Browsing the New York Times the other day, this recipe for zucchini bread using greek yogurt and olive oil caught my eye. It is delicious – more subtle and complex than other zucchini bread recipes. You can taste the olive oil, and the walnuts add the perfect textural contrast.
As Seattle’s weather took a turn for grey skies and showers, thoughts naturally turn to the crisp and cozy days of fall, waiting just around the corner. After this unusually hot and sunny summer, there’s a certain excitement in the air among Seattlelites, looking forward to getting back to wearing rubber boots and hearing rain against the window. With those coming fall and winter days in mind, here’s a mid August garden update, and some ideas for your winter and early spring garden.
Continue reading August Planting for Winter and Spring Harvests
It’s been unseasonably hot all summer. While some parts of the garden are less than thrilled, over in the blueberry section, the mood is quite appreciative. With the bushes busting out, this Bon Appetit recipe for blueberry galette with a pecan crust seemed like just the dessert for a little summer garden party.
When life gives you lemons, you may well find it turns out to be a good thing. You could, for example, trade them in for limes and make this refreshing strawberry lime agua fresca. With a cool, tart, slightly sweet drink in hand, you’re all set to take on the world… and the next heatwave.
Continue reading Strawberry Lime Agua Fresca with a Muddle of Mint
As I sit in the springtime garden writing this, happy birds are playing in the bird bath, flowers are bursting into bloom, and the air smells sweet and fresh. Truly a wonderful spring afternoon. In celebration of the season, our rhubarb theme continues, this time with a new twist on the popular apple tart tatin. Caramelized rhubarb is topped with batter and baked in the oven, for a straightforward and delicious springtime dessert, in this recipe from Saveur.
It’s rhubarb season in Seattle. That special window of time when strawberries and rhubarb coincide and you must make all manner of special desserts to fully enjoy the moment. This flexible two-part slow-cooker cobbler from epicurious lets you make the rhubarb part in advance, if you like, and then bake the lemony biscuits at the time of your rhubarb celebration.
There’s a boatload of parsley springing up in the Seattle garden at the moment. It adds a nice green bite in contrast to the richness of the mushrooms and the heartiness of the beans.
Springtime is greentime in Seattle. And nothing says springtime better than this vibrantly fresh pea and mint soup from epicurious, via our friend Natalie. Bright, fresh pea flavors mingle with silky, flavorful swirls of chive oil. Add garlic-rubbed toasts for the perfect springtime dinner.
Continue reading Fresh Pea and Mint Soup with Chive Oil (And Garlic Rubbed Toasts)
Temperatures in Seattle are set to soar into the low 80’s today… Across the city, people will be unearthing their short pants, pulling out the barbecues for an evening grill, and contemplating making their first warm-weather drinks of the season. May I suggest this banana-ginger granita recipe by Mark Bittman. (Note: You’ll need a frozen banana or two.)
On those occasions when you’re left to your own devices for dinner, and you don’t particularly want to spend too much time cooking, but you also want a dinner that’s satisfying, this sandwich from Mark Bittman’s Kitchen Express is just the thing. (It helps if, like me, you’re part otter, and love pungent fish that comes in tins.) Preparation time: The amount of time it takes to boil an egg.
Continue reading Anchovy, Tomato & Hard-Boiled Egg Sandwich on Rye
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