kitchen adventures
After a solid week of cold rain, we’re beginning to see the sun, and oh, doesn’t the sunshine feel good on my face! I imagine that’s a bit of what the plants experience, as they stretch toward the light and warmth. This week’s box – CSA 2023 week 2 –
Rhubarb is one of the first local crops to appear at the Farmers Market or in my CSA box. I always get excited when I see it, and I love to make a good rhubarb crumble with the first of the season. It’s the first thing I’ll make, when I
Springtime in Michigan is an iffy proposition. Two weeks ago we had a preview of summer: for almost a week it was sunny with a high in the mid-80s. That didn’t last, of course, and the weather took a different direction. During this past week, it’s been in the chilly
This is the time of year when CSAs fill their customer lists – so if you have been meaning to look into a CSA, it’s time to act now. You’ve heard of CSAs, right? CSA is short for Community Supported Agriculture, and it’s a great way to buy local seasonal food directly
These traditional refrigerator pickles – Do Chua – are a typical condiment that accompanies many classic Vietnamese dishes. You might be most familiar with them on banh mi sandwiches, but you’ll also find them beside rise plates, noodle bowls, and salads. They’re easy to make, and you need not make
Well, it’s finally here: CSA 2022 week 28, the very last week of bounty from our farmers at Beaverland Farms. Unsurprisingly, our box contains cool weather produce: potatoes, beets, and an adorable little butternut squash. After this week, we’ll be visiting our local farmers market, where I’m sure we’ll be able to
The first time I made this beet chocolate cake, my family was skeptical. However, when it came out of the oven, the first loaf disappeared within 20 minutes (I timed it). You can almost persuade yourself that it’s healthy. This may be the original Red Velvet cake; you can still
Bagels are always a favorite in my house. Fortunately there’s a good bagel source nearby, so we often have them on hand. We also like to keep something we affectionally call “salmon glop” – a smoked salmon spread with dill, spiked with lemon. It turns a plain bagel into a perfect
Fall in Michigan: beautiful when it’s sunny, gloomy when skies are grey. Unsurprisingly after last week’s frost warning, we have green tomatoes in this week’s box from CSA 2022 week 27. Our farmers at Beaverland Farms can’t keep tomatoes growing forever, so it’ll be goodbye, tomatoes, see you next summer. Our box contains
Our weather has been warm and cool and wet and dry; this is absolutely what we expect in a SE Michigan October. There has already been a frost warning; the growing season here is short. It’s CSA 2022 week 26, and the tomatoes are still coming! Our farmers at Beaverland Farms may
Typical Michigan October weather: quite chilly, and quite warm, sometimes in the same day . Our box from Beaverland Farms shows this also: we have tomatoes and lettuce mix, but also beets and potatoes. CSA 2022 week 25 brings us roots, leaves, and berries, too: there’s a little box of raspberries!
It’s been cool this past week – chances are that’s a permanent state of affairs, as we head into October. Our box from Beaverland Farms has cucumbers and tomatoes – is that summer’s last gasp? CSA 2022 week 24 brings us produce for our last big salads of the season. I’m
I’m Maurita Plouff, and I write about cooking and preserving the local harvest in Southeast Michigan. Any recipe you find here is something I have cooked myself, and enjoyed, and think you might like too. I invite you to try the recipes, and leave comments.