Vegetables and Legumes
SPRINGTIME IN SICILYIn the markets of Palermo, vendors share deliciously imprecise recipes
PALERMO, Italy — Nestled among the faded gray and peeling concrete buildings, some still cratered by World War II bombings, sits one of the liveliest markets in Sicily. Bright red and blue awnings cover hundreds of stalls in the colorful Ballarò, the most extensive of many markets in this charming, chaotic city. I traverse the …
Read moreFiddleheads are the season’s star shoots
LEXINGTON — Deep green, earthy spirals wound as tight as coils, fiddleheads burst into the spring produce bin for a few weeks. They’re shoots, and they’re at their best when tightly coiled. They grow into graceful ostrich ferns — but alas, the pretty ferns are no longer edible. Fiddleheads’ spiral shape gives rise to their …
Read moreWhite Asparagus
Right about now the Germans are going gaga over white asparagus– it is “spargel” (asparagus) season. Actually it is white asparagus season in many European countries. Many of us only know the limp white spears we see in jars or cans; they are fine on a salad, but the fresh ones, while a bit expensive, …
Read moreA little barley goes a long way to beef up a soup or vegetablesUse it instead of high-carb pasta, potatoes or rice
Tired of potatoes, rice, and pasta? Looking for another carb with some nutritional clout? Try barley. When cooked, barley has a soft but slightly crunchy texture. When added to soups, it makes them creamy. It is a great base for a pilaf. Barley has a long history. Part of the human diet for several thousand …
Read moreBeauty secrets? Check the fridge — Make skin cream and a snack, too
Sometimes it’s OK to have egg on your face – or banana or yogurt or apricot or avocado. Just call it a food facial. Facials at salons can be expensive, great for a birthday present for a friend, maybe, or a splurge for yourself. Instead, consider shopping for your salad and your beauty at the …
Read moreLoad up your plate with regional Italian delicacies at a ‘sagra’
MAGLIANO, Italy – There you are, dining al fresco on a warm summer’s eve in the Italian countryside. Plates of the ”gastronomia tipica” (local dish) are splayed out before you, and a pitcher of hearty wine is being passed your way. You are engulfed in a lively, informal atmosphere. The flow of food and conversation …
Read moreSecret to a luncheon feast is finally out of the bag
She unfurls her cloth napkin. She lays out her silverware. The aroma of a real meal emanates from under the lid just lifted. With anticipation, she begins her lunch. Everyone asks: ”Do you eat like this every day?” Inadequacy is in the air. Excuses are floating thick and fast. Lunch mates reach into wrinkled paper …
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Bento:Build a Better Lunch
Debra Samuels, bestselling author, food writer and cooking instructor, wants to give the American lunchbox a makeover. In the chapter on “bento,” the traditional Japanese lunch box, in her upcoming book, My Japanese Table, Debra encourages the use of color, texture and taste to create healthier and more visually appealing meals.
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