It’s spring. The freezer and root cellar are close to empty. But lentils, beans and grains are plentiful. It’s time to renew our acquaintance with these humble, ancient staples. Many Americans are unfamiliar with the tiny, lens-shaped legumes we call lentils. In ancient times, these ...

“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 Carpenter.” Did you ...

“The gift of the sugar maple trees is from a benevolent Providence.” — Benjamin Rush, in a letter to Thomas Jefferson. The calendar still says winter. But warm days and below-freezing nights have meant that even in February, some producers were tapping trees for the season’s sweet ...

On gray, gloomy, chilly days, many turn to creamy, gooey, warm macaroni and cheese. The starchy, quintessential cold weather dish is a favorite among children and adults. In November, I was a vendor at the North Country Community College’s Holiday Fair. Lunch was a fundraiser for the ...

Carnival ended with a bang. The Super Bowl is over. Valentine’s Day has passed. Rain and warm temperatures reduced the Ice Palace to a pile of ice cubes. The cold temperatures and snow have returned. There are still a few weeks before the calendar says spring. When the weather outside ...

We celebrated Roman togas. We commemorated Saint Valentine’s martyrdom — he aided the escape of imprisoned Christians during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Now it is time to salute our presidents. The third Monday in February was set aside to honor our first president, George Washington, ...