Recipes

Cherry Bombs are cherries that are pickled in a sweet and spicy brine. There are many variations of this dish. The brine can be thin (like pickle juice) or thick like syrup. The cherries can be pitted or left whole with the stems. The extra acid can come from lemon juice, wine, or vinegars (like apple cider vinegar, red wine …

Think Tabasco. Think Sriracha. Fermenting your own chile sauce is an alternative to a vinegar boil. So, what exactly does fermented mean? Fermented means that bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, have gotten into the food and eaten the sugars. The sugars, through the magical process of anaerobic respiration, have been converted into CO2, alcohol, and lactic acid. Lacto fermentation is when …

This hot sauce is not for the faint of heat. This is a variation of a recipe I first saw on the Rick Bayless show “Mexico – One Plate at a Time”. It has habaneros, carrots, onion, garlic, salt, and then either lime juice or apple cider vinegar.  

Marionberry pie is one of the best uses of the berry. This is a recipe I found in Sunset: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/anjou-bakerys-marionberry-pie

Fava Beans, called “fave” in Italian (pronounced “fa-vay”), are a centuries-old, archetypal “fast food” that used to be eaten in the fields, sustaining men and women working up to twelve hours in rugged conditions, keeping them going until the long-awaited evening supper.

This is a recipe copied from Chef Alice Waters served at Chez Panisse

In the summer, when you have more string beans than you can eat fresh, consider Dilly Beans.

Pork, tomatillos, chiles and verdolagas (purslane) are a traditional combination in Mexican cuisine.

Caprese salad (Italian: Insalata Caprese, meaning “Salad of Capri”) is a simple salad, made of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, seasoned with salt, and olive oil. Balsamic vinegar is a nice addition. It was made to resemble the colors of the Italian flag: red, white, and green. In Italy, it is usually served as an antipasto (starter), not a …

Padron peppers are usually eaten fried in olive oil and with a sprinkle of coarse salt that not only enhances their flavor, but adds a nice crunch. No need for any other garnish, simplicity and quality food at its best. There’s a Spanish saying: Pimientos de Padrón, unos pican y otros no (Padron peppers, some are hot and some are …