I've been taking lots of pictures of blueberries recently, especially given my recent visit to Phillips Farm, where I brought back a bucket full of super ripe and juicy blueberries. On the northeastern region of the United States, blueberry season runs through the entire month of July and the early weeks of August, enough time to fit in a couple of delectable dishes such as blueberry pie, cobbler or pancakes.
Freshly baked bread can be heavenly. Amy's Bread between 15th Street and 8th Avenue offers a wide array of incredible baked goods, with breads being their specialty.
As soon as you enter into the corridor of the Chelsea Market, the enticing aroma of homemade bread hits you, and before you know it, you're pressed against the glass window watching the bakers work.
I love Asian steamed fish. It's a simple and healthy dish that infuses the bold flavors of ginger, garlic and green onions into a delicate and rich soy broth, in which the fish is cooked. The traditional recipe calls for a whole fish that is typically cooked in a large bamboo steamer. I tweaked the classic recipe to accommodate fillets in place of whole fish and poached the fish in parchment paper to simulate steaming.
We are so lucky to have been able to brought our dahlia tubers from San Francisco, and transplant them in my mom's and pops' garden in northern New Jersey. I just love how the petals have a wild spiny flair, reminiscent of a sea urchin.
This is a spectacular dinner plate dahlia that measures ten inches across. I'm not sure of the variety name, but it certainly is breath-taking.
When this red cabbage is ready to be picked later this summer, I'll make a red cabbage citrus salad. Until then, we'll admire this plant's development.
Relatives of the oyster mushroom family, these gorgeous king trumpet mushrooms with their thick stems add a meaty and substantial texture to recipes.
Fun, whimsical and zany looking, these curly, tender and springy strands are the flower stems of the much loved garlic plant. Garlic scapes can be used in any place of garlic cloves in any recipe.
A quick saute of these tender shoots in olive oil and salt and pepper is a simple way to bring out the sweetness for a delicious side dish.
Quinoa fiesta is a recipe concocted a few years ago when a college roommate of mine had thrown together a mixture of corn, red bell peppers and sauteed onions into a quinoa salad. Since then this recipe has evolved into an incredibly festive, healthy and delicious side dish; one that I am proud to serve to guests at dinner parties.
I love meat on a stick, it's such a fun way to reintroduce favorite marinaded meat recipes. Here's a favorite Korean BBQ recipe to try!
This is a slight variation from the classic green French sorrel. Sister plant red sorrel features beautiful deep rich veins throughout its delicious lemon-accented leaves. I use it salads, sauteed, and blended in sauces and soups. Sorrel is an easy way to add a wonderful bright, fresh and zesty flair.
No other vegetable tells me that summer has arrived better than freshly picked corn.
How to pick: Hold the corn from the bottom of the ear and feel how well the kernals are developed along the way to the top of the ear. A ripe corn should have a feel of uniformity across the length of the ear and roundness on the top to indicate developed kernals.
How to store: Corn loses its sweetness quickly, so it is best to prepare corn on the same day you pick them up, in order to capture the full intensity of its sugars. However, if you are not ready to use them, wrap the ears in plastic to prevent them from drying, and store them in your refrigerator's crisper up to 3 days.
How to pick: Choose brightly colored squash that has a nice firm feel to the touch. Freshly picked squash will still have some prickly fuzz on it. Also try to choose smaller sized squash, which will tend to be sweeter and have smaller seeds.
How to store: In a plastic bag or container, wrap the squash in paper towel and store in your refridgerator's crisper. The paper towel will absorb excess moisture, keeping the squash nice and firm.
Blueberries are in season and at its peak at the Union Square greenmarkets. These plump and juicy berries are so irresistable that maybe only half of the berries make it home, the others have been insatiably gobbled up. It goes without saying that I think this superfood is enjoyed best in its fresh form. However, if you are lucky to have stronger restraint than I do, these yummy berries are wonderful integrated into a pancake mix.
Fluffy Blueberry Pancakes
METHOD
Heat some butter in a skillet over medium heat. Ladle roughly 1/3 cup of batter into the skillet and sprinkle the top with a few blueberries. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
Gorgeous sour cherries, perfect for pies and cobblers!
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