In late August Hurricane Irene hit the Northeast hard, and then, a week later, Tropical Depression Lee dumped even more rain. We went on the have a thoroughly soggy September. And the harvest? Wiped out. Whether underwater, or just drowned, farmers across the region lost almost all of their crops just as they were preparing to harvest. Many farmers have lost an entire season’s worth of investment and work. [Read more…]
It’s a rainy day here in New York. But not one of the wonderful chilly fall rain storms that I love, rather, it’s a pervasive, drippingly humid kind of rain. Even so, signs of fall abound. The acorns are dropping, lending a satisfying crunch to each step. Leaves here and there have begun to yellow, pears are showing up, and the figs are just about over. Making it just under the wire, we’ve got a delicious fig, Manchego, and arugula pizza for your eating pleasure. [Read more…]
The secret to modern take on classic potato salad is vibrant ingredients: tender new potatoes, crisp celery, and fresh parsley.
Last week a quart of slightly overripe blackberries arrived in our CSA and rapid action was needed. After a bit of deliberation, I decided on a sherbet based on a grapefruit version we enjoyed last winter. The sourness of the citrus was balanced wonderfully by the creamy sweetness of the dairy, and I thought this approach would similarly balance the tang of the blackberries. We ended up with an intensely flavored sherbet with pitch-perfect blackberry flavor, and hints of creaminess. An added bonus is that you get all of the blackberry flavor and none of the seeds. Chalk it up to yet another perfect summer dessert. [Read more…]
So, here we are nearly halfway through August. After spending so much time thinking of nothing but July! July! I am a little unsure of how to conduct myself in this post-July world (not to mention the whole newborn thing – though it’s going pretty well). Time marches on, and the things we were waiting for, counting down to, somehow happen.
Happening also are all the tomatoes, cherries, plums, apricots, peaches, and corn I could want. I love that we can take produce for granted this time of year. Just grab a handful of fruit and eat it up, or pick the tomatoes right off the vine with no worries – there’s more where that came from. [Read more…]