Post Card From The Woods
In season now: pawpaws – ripening along the creeks a creamy luscious fruit redolent of mango, guava and banana…
Quacking from Rappahannock (our blog)
End of Summer Cake
You only need to know a few cake formulas to be able to look smart in the kitchen. Because once you understand the recipe, you can tweak it ad infinitum to vary the result: …
On Discontent
The August garden is again this year most unsatisfactory. An almost total absence of rain, high temperatures and high humidity make for a discontented gardener and a stressed garden. Continue reading On Discontent
On Making Tomato Paste
10 pounds of tomatoes = 12 fl oz of tomato paste. Or conserva as the Italians call it. Three years ago, I was using Saveur Magazine’s recipe and Italian-type tomatoes to make tomato paste. I have since learned to use any tomatoes to make tomato …
Peach Chutney
If you need one reason to can, peaches is it. Perfectly ripe and luscious peaches are as much a treat now as they are when I open a homemade can of peaches in the dark months (or next spring before the first seasonal fruit, strawberries, …
August Flavor
Flavor Magazine August/September issue is coming out in just a few days, and it’s – in the words of the editor Pam Hess – an action-packed issue. I am delighted with the way my Seasonal Table column was shot and shows. With the help of Joanie Ballard of R.H. Ballard Shop and Gallery in Washington, VA we set up several tables using wonderful Le Jacquard Français linen and the glassware and silverware available from her shop along with dishes and linen of mine (and flowers that Joanie picked from the garden and arranged for a relaxed mood). And then photographer Molly Peterson did her usual magic. As you can see on that photo below which was taken on my porch where we set up a table for 2.
The recipes are simple – as always – using what’s in season in August and September, and therefore flavorful. On the menu:
- (Spirited) Peach Lemonade
- Fresh and Spicy Zucchini Relish
- Marinated Lamb Kebabs
- Fresh Mint Sauce
- Red Couscous
- Roasted (Grilled) Zucchini & Summer Squash with Basil Emulsion
- Lemon Verbena Poached Peaches
- Raspberry Ice Cream
Check it out! Bon Appétit!
Tequila Yellow Plum Sorbet
I am canning. Jamming. Pickling. Wining. Infusing. Freezing. Chutneying. Syruping. Cordialing. And otherwise having great fun in the kitchen. And the garden is calling most insistently: “Yo! When are you picking that corn? Have you checked the cabbage lately? The beans, the beeeeans…” and “It’s …
Berry Season
There is no question that we are well into berry season. Strawberries are the first berries to ripen for us here in the Northern Virginia Piedmont. The most common ones that you are likely to grow or buy are the June bearers. They produce a …
Sour Cherry Cake
I’ve picked lots of cherries this year. How much exactly? 87 pounds to date both sweet & sour, over a few weeks in 3 different places. This past Wednesday morning I picked 40 pounds from about 7:45 AM until 10:00 AM on a hill top orchard: 20 pounds were mine to keep and 20 was the owner’s share. I love those “shared” deals!
Anyway, when you pick so much, you really cannot eat them all “as is” (no matter how many cherries you can eat at one sitting …. which when it is me, it not negligeable). You’ve got to process them. I have mentioned already the easiest recipe (Cherry Liqueur), and yes, I jam & freeze (and make ice-creams & sorbets. Of course!)
I spotted this recipe for Hungarian Sour Cherry Cake in Saveur Magazine last year, tried it, and after a few modifications (including the not inconsiderable change in cooking time), it’s now part of the dishes I make: it’s easy and adaptable and flavorful. I also make it with other fruit, especially blueberries. Continue reading Sour Cherry Cake
Post Card From The Porch
We did a photo shoot for Flavor Magazine today, styled by Joanie Ballard of R.H. Ballard, in Washington, VA. After we were done, and everybody left, I simply had to use the little table. It looks much better with everything Joanie brought, but still the …