Pork: The Little White Lie

I just want to clear something up, right here and right now.
Contrary to what the National Pork Board has been saying since 1987, pork is not a white meat.
It is red meat.
End of story.
Well, okay, it isn’t the end of the story, although it should be.
However, 9 out of 10 […]

Preserving the Beauty of Tomatillos For Winter

Tomatillos are a gorgeous fruit, and they are an integral ingredient to one of my favorite cooking sauces from North America–salsa verde. The fruit, which is encased in a papery husk like a leafy Chinese lantern made of mulberry paper, is often thought of as simply green in color, but the truth is, the hues […]

Preserving the Local Harvest: A General Introduction to Pressure Canning

This year’s Eat Local Challenge revolves around preserving the harvest, and like eating locally, this is something I do just as a natural course of events. When I told Morganna what the theme of this year’s challenge was, she said, “But what is the big deal–everyone knows about canning and freezing, don’t they?”
Well, in […]

Farmer’s Market Find: Purple Cauliflower

One of the best things about going to the farmer’s market diligently every summer Saturday is the thrill of finding something new. And with so many farmers in Athens growing so many wonderful crops and critters, one is bound to find something new nearly every week.
This week, one of my best finds (you’ll hear about […]

The Essential Vietnamese Sauce: Nuoc Mau

It looks rather like sorghum molasses, or espresso with a swirled froth of reddish gold crema on top.
But it is neither of these things.
It is dark, it is deep, it consists of two ingredients, and while it is simple to make it is not easy.
And, it is an essential component to many […]