sets in — at least in the North, where the snow is still retreating and there is little hope of locally grown vegetables for at least six weeks. Have you thought about expanding your lentil repertoire … Read More