Digging face first into a giant slice of watermelon on a hot summer day is one of those essential summertime food experiences. A good ol’ wedge of watermelon — all juicy, sweet and crisp — can be a serious thirst quencher when the sun is high in the sky. Unfortunately, it’s all-too-possible to end up with a less-than-perfect…
Are There Edible Ferns?
Q: Is it safe to eat ferns? A: Brilliant green, delicate fiddlehead ferns are a welcome sign that spring has arrived. Despite a shroud of confusion — even danger — and a very short season, these tasty greens are increasingly popular among chefs in fine restaurants, farmers markets, and home cooks. Rather than a variety…
Savory Sage Chicken with Zucchini and Tomato Rice
By Linda Gassenheimer From Tribune News Service Chicken dusted with a sage coating is flavored with a vermouth sauce for this quick dinner. The vermouth adds flavor without fuss. Helpful Hints: — You can substitute white wine for vermouth. — Make sure your bottle of dried herb is less than 6 months old. Countdown: —…
Mangoes, Coconut Shrimp Refreshing Adds to Cobb Salad
By Linda Gassenheimer From Tribune News Service Here’s a Cobb salad with a tropical twist. Ripe juicy mangoes are at the height of their season, and I added them along with shrimp sauteed with coconut to make a refreshing summer salad with a hint of the tropics. I cut the mango into cubes for the…
A Handful of Ingredients Transform Into the Most Perfect, Creamy, Cheesy Pasta
Pasta with just butter and cheese might seem simple, but it actually has a fancy name when served in restaurants — fettuccine alfredo. To make this dish at home, use authentic Parmesan cheese from Italy (look for the Italian words “Parmigiano-Reggiano” on the rind of the cheese). When the cheese, butter, and reserved pasta cooking water are…
The Easiest Baked Crab Cakes Are Perfect for the Season
While I am a big fan of traditional pan-fried crab cakes, it’s hard to beat the ease that comes with baking them. Skip standing over a hot stove and instead, bake the whole batch at once on a sheet pan. The results are equally tender, sweet, and crowd-pleasing. How Do You Bake Crab Cakes? Baked…
Searching for the Secrets of Caldo Verde
I recently visited Fall River, Massachusetts, a sleepy fishing town on the Rhode Island border whose long-established Portuguese community has made it the capital of Portuguese seafood in North America. There, amidst the wine-sauced littleneck clams, grilled cod, scallops moçambique, and Portuguese paella, I found a bowl of kale potato soup that almost stole the…
Harvest Approaches
Here in wine country, where the weather always turns warm or hot about this time of year, everything is in a heightened state of frenzy. The wine business really is a 365-days-a-year enterprise, and in Napa and Sonoma counties, which represent a tiny fraction of the wine made in all 50 states, the business is…
Avocado Crema Is Guacamole’s Silkier Cousin
Avocado crema is one of those delicious no-cook sauces that perks up whatever it’s served with. While it’s rich and creamy (thanks to avocado and sour cream), the lime juice makes it tangy, making it the perfect contrast for any spicy foods it comes into contact with. With the help of a food processor or…
A Perfect Pair: Blueberry Compote Makes a Beautiful Topping for Panna Cotta
Blueberries peak in the Midwest in July. I buy big boxes of the large, super sweet berries at the local farmers market. At home, I rinse, sort and pat them dry before freezing the berries on sheet pans. Once frozen solid, I transfer the berries to freezer bags for easier storage. This summer, I’m combining…
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