When friends come to visit, I cherish the opportunity to take them on sightseeing tours around the San Francisco Bay Area. Besides Muir Woods, a trip to the deYoung and dinner in the city, we always take our guests on a ride along Highway 1 to show off the beautiful coastline of Northern California. On one such recent trip, my friend Bettina and I ended up at a farmstand in Bolinas where all kinds of fresh produce were on display. Radishes, greens, lettuces and, to my delight, two big boxes of fresh fava beans! Dinner was sorted. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Falling for Favas”
Category: Recipes
What’s for Dinner? Well, let’s check the fridge and see what we find…
All right, I admit it: I’m ready for summer. I don’t know if it’s the long days, the higher temperatures or just the one too many commitments I’m trying to squeeze in before the school year ends, but I am past ready for it. One side effect of this is that I’ve lost my enthusiasm to go grocery shopping, which has been quite a challenge when it comes to fixing dinner. It has also forced me to refine my “kitchen foraging” skills: what can I make with what little I have in the kitchen? This week’s winner was a creamy avocado pasta that was a favorite with young and old alike. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “What’s for Dinner? Well, let’s check the fridge and see what we find…”
The Art of the Artichoke
Reading our blog, one would think that we like our vegetables the way parents love their kids: you can’t pick a favorite. But that’s not the case with me: I like beets, I like broccoli, I like green beans, but I LOVE artichokes, above any other vegetable. On my first visit to Carmel, the home of the artichoke, I thought I had arrived in culinary heaven: artichokes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Maybe their unique and distinct flavor really agrees with me, or I get hooked because of all the work I have to put in to get to the good parts, but whatever the reason, give me an artichoke and I know just what to do with it. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “The Art of the Artichoke”
Hope sprouts eternal!
What’s great about living close to a big city, and particularly one that cares a lot about food culture, is that there are always interesting lectures, round-tables, book-signings or speeches about healthy foods. So when I heard that Rebecca Katz is coming out with a new book called The Longevity Kitchen, I was disappointed to learn that my chances to get a ticket to her presentation were close to zero. Luckily she appeared in a segment on NPR called “How to Eat for a Longer Life” where she spoke as part of a panel about health, food and longevity, so I got to hear her speak, albeit not in person. In her book, she introduces us to her “16 age-busting power foods” and one of them is asparagus which, lucky for us, is coming in season right now. Spring has finally sprung. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Hope sprouts eternal!”
Knock, Knock!
Orange you glad it’s us with an update on what’s hot and what’s not in our kitchen right now? After all this talk on food politics and policies, we are due for a few tips and tricks on what to cook and eat this season. We had such a nice and mild winter in Northern California, that we’re not ready to let go of it just yet. Which means that when we’re in search for something juicy, fresh and sweet, we grab an orange, or two or three. They are still in season and can be a great addition to any meal. Honestly, we can’t say enough good things about this fruit that is so ubiquitous this time of year that it’s almost overlooked. And that is wholly undeserved, as a freshly peeled orange will (almost) never disappoint when it comes to getting a little juicy freshness delivered to you in bite-sized form. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Knock, Knock!”
Come and Cook with Us 