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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.Twitter Updates
- RT @NaomiStarkman: Via @nprnews: Photos: rural In CA More of Lisa Hamilton's wonderful work! realrural.org http://t.co/KjERbviT 2012/02/13
- RT @amytropolis: Foodie Underground: 50 Pick Up Lines for Scoring a Foodie: http://t.co/rJMedIkL Ha! Good one! 2012/02/13
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Category Archives: from the market
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 [...]
Also posted in hearty Tagged bean and kale soup, bean soup with sausage, bean soups, Bi-Rite, potato and kale soup, Rancho Gordo, winter soups 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 [...]
Also posted in DIY, entertaining, healthy Tagged dips, dips and spreads, DIY Baba Ghanoush, DIY Delicious, DIY Harissa, entertaining, harvest, healthy, summer, vegetarian 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 [...]
Also posted in DIY, Food and Drink, entertaining, healthy, pantry staples Tagged Basque chiles, condiments, corn salad, DIY condiments, dried chiles, harissa, Mediterranean food, Middle Eastern food, pantry, piment d'espelette, potato salad 5 Comments
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 [...]
Also posted in Books, Food and Drink, dessert, entertaining, fruit Tagged DIY Delicious, Gluten free baking, gluten free cherry clafoutis, Nani Steele, Romney Steele, Sara Remington, seasonal fruit desserts 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 [...]
Also posted in DIY, food sustainability, healthy, seafood Tagged clams, Monterey Bay squid, Mussels, Seafood Stew, sustainable seafood Leave a 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 [...]
DIY All-Purpose Red Chili Sauce, Posole, and a Little Appreciation
A couple of months ago I was gifted a lovely chile ristra by Annabelle Lenderink of La Tercera Farm. That same day, my friend Ellen came by and I shared some chiles with her. The next thing you know we’re scheming up dishes to make with dried chiles. It’s funny how one really special ingredient [...]
Also posted in DIY, Food and Drink, Latin American, hearty Tagged dried chiles, homemade red chile sauce, hominy, posole, red posole Leave a comment
Creamy Polenta with Spicy Crab
It’s funny how recipes are developed. At least in my house. This one came out of the fateful collision between the opening of crab season and a few scenes in a bad Woody Allen movie. Let me explain. Crab season always opens just before Thanksgiving when everyone is busy with turkey, stuffing, gravy and mashed [...]
Also posted in Food and Drink, entertaining, hearty, seafood Tagged Dungeness crab recipes, Hibiscus Restaurant, spicy crab, spicy crab and grits, spicy crab and polenta 3 Comments
When Pigs Fly: Bacon Tasting
My friend Ellen’s underground restaurant took an interesting turn last week. Instead of dinner, the meal served was brunch and, instead of Ellen being the sole cook and bottle washer, we partnered up on the menu, with the invaluable help of Leila for shopping, prep and clean-up duties. The goal of the brunch was to [...]
7 Simple, Seasonal, (Nearly) One-Pot Meals