Emmer farro is an ancient heirloom grain. It looks similar to bulgur wheat or a wheat berry, and it has a nice nutty texture. I like to buy the Bluebird Grain Farms brand, which is grown in Washington state’s Methow Valley.
It makes a good side dish on its own, served as you would rice or wheat berries, but I like to dress it up more like a pilaf or salad.
The combination of tomatoes, mozzarella and pesto (or basil) is a popular appetizer that can be served in many different forms. I have served it as the traditional caprese salad, layering slices of tomato, fresh mozzarella, and basil leaves, drizzled with olive oil. And I have used a fresh basil sprig as a skewer and threaded it through small tomatoes and mini mozzarella balls.
I love this time of year when all of the farmer’s markets and produce stands are selling the season’s first fresh vegetables. Asparagus is abundant in the Northwest at this time of year, and I am always trying to think of new ways to serve it. An easy thing I like to do now is to put it on the grill then throw it in everything from strata to salads.
This salad is based on one that I saw in a magazine 7-8 years ago. I long ago recycled the original recipe, but I use some of its basic ingredients—asparagus, snap peas and edamame—in this salad.
This recipe was given to me by a friend years ago when I lived in Portland, Oregon, while I was attending the Western Culinary Institute. I recently catered an event for a group of 11-year-old girls who are going to enter Forest Ridge next fall. I was asked if I had a good chocolate chip cookie recipe, and I immediately thought of this one because it is both simple and delicious. Continue reading
I’m catering two events this weekend, one Friday and the other Sunday, so I won’t be able to spend Mother’s Day with my mom—but hopefully you will be able to celebrate with yours.
As I mentioned in December, in my “New Year’s Brunch Strata” post (which included a recipe for Butternut Squash and Spinach Breakfast Bake), making a strata for a gathering with friends or families is a good way to let chefs enjoy their guests instead of being stuck in the kitchen. Continue reading
Having worked in the food service industry for 20 years—16 of those as a dog owner—you would think I might have baked dog-specific treats before now. Well, until yesterday, I hadn’t, but given that it was my boy Hudson’s 10th birthday, it seemed liked a good time to start.
I knew I wanted to make cupcakes, so I went online and did a quick search. Recipes were easy to find, and when I saw one on allrecipes.com for peanut butter-carrot cupcakes, my decision was made. Continue reading
I had some pre-sliced salami remaining from an event that I wanted to use, but I wasn’t sure how. We were going to a wine tasting at a friend’s house, where we would be tasting Italian wine—Dolcetto from the Piedmont region, to be precise—and that seemed like a perfect time to serve the salami, but how did I want to present it? Continue reading
A little while ago, out of the blue, I got this sweet email from the nanny of one of my clients: Continue reading
This was a special request from my friend and running partner Andrea. Continue reading
The weather was beautiful earlier this week, and though you can’t count on sunshine every day, the temperature is definitely rising—which means it’s turning into grilling season. Continue reading
Thyme with Sage 