Author Archives: Vanessa

Albacore Ceviche with Pumpkin Seeds and Persimmon

I’ve been on a ceviche kick lately. It’s the perfect appetizer…satisfying, yet light. And it perfectly suits my way of cooking…invent as you go. Every weekend I’ve been picking up some type of fish (sustainable only) and experimenting with different ceviche flavor profiles. Eventually I plan to go around the word with my ceviche experiments, [...]
Posted in Food and Drink, Latin American, entertaining, food sustainability, healthy, holidays, seafood | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

1st of November Spicy Bean, Kale, Sausage, and Potato Soup

Oftentimes in the Bay Area, the weather doesn’t match up well with the season. Such as it was on November 1, 2011, when I made this soup. It was balmy, high 70s, no wind but I still wanted a winter soup. I couldn’t help myself. So here it is as we head into a weekend [...]
Posted in from the market, hearty | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Baba Ghanoush with Homemade Harissa

I promised to post this recipe after I posted the harissa recipe a few weeks ago. Apologies for my slowness. In the event you still have some eggplant hanging around in the garden or fridge at this late date, here’s a great way to use it. If you don’t have harissa, this is still fantastic [...]
Posted in DIY, entertaining, from the market, healthy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Homemade harissa d’espelette—a many splendored condiment

Lately I’ve been into making harissas and sambals and other fiery chile-based condiments. I think the attraction is that they provide a quick and easy way for a busy cook to make rather ordinary soups, seasonal salads, and baked chicken or fish a lot more interesting. Less than an hour in the kitchen on a [...]
Posted in DIY, Food and Drink, entertaining, from the market, healthy, pantry staples | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Jammin’ Summer: Wild Blackberries and Feral Plums

There are two summer themes this year—gathering free fruit to make jam, and seeing how little sugar we can get away with using and still call it jam. Ok, sometimes its sauce. But I’m ok with that. I’ve been obsessed with making low sugar jam ever since I served as a judge in the Good [...]
Posted in DIY, Food and Drink, Travel, foraging, fruit, pantry staples, preserving | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fried Green Tomatoes & Burrata for Impatient Gardeners

Chilly Bay Area summers make waiting for that first green tomato to ripen like waiting for Congress to negotiate a budget. Thankfully green tomatoes have a lot more going for them than our typical legislators. They’re way more fun; they have a movie AND a book named after them; they’re tasty; and, instead of making [...]
Posted in entertaining, gardening, hearty | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Plum Gorgeous & Cherries Galore

If you’re a person who reads cookbooks as much for stories as recipes, and aspires to an elegantly rural, abundant lifestyle, then Plum Gorgeous by Romney (Nani) Steele will speak to you. If you swoon over gorgeous photos of seasonal fruits set in dreamy tableaux, Plum Gorgeous, with photos by Sara Remington, will send you [...]
Posted in Books, Food and Drink, dessert, entertaining, from the market, fruit | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Easy, Sustainable Seafood Stew (with variations)

Here’s a method for making a quick seafood stew that’s both sustainable and perfect for casual summer dining. No need to turn the oven on or fuss for hours in the kitchen. Sustainable seafood is a complex topic. Even if you conscientiously refer to the guidelines of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program, you’ll [...]
Posted in DIY, food sustainability, from the market, healthy, seafood | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Kitchen Hacker: Cowboy Stovetop Buttermilk Biscuits & Sorghum Syrup

I enjoy a kitchen challenge. My favorite variety of challenge is when I don’t have the necessary equipment for what I want to accomplish and I have to make do with what’s on hand. I think problem solving in the kitchen makes us smarter cooks. Recently a special someone and I had a hankering for [...]
Posted in DIY, Food and Drink, breads and pizzas, breakfast | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Hands-On DIY Delicious Cooking Class in Healdsburg

If you’re looking for something fun to do in a beautiful setting on Memorial Day weekend, you should consider joining me for a hands-on DIY cooking class at River Myst Haven. It’s a gorgeous place that’s nestled among the hills west of Healdsburg on Westside Road. From scratch, we’ll create building blocks of the DIY [...]
Posted in DIY, book events, classes, community, food sustainability, from the market | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment
  • Buy My Books



  • Shop Chronicle Books

    Cookbook

  • Archives


  • Categories


  • Connect with Vanessa

    Twitter Facebook RSS

    Enter your email address to
    receive my blog posts via email:
    Delivered by FeedBurner

  • Copyright Information

    The recipes and images on this site belong to Vanessa Barrington. Feel free to link here and if you’d like to use a recipe or image, please ask permission first. Thank you.