April is local cheese month! Several area cheesemakers sell their products at summer farmers’ markets and in local health food shops year round. We eat cheese all year — and almost daily. We put it on sandwiches; in soups, salads and casseroles; as a sauce for vegetables or a topping for ...
What grows in dark, damp caves, has no leaves, roots, flowers or seeds, and is in season all year long? Mushrooms. Although considered a vegetable by most, mushrooms are actually fungi. More than 3,000 varieties can be found growing wild throughout the world. Of these, morels — which ...
Spring has sprung. Rain is slowly melting the snow. Soon, flowers will bloom. Passover and Easter have come and gone. We’ve joined with friends and family to share food and fellowship, celebrate the miracles of Exodus and Resurrection, and the new life of spring. Then all the guests go ...
All around the world, eggs are central to spring holidays. Since time immemorial, they have been a symbol of spring, fertility and new life. It is time to dust off old spring traditions and celebrate with family — and eggs! At the Passover feast, eggs symbolize life, sacrifice and rebirth. ...
The sun shines warm and the sounds of melting snow are everywhere. Spring is not quite here, but the snow is melting fast, and the days are becoming noticeably longer. Longer days mean more light, which means that hens lay more eggs. In addition, they contain ample amounts of vitamins A, D, ...
February is the peak of flu season, which began in October and lasts until May. This year, the flu has been especially severe and widespread. The flu has killed 85 adults and 20 children, and death tolls keep rising. Alabama declared a state of emergency due to flu. There are shortages of ...
Although our February days are getting longer, they’re still short and chilly. The ground is covered with a blanket of ice and snow. The skies gray and cloudy. It seems fresh produce is out of season. Yet winter is the time for fragrant, juicy, vibrant citrus — at their peak from November ...
Ah, summer. It is gone – but it will come again, bringing fresh greens and sun-ripened, garden fresh, juicy tomatoes ... I shun store-bought tomatoes that have traveled in refrigerated trucks across the continent. They don’t even come close in flavor to our summer garden gems. Fresh ...
Baby, it’s cold outside! When you’re chilled to the bone, there’s nothing like a bowl of hot soup. The thermometer shows negative digits. Winds howl and blow. Soup simmers on the stove, filling the house with comforting scents. It creates steam, adding humidity and warmth to dry ...
Did you make New Year’s Resolutions in 2018? Was one of your New Year’s Resolutions to stay on a budget? Or to stay in shape? Or have healthier eating habits? Did you make a resolution to lose weight? According to data from the University of Scranton, about 45 percent of Americans make ...
The passing of one year and the birth of a new one is cause for revelry and reflection. The traditions that accompany this rite of passage depend on our culture, ethnicity, religion and economic stature. How we choose to celebrate and commemorate is very individual. Whether you participate ...
Are you tired of the shopping frenzy? How about making gifts instead of buying them! There is still time to make gifts. Most people have way too much stuff. Homemade treats and handcrafted gifts are appreciated far more than store-bought trinkets made across the ocean which just sit and ...
It’s that time of year again: time to plan the Thanksgiving menu. It is easy to fall into habits of customary sides to serve with turkey, like corn pudding or green bean casserole. But why not change up the boring, expected fare and try something new and different? Simple, vibrant veggie ...
Days are short. Nights are long and chilly. Leaves are falling. Geese are flying. It’s time for apples! And the spice you need to season all those apples you pick at a local orchard is cinnamon! Once prized and rare, today cinnamon is one of the more common spices. Native to India, the ...
The calendar says its autumn — a time when apples and cabbages are at their peak. In addition to the common, round cabbage heads there are many Oriental varieties: tubular heads of Napa and non-heading choy. They’re gaining popularity and becoming widely available at farmers’ markets ...
Labor Day is past. School has begun. Leaves are starting to turn. Apples are dropping from trees. We had our first frost the first day of September. If you have a garden, hopefully you covered your basil, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and zucchini. This is the time of year that farmers' ...
It’s the middle of summer, and zucchini are everywhere. These summer squash plants are so fruitful that by early August, even our North Country gardens are overflowing with an abundant crop. In fact, Chase’s Calendar of Events lists August 8 as Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbors’ ...
Summer is here — and among the bountiful produce are fresh summer fruits. The earliest of these are strawberries, followed by cherries, peaches and raspberries. Blueberries will come soon; a bit later, melons and many plum varieties. Fall will bring grapes, blackberries, apples and ...
Arugula is popping up in our garden! This early spring green is a cool weather crop that grows best in late spring and early summer. Though not well known as lettuce or spinach, it is easy to grow and matures quickly. It is best sown early, since warm, dry summer weather will make the leaves ...
Earlier in the season, stores were full of pencil-thin asparagus spears. Now, thick stalks of asparagus are popping up in our garden. Fresh asparagus is a delectable spring treat. If, like my friend Theresa, you’ve only had the canned variety, there is no comparison. The crisp, tender ...