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The Rites of Spring, Mesopotamian Style
Spring in our part of New England is sort of springing. Two steps forward, one step back; from cool to warm and back again. Flowers are sprouting up, the promise of warmth is growing, the days are longer, and we’re…
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It’s Spring, and Planting Season for Our Wheat
WARNING: This blog contains gluten. We’re on the cusp of spring growing season. The snow has melted, and the frozen ground below is thawing. It’s the time of year when the farmers I knew as a youth were itching to…
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Dispatch from the Cabbage Patch
My friend Tom suggested I was missing an opportunity to extol the glories of cabbage, especially during the week of St. Patrick’s Day when boiled cabbage and corned beef reigned. As for cabbage, we’re talking about a vegetable that, to…
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Meditation on Meatloaf
One universal meal on the farm was meatloaf. Every farmhouse had a freezer with plenty of ground beef, and meatloaf was a great mainstay to feed a crowd of hungry people. Each farm cook had their own recipe that varied…
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The Fascinating Culinary Odyssey of Odessa
I was recently tempted to add the Ukrainian city of Odessa to my bucket list after reading a wonderful book, Black Sea. Caroline Eden, the author, specializes in travel and food writing and is an expert on that part of…
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Bright Ideas with Citrus
When I was young, this time of year usually meant a big basket of citrus arriving from Florida, courtesy of my grandparents. For a few weeks, it was fresh orange juice in the morning and grapefruit for breakfast. No fancy…
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A Buzz with Flavor: Cooking with Bourbon
When I first moved to Boston and began cooking for others on a regular basis, one of my go-to desserts was a bourbon pie featured in the New York Times Large Type Cookbook. As I think of it, my other…
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This Spud’s For You
Spuds get no respect. I was reminded of that when, this past week, we needed a no-nonsense evening meal. A late meeting meant that we would not be dining until about 8:30, so we needed a fast repast. Thanks to…
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When Food Isn’t Your Main Event
We’re having friends over for a game night, and the evening is going to include dinner. What to eat? The meal in this case isn’t the main event; the games and the guests will be the focus, less about what…
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A Feast for the Eyes from Persia
Mediterranean cuisine is currently trendy for its healthy use of vegetables and meat. But the focus tends to be on Greece and Italy. Instead, I’ve been digging into the food of Persia – or Iran, as we know it today.…
