The Locavore’s Bookshelf: Organic, Inc.

Samuel Fromartz’ excellent and well-researched book, subtitled, Natural Foods and How They Grew, takes a look at the rise of organic foods from its its infancy as a niche agricultural method practiced by a very few who were often laughed off as cranks and crackpots, to the continually growing, increasingly corporate sector of the food […]

Local Spring Flavors Dance Together in a Global Fusion

There are few flavors more evocative of spring than asparagus, lamb, green garilc and mint. And, as it so happens, they are also extremely local flavors as well; all over the farmer’s market on Saturday, there were bundles of asparagus, ranging from thumb-thick spears to dainties thinner than a pencil. Lamb, too, is a traditional […]

Stir Fry Technique II: Ten Steps to Better Chicken From a Wok

I never expected the huge response I got to my first post in this series: Stir-Fry Technique: Ten Steps to Better Wok Cookery, but I suppose I should not have been surprised. I have known for a long time that most Chinese cookbooks do not go far enough in explaining technique, particularly, when it comes […]

Rustic Italian Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup

I have to admit that this recipe came about because I was copying the flavors of a soup that they have at The Olive Garden. (Though, mine is better.) Don’t get me wrong–I generally dislike The Olive Garden, and find most of their foods to be quasi-Italian at best, and downright crap at worst. But, […]

Welcome to The May Eat Local Challenge!

Ah, look at that pretty salad, with greens grown in Athens county, and edible flowers–they are violas–from my own porchboxes! Admittedly, the cheese is chevre from Vermont, which Bry brought over to share (waste not, want not!), and the dressing is made from Italian balsamic vinegar and olive oil, though it is sweetened with Athens […]