Food & Drink

My last two columns on home fermentation triggered a surprising number of email questions from readers. In today’s column, I’ll address the three most commonly asked questions and pass on a couple new recipes. How can I tell if it’s safe to eat? Fermentation is one of the oldest methods of food preservation. It’s very […]

Lacto-fermentation is an age-old process where beneficial “friendly” bacteria, known as lactic acid bacteria (LAB for short), transform vegetables into more nutritious and complex flavored foods with an extended shelf life. These microorganisms break down complex molecules into simpler, more digestible substances, increasing the bioavailability of vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Food that has been fermented […]

Mother’s Day customs in the United States are as varied as the mothers they celebrate. The holiday has evolved from its original purpose of promoting community service and education for women, to a more celebratory event reflecting a vivid patchwork of traditions. For some it’s a day to relax, some come to party, and for […]

When I was a child my happiest moments were spent wandering in the expanse of woods behind our house. In the springtime the woodland floor would be thickly carpeted with native wildflowers like spring beauties, Dutchman’s Britches, trillium, Mayapple and sweet William. Now my own children look forward to springtime romps in “Mommy’s special woods.” […]

The COVID-19 has been a major wake-up call. It’s made us realize how vulnerable we are. The Spanish Flu pandemic was a hundred years ago. In all the years hence, the advances in modern medicine and pharmacology haven’t been able to prevent over 3 million COVID deaths worldwide. This pandemic should be motivating us to […]

The first spears of asparagus began popping up through the soil in my garden last week. Likewise the spinach seeds that I planted way back in February are finally showing their true leaves and it won’t be long until these much anticipated spring delicacies make their appearance on our table. When they do I know […]

Copper Pot Cooking Studio celebrated its fifth anniversary in March with the installation of a little cookbook library and micropantry, custom-built for them by Girl Scout Troop #6318. Denise Perry, who owns the cooking studio on the corner of MacArthur and Laurel Avenue in Springfield, said that the project had been on her mind for […]

There are about as many different ways to hard-cook eggs as there are ways to serve them. Whether deviled, diced into egg salad or grated over plump spears of asparagus, hard-cooked eggs are an essential component of many spring menus. Indeed, eggs have symbolized new life and rebirth for millennia so it makes sense that […]

In 2013, three chefs from Chicago’s acclaimed Alinea Group went on an R&D trip to Spain in pursuit of inspiration for upcoming menus. In San Sebastian, the culinary capital of Spain’s Basque region, their tour guides were the head chefs of restaurants Mugaritz and Arzak. The five members of this entourage were all superstars of […]

There are few pieces of kitchen equipment as versatile and hardworking as the humble half-sheet pan. This 13-inch by 18-inch rimmed metal pan has short, one-inch-deep sides that perfectly contain diced vegetables or savory juices from roasting chicken while still allowing for sufficient airflow to facilitate browning and rapid cooking. Half-size sheet pans are slightly […]