Blueberry season is in full force across the country. These sweet—yet not too sweet—and tart—yet not too tart—berries are one of our household favorites. We love them so dearly that we finally added blueberry bushes to our front yard gardens this year, so that we can have them at our fingertips just as soon as…

Before there was Coca-Cola, there were shrubs. Not the kind that grow in your garden, but a sweet-and-sour drinking vinegar that’s irresistible, especially in hot weather. Infused with fruit, herbs, and spices, shrubs not only slake your thirst but also provide an inventive way to preserve seasonal bounty. And just like baking sourdough and fermenting…

The middle of winter can be a tough time for tomato lovers. We’re about as far away from the end of the previous season as we are from the beginning of the summer harvest, and no member of the produce kingdom suffers such a noticeable lack of flavor when it’s imported, out of season, from…

It always strikes me as a bit of a marvel that in the deepest and darkest days of winter, citrus arrives with aplomb. It’s on these days, when you’re craving the sun the most, that vividly colored oranges, rosy-hued grapefruit, and bright yellow lemons find their way to your kitchen like little palmfuls of sunshine,…

An essential ingredient in North African, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern cuisines, this powerful condiment adds brightness and complex tang to a variety of dishes. Once you start using them, you’ll find yourself adding them to salad dressings, sauces, even pound cakes. Use organic lemons, and do rinse them under warm water to remove their waxy…

Patience is a virtue. Today, with almost our every need easily met by a tap on a touchscreen, that virtue seems to be fading. Yet some of the best lessons in patience can still be found in the hearth and home. It’s in the kitchen that a little bit of effort and plenty of patience…

This time of year, you can often find baskets of pickling cucumbers at your local farmers market. Compared to slicing cucumbers available in supermarkets year-round, this thin-skinned, stubby variety enjoys a relatively short season that lasts only a few weeks. Those few precious weeks of late summer just so happen to coincide with when dill…

In the early days of human civilization, before there were canning jars, refrigeration, and freezer bags, fermentation was the most common way to preserve food. To this day, many of our favorite delicacies, including booze and chocolate, depend on the process. But a lot of home cooks and food savers, myself included, feel intimidated by…

The beauty of this jam is the quickness of both making it and—happily—eating it. You’ll see. I use blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries for this version, but the same method applies to a single-fruit jam or a combination of others, such as blackberries or gooseberries. I like adding strawberries, as they hold their shape slightly better…