Fresh, sweet corn is so delicious and versatile in cooking — soups, salads, sauces, side dishes, even desserts are irresistable when made with corn. But good corn can be difficult to find. Corn is usually sold naked in supermarkets. Ears of corn need their protective husks; removing the husk shortens the lifespan of the sugars […]

Yes, we all love to eat tortilla chips with guacamole at next Sunday’s party, but how about thinking outside the bag? I like to serve a variety of vehicles for eating party dips. Try some of these new crunchies at the next TV party: Fried Chips (cooking in 350-degree vegetable oil and immediately sprinkled with […]

The favorite recipe from yesterday’s cooking class was the balsamic sauce on seared salmon. The sweet and sour qualities of balsamic vinegar are a wonderful compliment to many foods. Plus, the capers add saltiness and the raisins add sweetness. I also use this sauce on roasted vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, onions, or any […]

The tomatoes are fabulously delicious this year. We are growing red Jet Star and yellow Golden Girl, and pick of the crop is available for purchase at Kitchen Conservatory (to accompany our garlic and basil!). A truly vine-ripened tomato falls into your hands when you cup the bottom of the fruit; no tugging necessary to pick […]

With a combination of sweet and hot flavors, pepper jelly is a delicious condiment on so many foods, including cheese, meats, and breads. The jelly can be made with any kind of pepper — from sweet bell peppers to red hot chile peppers or a combination. The peppers are balanced with fruit, sugar, and vinegar to tingle the […]

Where to find the best burger? At home, if you make it yourself. A delicious burger is made from freshly-ground meat, lightly packed, cooked on a high heat for a short period of time, and served on a homemade bun with homemade sauce. Yes, you can make this delicious treat. Once you taste your own […]

An elegant dish to serve for the holidays is duck. Since duck parts are not readily available, I have to buy whole ducks and bone them, which is actually an advantage, because one duck can make four dishes. Make duck stock (and then soup) with the bones. Make duck liver pate with the liver. Make duck confit with the […]

The turkey has landed! This 22-pound bird roasted for 3 hours (first hour at 400 degrees, then the next 2 hours at 325 degrees) to an internal temperature in the breast meat of 155 degrees. In answer to the yearly questions: No, I don’t brine (brining is only necessary if the bird is going to […]

Our favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, which is all about eating delicious food, is coming up. Besides ordering your turkey, you can also make ahead the cranberry relish. Here is a favorite recipe. We still have a few openings in our upcoming Thanksgiving cooking classes. To find all of our favorite tools for making a perfect Thanksgiving dinner. Cranberry-Apricot Relish […]

Planked fish is a very old style of cooking food (Lewis and Clark ate fish cooked on planks by Indians on their 1804 tour), but is still a fashionable cooking method. Aromatic cedar wood is wonderful for imparting a wonderful flavor to food. Tonight we ate cedar-planked salmon (caught by me in Lake Michigan!) topped […]