It’s summer. I know it’s been cool and rainy – but I’m dreaming of sunshine. And the summer solstice holds the promise of warm, sunshiny days ahead. Young tender beets, with greens attached, are plentiful at the farmers market right now. A European favorite, borscht is any soup made ...

It was a cold, wet May, and spring was slow to arrive to our corner of the Adirondacks. In mid-June we’re finally enjoying sunshine and warmth. And I’m craving greens — especially raw greens in salads. When you say salad, most people think of lettuce. And there are many kinds — ...

May was cool and rainy — with more than six inches of rain. We welcome June — and with it, the start of farmers’ market season! More than a month ago we ate the last veggies stored in our freezer from last year. And so we have been impatiently waiting for Farmers’ Market to start ...

Bright, vibrant-red stalks popping up in our garden are another sign that spring has at last arrived in the Adirondacks. A hardy perennial, rhubarb is really a vegetable, not a fruit, though it is primarily used in desserts and has been called "the pie plant". This cool-season perennial, a ...

Spring has arrived, bringing more daylight to the North Country. Gone are the short, dark days of winter. That means that chickens - especially those chicken not raised on indoor chicken farms where they see no daylight - are laying more eggs. Eggs are plentiful, inexpensive, and play a major ...

“The gift of the sugar maple trees is from a benevolent Providence.” — Benjamin Rush, in a letter to Thomas Jefferson. --- It’s the end of March — and Maple Season is upon us! Below-freezing nights and above-freezing days are needed for sap to flow up and down the maple ...

This Sunday, March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day! And Monday, March 18 is National Oatmeal Cookie Day! In Ireland — and throughout the British Isles — oats have provided sustenance for common folk for thousands of years. Long before the potato traveled across the Atlantic, oats are what ...

It’s time for ... sweet chocolate indulgence! On Valentine’s Day, we all love chocolate! Whether you’re cooking at home or going out on a special date, a kid in school or an office employee, chocolate will probably be part of your day. Yes, Valentines is a romantic holiday for lovers. ...

In winter, we crave comfort food. Hearty, aromatic, nourishing barley soup, loaded with vibrant root vegetables, fits the bill. Most Americans are familiar with beef barley soup. But barley soup can be made with chicken, mushrooms, beans, lentils, or peas, so it can easily be a vegan dish. ...

Yes, our farmers’ market is still going strong every Saturday morning at the Hotel Saranac! In past years, the market closed at the end of December, but this year is different. True, there are not as many farmers as in the summer. But there’s still plenty to buy! Juniper Hill sells root ...

“When the leaves are off the trees and the honey from the bees sweetens up your morning cup of tea. You watch its steam arise like the fog into the skies. Grab your hat and coat and walk with me ...” — Dan Bergren, “Mountain Air” --- Pure, unadulterated honey is a real treat. ...

The Thanksgiving holiday has come and gone. November is waning. This year, our garden is deep under a layer of frost and snow. Before the cold came, we dug up our root crops and stored them in a box filled with sand, in a cool place in our garage that does not freeze. In our makeshift root ...

The big feast is over. And you’re left with tons of food: lots of turkey, bowls of mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetables. The perfect Black Friday meal to make with these ingredients is Shepherd’s Pie. Leftover turkey, day-old mashed potatoes and gravy combine with veggies to make an easy, ...

In one form or another, potatoes are found on almost every Thanksgiving table. That may be because they’re a delightfully earthy, savory comfort food. They’re definitely an ideal side dish for the holiday turkey. You’ll need about a half-pound of potatoes per person; that’s about ...

Thanksgiving will be here before you know it — and bright orange winter squash is both a holiday and a seasonal tradition. Sweet or savory, mashed or roasted, bright orange winter squash makes a delicious side dish for turkey. Squash and pumpkin (a type of squash) were probably served at the ...

Autumn is time for roots. These subterranean delights are rough, dirty, gnarled and knotty on the outside, but hold a wealth of flavor, color, and rich nutrients on the inside. Potatoes and carrots come to mind when one says roots, but there is a myriad of others in hues varying from white to ...

Fall is here, leaves are blowing off the trees, and Whiteface Mountain had a dusting of snow. Tender crops — tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, summer squash and zucchini — have been harvested. Summer sweet corn is brown. But gardens and farmstands still have lots to offer. Fall is vibrant ...

With a longer season and hotter summer, the tomato harvest was truly stupendous this year. Farm fresh tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers are still abundant – but will be gone soon. They are the ingredients of awesome summer salads made without lettuce or other greens. Horiatiki, or ...

It’s September — and cold weather is on its way. We’ve already had a mild frost, and though the next few days promise to be warmer, autumn is on its way. Before the frost hit, I hurried to the garden to harvest the basil. We think of basil as an Italian herb – and without doubt ...

“The time has come,” the Walrus said, “To talk of many things: Of shoes — and ships — and sealing-wax. Of cabbages — and kings --. And why the sea is boiling hot — And whether pigs have wings.” — (Lewis Carroll in “The Walrus and the ...