Although the extra-cool Spring has been frustrating to gardeners (we lost our tomato plants last night due to an unexpected frost), the time is right to plant herbs. No plant is as satisfying to grow as herbs, since they generally grow like weeds. Every cook appreciates a bunch of fresh herbs readily available by the [...]

Feast Magazine this month features an article on how to throw a Dinner Party. Many people are intimidated by the thought of hosting a party; there are so many details to consider! Please use the tips in the “Entertaining with Ease” article so that you can relax and enjoy your own party. Go ahead, set [...]

This Spring has seen an infestation of chickweed, which was choking out our tender garlic shoots (planted last October). Our garlic crop — 2,500 heads — look much better with the weeds removed. If all goes well, the the fresh garlic will be harvested between June 15-30 and available at Kitchen Conservatory. Mark your calendar [...]

The long wait is over and the garlic has arrived! Eight months ago, we planted garlic cloves and now we have dug a beautiful crop of garlic heads. The freshly-dug garlic is available for purchase only at Kitchen Conservatory. Hurry in; we always sell out. The garlic is ready earlier than usual, due to the [...]

Sugar — along with salt and fat — make food taste delicious. Sugar balances the tastes of salt and sour and hot. Sugar is not only for dessert; caramelizing the sugars in savory food makes the dish taste better. My goal is to eat the most delicious foods possible. Sugar is a necessity in these [...]

One year, I forgot to remove the bag of giblets from inside of the turkey. We laughed and took a picture of the bag of giblets cooked inside the turkey. Yes, the turkey was safe to eat. The stress of cooking a big meal on a big day for a lot of people always inspires [...]

Kitchen Conservatory is now selling heads of garlic for planting. Garlic is an easy plant for home gardeners to grow. Fresh garlic tastes so much better than what is available at the supermarket. (Garlic from the supermarket cannot be planted.) One clove of garlic will yield one head of garlic. Be sure to plant the [...]

When I was growing up, fresh asparagus was a special treat whose spring arrival was much anticipated. We only were able to eat asparagus a couple of times a year. The rareness of asparagus was part of its allure. I once hosted an all-asparagus dinner party, featuring that delicious vegetable in every course. Then asparagus [...]

Shrimp, which used to be a delicacy, is now ubiquitous. Frozen shrimp, already peeled and deveined, but with the tail left on, is readily available and used by home cooks and restaurant chefs alike. “P-and-D” shrimp is super-easy to use and requires virtually no prep work other than defrosting and cooking. It is a rare [...]

In your tummy. Today, we dug all of our 2,000 heads of garlic and fresh garlic tastes best when eaten fresh. If 2,000 people each bought one head of garlic at Kitchen Conservatory, our storage problem would be solved! Come on in and taste how delicious freshly-dug garlic is! Fresh garlic is not bitter, but [...]