spring

Yard Lettuce with Sherry Vinaigrette

June 8, 2011
Yard Lettuce with Sherry Vinaigrette

One of the earliest harvests from a Zone 5 garden is the tender selection of salad greens. Today I’m making a simple salad of what I like to call yard lettuce (because I go out to the yard to get it, obviously!). Pictured from left to right above are (top row) Red Leaf Lettuce, Green [...]

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Arctic Char with Spring Mushrooms, Asparagus, Ramps

May 15, 2011
Arctic Char with Ramps, Mushrooms, and Asparagus

Arctic Char is a mild-flavored pink fish that is available year round. It is similar in flavor to salmon, but with  a much more delicate, buttery taste. Incidentally, I don’t care for salmon, but I love char. I find it’s a great compromise that satisfies the salmon lovers and the white fish lovers equally. This [...]

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Garden Basil Lemonade

May 11, 2011
Garden Basil Lemonade

Quick! While the sun is still shining, whip up a batch of this simple, refreshing lemonade. If you like using mint with citrus then it’s a safe bet you’ll like using basil, too. Some of the most popular herbs used for culinary purposes come from the mint family: lavender, oregano, rosemary, sage, and basil, to [...]

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Ramp & Pea Pesto Spaghetti

April 30, 2011
Springtime Spaghetti with Wild Ramp & Pea Pesto

It’s springtime in Pittsburgh and the local restaurants and farmers’ markets are serving up the tender young vegetables of spring: morels, fiddleheads, peas,  ramps, and more. This morning I was lucky enough to pick up some ramps and morels from the Mushroom Guy at the Public Market on Smallman. [UPDATE: the Mushroom Guy is actually [...]

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