making life delicious blog
The caipirinha cocktail, a Brazilian concoction made with cachaça, was one of our favorites from last summer, and we planned to play around with the flavors a bit using different fruits. Strawberries were an obvious place to start, and we came up with this one that reminds me of a strawberry creamsicle. My friend Kristy [...]
There’s nothing like the first fresh strawberries of the season. That gorgeous bright red color is so inviting, promising a sweet and juicy delight. When I brought home a bucket of fresh-picked strawberries from Wegmeyer Farms, my boys could hardly keep their hands out of it, and after letting them snack on a few, I [...]
The strawberry field at Wegmeyer Farms is blanketed with plants laden with blossoms and fruit. The field slopes down from the grass-covered parking area, and the rows are covered with black plastic to keep the weeds out and prevent erosion. During my visits, workers picked berries and put them in flats destined for nearby Whole [...]
When summer rolls around and it’s time to start making jams and jellies again, I stock up on pectin. Many of the recipes I make call for regular pectin, which requires cooking the jam or jelly, but I also like instant pectin for no-cook jams. Skipping the cooking process keeps the wonderful fresh flavor of [...]
Eight years ago we celebrated my first Mother’s Day, which for me is more important than my birthday. Builder Guy was six months old and he sat on Michael’s lap at the restaurant, trying to grab everything within reach, laughing like it was the best game ever as Michael quickly moved forks, knives, plates, and [...]
We started growing culinary lavender in our garden two summers ago, then last summer had to move the plants to pots to make room for more vegetables. One of my lavenders didn’t fare well, but the other two were doing splendidly until the uber snow storms of 2010. They look rather spindly now, a mere [...]
I can’t think of Mother’s Day without also musing on strawberries, probably because the beautiful red fruits come into season around this time and they seem like such a wonderful treat after cold winters. Strawberry season is also one of my children’s favorite food times of the year and we can’t resist celebrating with luscious [...]
We truly enjoy strawberry season, and every time I start cleaning another batch of berries the boys are at my elbow begging for some of the juicy red fruits. I have to watch Monkey Boy and Top Gun because they will sneak the berries off to a hidden corner and get the sticky juice all [...]
Strawberries are coming in season, one of my favorite food times of the year. Here in northern Virginia we have to wait a few more weeks, but warmer areas of the country are already basking in the glow of the beautiful fresh red fruits. My boys are always excited when we come home with strawberries, [...]
Seasonal fruit salads are perfect for light meals or desserts in the summertime, and adding lime and mint just brightens the flavors. When the temperatures start to soar, the boys and I like to pair fruit salad with fresh cheese and whole grain crackers for a healthy lunch. I don’t measure the fruit, I just [...]
It's spring in the U.S. and the following foods may be in season in your area:
artichokes, fennel, fiddleheads, radishes, broccoli, rhubarb, kale, cresses, spinach, spring lettuces, chard, cabbages, chives, cilantro, collards, tatsoi, mustard greens, spring onions, asparagus, rosemary, wild garlic, ramps, strawberries, blueberries, cherries
Eat fresh seasonal produce to stay healthy and help your food budget.Learn more about seasonal and sustainable cooking at Sustainable Table - In the Kitchen.
