The Christmas countdown: food gifts worth giving
Christmas came early in my kitchen this year. You see, it was Cyber Monday and there’s this feeling that the deals will just pass you by — and I just caved. I let my husband let me buy what I’ve wanted all year: a Vitamix. Oh man is it great. I read a bunch of reviews … Read more
Rebuilding the Foodshed, Soil & Human Health — VA Farm-to-Table Conference
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. That’s right, it’s food-and-farms conference season. It’s that time of year when production in the field slows and farmers huddle inside event centers to discuss best practices and plot their course for the coming years. Did I mention that local farming conferences have some great local food? … Read more
Ode to a Peaceful #Thanksgiving Prep
As a journalist trained by daily deadlines, I am by nature a procrastinator. I do some of my best work (or at least most of my work) on deadline. But, when it comes to creative “work” — i.e. cooking or decorating or crafting — deadlines do not seem to work in my favor. I’ve learned … Read more
Thanksgiving prep: The Big Bird Decision
Thanksgiving. I really like everything about the word, the holiday, the thought of a day centered on cooking and eating and family and thanking the good Lord. So imagine my delight when I was able to convince one set of my parents to come hither to Virginia for this year’s holiday! (Are you imagining it? … Read more
Guest Post from a weight-lifting vegetarian
I first met Edouard Sooh when he worked at the Natural Healthway Foods store in Belle Haven. Between waiting on customers, he seemed to always have one of the store’s fat textbooks about natural eating open across the counter, researching at great lengths the details of how our bodies function and which foods might help them function … Read more
My First Food Swap
As you may know, I was bitten by the canning bug this year. What you may not know is that the logical next step (after hosting a preservation party) is attending a Food Swap. And it’s a great step, perhaps my favorite so far (and certainly better than the peel-50-peaches step). I had the pleasure of … Read more
P.Y.O Pumpkins, Apples, Paw Paws & Recipes
WE WENT TO THE PUMPKIN PATCH! And it was everything I’d hoped it would be. Fall-like, family friendly, and we even found a photographer to bring along! Thanks to Jami McDowell for taking these great shots! (And, yes, that is a hair flip in the above photograph. That’s apparently what I do while walking to … Read more
Chefs as Catalysts for Change — Storified
Update: In celebration of Food Day, which is today, here is a compilation of the tweets STORIFIED from Monday’s panel discussion — which went swimmingly! We learned so much from the panelists and keynote speaker Chef Spike Gjerde of Woodberry Kitchen. And, for those of you who couldn’t make it, “farm-to-table” is out — isn’t everything … Read more
Fall Calls: Pumpkin (grain-free) Muffins & Other Seasonal Ideas
It didn’t feel much like fall this past Saturday as we sat through a sweltering, 90-degree day to watch Navy beat Air Force in Annapolis. But that didn’t stop us from ushering as much fall flavor as possible into our breakfast tailgate and stop-by-the-car halftime lunch. My friend Christi (pictured below) made these to-die-for pumpkin … Read more
Virginia wine country — revisited
Isn’t Virginia beautiful? This is a view from the winery we stayed at now two weekends ago, Veritas Vineyards. Perhaps you were among the thousands of people there, too, for the last Starry Nights concert of the season, featuring Love Canon and some beautiful first-of-fall weather? I am fairly obsessed with this wine-growing region near … Read more
