The French have long had a love affair with mussels. According to local lore, they have a shipwrecked Irishman to thank for that. In 1235, as the story goes, Patrick Walton was shipwrecked in Aiguillon Bay, off the Atlantic coast of Vendée, France. Starving, he stuck two wooden poles in the water and attached a…
Moules Marinières: 10-minute Mussels to Transport You to the French Coast
The French have long had a love affair with mussels. According to local lore, they have a shipwrecked Irishman to thank for that. In 1235, as the story goes, Patrick Walton was shipwrecked in Aiguillon Bay, off the Atlantic coast of Vendée, France. Starving, he stuck two wooden poles in the water and attached a…
Jeffersonian Ice Cream
Thomas Jefferson first encountered ice cream as the ambassador to France, and brought back a special French ice cream maker, called a sorbétière, to Monticello. Ice was harvested from the Rivanna River in the winter and stored in Monticello’s ice house, then used throughout the year to preserve meat and butter, but also to chill…
Making Ice Cream Memories, the Old-Fashioned Way
I have fond childhood memories of family reunions on Pine Lake in Eldora, Iowa. Coming together from several central Iowa counties, my mother’s side of the family got together each summer to reconnect. As the adults caught up with each other’s busy lives on the farm, the kids ran up and down a sandy bluff…
A Picnic-Perfect Mash-Up: Deviled-Egg Pasta Salad
This pasta salad looks like the classic picnic side, but in one bite you’ll know it’s special. It holds all the incredible flavors of deviled eggs and is creamy, too, thanks to mashed avocado and hard-boiled eggs. For the best texture, don’t make this more than a few hours before you plan to eat it….
Raw Summer Squash Salad
Almost like in ceviche, where the citrus juice cures the fish, the lemon and lime in this dressing soften the delicate ribbons of summer squash as the salad rests. Look for zucchini and yellow squash between 6 and 8 inches in length; avoid the really big ones, as they tend to be pithy. If you…
Roasted Pepper Salad
Sensational flavors combine with bright summery colors to make this dish perfect for entertaining al fresco. Play with the colors and flavors of the peppers you use, mixing sweet with hot and anything in between, but choose ones more or less the same size, so they roast evenly. I call this a salad because I’m…
The Season of (Getting Rid of) Zucchini
If you’ve been here long enough, you know the routine. Winter gives way to spring, finally, which is followed gently by summer, which glides gently into the season of getting rid of zucchini. During those tense few weeks, neighbors and even strangers are afraid to make eye contact, lest a zucchini gets tossed, like some…
The Best Way to Cook Scallops for a Summer Meal
I am a seafood lover, but this has not always been the case. As children growing up in New England, my younger brothers and I were served swordfish on a regular basis. This may sound luxurious, but in those days, swordfish was a local staple harvested from the nearby Atlantic waters, and my mother was…
Peach and Almond Cake
Any combination of stone fruits works well for this simple, summery cake. I love it made with plums, nectarines, and apricots, or a combination of all. I love no-fuss desserts, and this one will delight everyone served plain or with a large dollop of whipped cream. It’s best served at room temperature, and frankly, even…
-
Recent Posts
-
Archives
- May 2025
- April 2025
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- September 2013
- July 2013
- March 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- December 1
-
Meta