“Green Meat Radishes.” Huh? LFFC’s weekly share-contents email had me headed straight to Google. Turns out I did know what they were—I’d just never heard them called that. They’re a green version of the gorgeous Watermelon Relish, which—who knew?—is also called a Red Meat Radish. Raw, the flavor reminds me of Daikon, with just a…
Category: ate it up
consumed
The Beet Goes On . . .
. . . and on . . . and on. It’s a perfect storm: another Nor’easter, the Sochi games, and a crisper full of CSA beets. While I was home at Christmastime, I saw a piece in the Trib whose lede spoke the truth. When you’re busting your way from the Loop to the Art…
Alsatian Chicken Stew
Is there a smell better than leeks sizzling away in bacon fat? Probably. Somewhere. Maybe. But on a cold winter’s night, with flurries out the window and snow-capped mountains on TV, I can’t think of one. Here’s an easy, one-pot chicken stew—a riff on Nigella Lawson’s riff on Coq au Vin—whose leeks and bacon and…
It’s in the Bag: Popcorn on the Cob
“Do I hang that on my door?” Nope. That’s popcorn. Real popcorn.
Here Comes the Sunchoke
Our inaugural Winter Season CSA box arrived this week, and more than a couple Pennsauken picker-uppers were perplexed by the small bag of sunchokes in the shares. Also called Jerusalem Artichokes, not because they came from Jerusalem (they’re native to North America), but through a linguistic bastardization of the Italian for sunflower, girasole (“jeer-ah-SO-lay”), these…
Crunch time: DIY granola
I’ve been on a CSA hiatus recently, bridging the five-week gap between the end of the fall session and the start of winter deliveries. Some holiday travel, lots of parties and meals out, and a retail job with a pronounced seasonal frenzy have left me little time or energy to grocery shop or cook—or write…
Out of the deep freeze
Hey, maybe you haven’t heard—since, you know, the hysteria-industrial complex only reported it 23/7—but it’s been cold. Not just cold. C-c-c-c-c-cold. When just going outside to let the dog do his thing requires two layers and ends with crystalized eyelashes, going out the store—or out to eat—is out of the question. I know I’m not…
Leek week
And leak week. It seemed like a good investment seven years ago, when we were spec’ing the renovations. But when that fancy, ultra-high-efficiency water heater recently began “evacuating” all over the floor every few hours, its return curve changed slope dramatically. So while Plumber #4 and I wait for parts to arrive from Italy (really?),…
Squashapalooza 2.0: Butternut Cupcakes
As promised on Thanksgiving, here’s the recipe for those killer butternut-squash cupcakes. Inspired by one of the most beautifully art-directed cookbooks I own, Jamie Oliver’s Jamie at Home, these moist, delicately scented cakelets are reminiscent of carrot cake—and from henceforth are my go-to, bring-along sweet for fall potlucks. Jamie dubs them muffins, but after I sampled a…
Wonder and Bounty
My Thanksgiving prep is nearly done. The crucifers are cut and ready to roast; the butternut squash cakes are frosted (and tucked into covered pans set in the garage, since there’s no room in the fridge); and the cranberry relish is already ready to relish. I’m grateful always, but today especially, for those who grow…
Boxing Day 