April 11, 2011
Lately we’ve been eating several salads for lunch and/or dinners – not ones that are just lettuce on a plate with a bit of dressing, but with every vegetable we can find – often good for those “clean out your fridge” meals. I particularly like using beans in salads, because it keeps the meal filling and adds a bit more of a weighty feel to the dish. This particular one took advantage of the last of our chipotle peppers and our newfound southwest herb rub, made into a simple sour cream based dressing. Simple and easy, and best of all no cooking required.
March 27, 2011
My mom grew up in California. My grandmother grew up in California, and her mother before her and hers before her. Even though I grew up in chilly New England, California runs in my blood – and thanks to my mother’s cooking during my childhood, also my tastebuds. She is the reason why I love apricots and fresh figs and avocados and artichokes. And she and my dad together both taught me to love beautiful fresh produce. When I was home with my parents a few years ago as we were making some wedding preparations, I remember driving for a full hour down to a market on the shore – one that specialized in certain miniature apple pies we were going to purchase as favors for our guests – and there we stumbled upon the most perfect artichokes I have ever seen – she said they reminded her of California, and that was it, we went home with apple pies, and a giant bag full of fresh beautiful artichokes 
