SpiceLines

How do you cook black-eyed peas?

Right about now I hear a distant snickering, especially from some of you who grew up in the South…

Just to let you know, during my Texas childhood I spent many sweaty summer hours at the kitchen table, sipping ice tea and shelling black-eyed peas under Aurora’s watchful eye. Occasionally I’d sneak a few into my mouth, savoring the green leguminous flavor and squishiness of the naked pea. And I loved eating them for supper, when they appeared in a white bowl, khaki-colored, butter-soft and swimming in rich, savory juice.

But I missed the cooking part.

Continue reading "How Do You Cook Black-Eyed Peas? With Lots of Water, Country Ham and Green Peppercorns" »

Dewy Harvester peaches from Caskey Orchards brought a cool breath of
air to San Antonio's Pearl Farmer's Market on a brutally hot Saturday.

As one man said, it was “smokin’ hot.”

A brutal 102 degrees, blasting off the asphalt parking lot like a raging mesquite fire.

I grew up in San Antonio, but I’ve clearly lost my tolerance for this brain-liquefying South Texas heat.

Still, when I ran across these dewy peaches at the Pearl Farmers Market, I could almost feel a cool country breeze blowing my way.

Continue reading "San Antonio: At Pearl Market, Ripe Peaches, Buffalo Steaks and Guajillo Honey; Sabores del Mercado" »

Sunflowers bordering the fields at Breeze Family Farm, site of Sunday's
Farm to Fork Picnic. Proceeds will benefit small farms across North
Carolina through expanded apprentice programs.

It was about the produce, of course.

Local strawberries and blueberries, baby beets and bok choy, garlic scapes, basil and red chard. Organically raised pork, rabbit, chicken and goat in various guises. Farmers and chefs shared star billing, while food artisans offered tastes of rhubarb-flavored ale, varietal honey and pecan toffee.

But in the end, pickles ruled.

Continue reading "Farm to Fork Picnic: Braised Rabbit Bierocks, Beet Salad with Borage Blossoms, Strawberry Snoballs; Pickles Rule" »

Mixologists in motion at Drink, Barbara Lynch's popular Boston speakeasy.

Maybe never.

Alexandra and I were at Drink, Barbara Lynch’s vastly popular Boston speakeasy, two flights down from Sportello. Famously, Drink has no cocktail menu. You just tell the mixologist what you’re in the mood for–maybe rye or crème de violette or waters of forgetfulness from the river Lethe—and minutes later a drink, possibly something you’ve never even thought of, appears in front of you.

Just don’t ask for an apple martini. There are certain drinks these alchemists of alcohol won’t touch.

But Alexandra wanted something with rum. The tattooed bartender—well, they almost all have tattoos, but this one had a particularly florid armband—proposed a Daiquiri. “I usually find them too sweet,” said my companion. The mixologist arched one eyebrow and retorted: “When was the last time you had a proper Daiquiri? They’re really quite balanced.”

Continue reading ""When Did You Last Have a Proper Daiquiri?"" »

Where: Sportello in Boston

When: Last Friday night

What: Mustard Green Agnolotti with lamb, fava, rapini.

Late spring flavors: fragile pasta filled with sautéed greens and cheese, in a bowl with melting braised lamb, nutty broccoli rabe, and luscious little fava beans; topped with shaved parmigiano-reggiano. Delicious, unexpectedly rich, impossible to finish.

Continue reading "Taste of the Week: Sportello's Mustard Greens Agnolotti with Lamb and Baby Fava Beans" »

Sweet, aromatic coriander seeds accent the mild, nutty flavor of cauliflower gently cooked
with ginger, green chilies and scallions. Turmeric gives the vegetable a golden hue.

I just slipped in under the wire.

Normally I hate cooking under pressure. (One of the many, many reasons you’ll never see me working in a restaurant kitchen, or sharpening my knives on Top Chef.) But this week I’ve been trying to beat the clock, using up all the vegetables in our CSA box before Elise leaves another bounteous delivery on our doorstep.

On Tuesday I cooked the last offerings: one cauliflower, two zucchini and a yellow crookneck squash.

Continue reading "Cauliflower with Ginger, Green Chilies and Turmeric; How to Cook a Week's Worth of Vegetables from Your CSA" »

Roasting at 500 degrees intensifies the sweet, earthy flavor of root vegetables such as beets,
carrots, turnips and rutabagas. Even the scallions caramelize and become irresistibly sweet.

It’s a race against time.

Tomorrow is Wednesday which means Elise will be delivering another CSA box exploding with gorgeous, eat-me-now vegetables.

Yesterday I decisively hacked away at last week’s bounty by making a room temperature salad of oven-roasted Rainbow carrots, Forona Beets, and a dozen scallions. For good measure I threw in the rutabagas that had been malingering in the crisper drawer and some darling baby turnips that I had managed to overlook.

Continue reading "More CSA Recipes: Roasted Root Vegetables and Scallions in a Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette" »