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Rethinking Thanksgiving Turkey
As we come upon Thanksgiving, I find myself asking: “Why turkey?” After all, the traditional feast was built around mythology; authentic records don’t exist. Historians actually surmise that the 1621 colonists viewed the large birds as hard to prepare. Hmmm.…
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Egg Creams, Black Cows, and Other Local Whistle Whetters
Have you ever traveled to a different part of the world and come across an unfamiliar drink, especially one that the locals have given an unusual name? Maybe that’s what caught your eye. That’s what happened when I asked for…
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Soul-Satisfying Soup
The weather is downright cool at night and the leaves are falling: It’s soup season. When I visited my mother on the farm in mid-October, she requested ham soup with dumplings. Upon returning home, I’ve been following that lead, cooking…
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Why – and How – to Create a Family Cookbook
Just over two years ago, I wrote a blog about trying to recreate my Grandmother Bess’ “mystery” pie. This thin vanilla custard creation is a mystery because no one knows how to make it. My 97-year-old mother would love to…
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Lazy Cooking
I suspect I’m like most family cooks; there are times when I’m just not up for preparing dinner. I don’t want restaurant takeout or a premade meal from the grocery store – but something homemade and really easy. Sound familiar?…
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Saving Summer Herbs for Savory Winter Flavors
It’s time to harvest the last of the summer herb garden, and this year I’m vowing to preserve what’s left after a summer of fresh flavorings. The average frost date in our area happens this week, so we’re on borrowed…
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Royal Treatment for the Food of the British Isles
The UK has just finished celebrating British Food Fortnight, an event that commenced two decades ago to encourage consumers to buy from local farms. The idea was that the fun of a national celebration would encourage people to actively seek…
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Can You Name That Apple Dessert?
This is the time of year when my mother and grandmother would get together to make apple pies that were put unbaked into the freezer for a future dessert. They were masters at pastry, and the apples were from my…
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Adding a Little Spice to Your Life
I have an ample supply of herbs and spices in my pantry and herb garden, but I know that a lot of home cooks get by with just a few – the ones that they use over and over again.…
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What to Do with All Those Tomatoes?
I have a bounty of tomatoes in my garden, and I’m looking at new ways to use them. It’s been a good season, a welcome change from last year. But after a few BLTs, several different salads, salsa, and a…
