Corn chowder is a hearty soup. It’s a perfect match for the late summer corn harvest—a whiff of autumn in the air and sometimes a hint of chill. Chowder is an American term with French origins—chaudière is a sort of iron cooking pot. As for corn, the shorter the time from garden to table, the […] More
Grilled and roasted corn is most flavorful when it is cooked fresh—very fresh. As soon as an ear of corn is picked, its sugars start converting to starch. As the sugars turn to starch, the sweetness of corn is lost—though it is true that some new breeds of corn will retain their sweetness for days. […] More
Bruschetta is an antipasto—a “before the meal” bite or first course—except when it’s its own meal. There is much to be said for the simple, traditional bruschetta—grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil and salt and pepper. That’s an antipasto. But when the summer garden is producing, bruschetta demands fresh, seasonal toppings—tomatoes, […] More
Cucumber soup is a delicious summer soup served chilled. It’s cooling, light, and quiet. There is a simple way to make cucumber soup, here it is: whirl two peeled medium cucumbers and an 7- or 8-ounce container of plain yogurt in the blender until smooth; add salt and pepper to taste; chill until cold and […] More
The best ice cream is simply frozen custard. Egg yolks and cream make a very smooth, rich ice cream. You can make ice cream without egg yolks and cream but then it wouldn’t be a sin; it would be frozen milk. Here’s a tip: make just enough custardy ice cream to serve fresh—not to freeze […] More
Some vegetables and fruits you grow in your garden are higher in nutritional value and are better at improving your health than others—these have been dubbed superfoods. Superfoods are easy to grow. Any beginning gardener can grow superfoods. These crops are high in nutritional value and provide important chemical compounds—called phytochemicals—that can help ward off […] More
You can easily grow superfoods in your garden and quickly prepare and serve them in minutes. Superfoods are high in nutritional value and provide important chemical compounds—called phytochemicals—that fight disease and improve health. Superfoods have been around for thousands of years, but the term has gained popularity over the past two decades. Superfoods from the […] More
Radish salad combines the crisp, juicy, mild flavor of the radish roots with the tender peppery flavor of young radish leaves—or use spinach, arugula, or leaf lettuce; all ready for the table just before summer. Radish salad is one of my late spring fresh from the garden favorites. The end of spring—just as cool weather […] More
Vegetable and rice noodle soup is both light and hearty. Vary the stock—beef, chicken, or vegetable for degrees of intensity and complexity of flavor—and vary the vegetables with the season—root and cabbage family vegetables in the cool time of the year, leafy vegetables and summer squashes in the warm time of the year. I use […] More
Candied orange peel (or any citrus peel) is a sweet and sour treat. You can serve it as a dessert or as a treat. It will keep for several months in the refrigerator. No more tossing out those brightly colored peels. Use organic, unsprayed citrus for this recipe—oranges, lemons, tangerines, grapefruits. PrintCandied Orange Peel or […] More
White bean soup is hearty and well suited for cold weather. Basic bean soup is easy to make; follow one simple rule for best flavor: keep the heat low; bean soups burn easily. Variations on bean soup are many: you can add leftovers, fresh vegetables such as greens sliced thin or chopped, pasta, cooked vegetables—carrots, […] More
Orange marmalade is the most popular marmalade. Marmalade is a soft translucent jelly preserve quite simply made from fruit, water, and sugar. Marmalade looks like jam but it contains thin fruit slices or diced fruit suspended in the jelly. Many say the fine flavor of the Seville orange makes the best marmalade. But you can […] More
Stephen Albert