LEMON VERBENA STRAWBERRY COBBLER

Strawberries season is just coming to an end in California, and the harvest this year is on track to hit a record volume. On my recent visit to San Francisco, I took advantage of the prolific season by making a favorite summer recipe: strawberry cobbler.

As many dessert lovers know, strawberry cobbler is a huge crowd pleaser that requires very little effort to prepare. After making this dessert for many years, I was surprised to hear of a potentially better version of this old classic: add a fresh herb - lemon verbena.

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TRUFFLED MAITAKE MUSHROOMS RECIPE

Flaunting layers upon layers of dainty suede-like ruffles, this Japanese mushroom is known by several names: Maitake, Sheep's head, Ram's head and Hen of the woods. In Asia, maitakes are highly valued for their medicinal benefits, which are believed to strengthen the immune system, and notably for cancer patients, stunt or reverse tumor growth.

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HEIRLOOM TOMATO VARIETIES

Early Girl

It's the peak of the season! Did you know there more than 600 heirloom varieties in existence? Each one is uniquely interesting and beautiful. I have been studying and tasting many different types of heirloom varieties, and some tomatoes I liked so much that I saved the seeds for my pop's garden next year. And just for fun, I thought I would take this opportunity to distinguish a couple of the more common ones featured at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza market.

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FRESH LOCAL & BEST in SAN FRANCISCO

After too many days of muggy weather in New York, I am in San Francisco for a retreat from the heat. It's only been a few months since I moved to Manhattan, but this is my second visit back home. Needless to say, I miss dearly the beautiful foggy city by the bay.

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The Dog Days of Summer

I don't think I fully understood the phrase "the dog days of summer" until I got to east coast. Today is particularly miserable as the mercury hits 95 degrees F with 50% humidity. Not good, but not horrendous, given that the barometer can topple 100%, making the situation utterly unbearable.

What makes it worse in mid-town Manhattan, where I live, is that the cement streets absorb and retain heat, and the tall surrounding sky scrapers block off any breeze coming from shore.


So what do I do?

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BOUCHON NEW YORK

Recently my husband enticed me with his description of a very decadent wagyu beef burger at BLT Steak in New York. To which I replied, "Really? Isn't that like fat on fat?" Intensely marbled beef in a notoriously fattening format. He contends it probably one of the best types of beef he has eaten.

Wagyu beef, it sounded so exquisite and luxurious that I had to try this meat for myself.

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HUMMUS RECIPE

Hummus is a traditional Middle Eastern dish that is quickly growing in popularity among chip-dipping Americans. There are several versions of hummus, but most have the same basic ingredients and then calibrate to more or less of those ingredients.

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TAHINI RECIPE

Tahini is a paste made from grounded sesame seeds that is commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking. It's the key ingredient in hummus that adds so much richness and depth to the popular bean dip. While tahini can be found in many health and ethnic food stores, it is so easy to make that I thought I would share the recipe.

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GRAND CENTRAL MARKET

Around the corner and across the street of my Manhattan apartment is a collection of grocery shops at Grand Central station, which I run to whenever I need some last minute items.


I guess you can call this my corner store.

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BASIC BEANS RECIPE

We rarely used canned beans in our house, they are so simple to cook and take so little space in our pantry that we always have dried beans on hand. Home-cooked beans tend to yield a heartier texture and flavors, not surprisingly, superior to canned.

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LOCAL STONE FRUITS

Local stone fruits are finally making their way to the farmer's markets on the northeastern region of the United States.

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OSTERGRUSS

Oster - what?
I've never had this root, ostergruss, but it definitely caught my eye. It looks like a cylindrical radish crossed with a robust carrot.

The notes from Paffenroth Gardens in Warwick, NY describe this root as crisp in texture with both a hot and an unusually sweet flavor. Interesting!

FRESH LOCAL & BEST in CRESTED BUTTE

Situated at 9,000 feet elevation, Crested Butte is a small rustic town, southwest of Denver. Like many parts of the state, Crested Butte offers amazing hiking trails and incredible views from levels as high as 12,000 feet.

On a recent visit to Colorado, we stopped by Crested Butte's farmers market, which runs every Sunday between June and October.


While the growing season in Crested Butte is slim, spanning roughly 60 days, the farmers market does offer impressive variety.

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FRESH LOCAL & BEST in ASPEN

Recently, I returned from a visit to Aspen to check out the farmer's market and local restaurants. This was my first visit to the small town, and I have to admit that I had absolutely no idea what to expect. How was it, you might ask?

Posh. In one word, Aspen is posh. Nestled in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, this swanky scene is much more than your average ski town. Downtown Aspen was eerily familiar, like shopping on Manhattan's upper east side. What were Prada, Fendi and Loro Piana doing in Rockies?

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HEIRLOOM TOMATO ARUGULA SALAD RECIPE

Sweet, juicy and meaty, heirloom tomatoes are a fascinating item at the farmer's market.

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HOLEY PURPLE BELL PEPPER

It looks like some critter got to this purple bell pepper before I could.

CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Soft, smoky, sweet and rich caramelized onions. This is an oldie but goodie. Caramelized onions are a simple way to enhance and add sophistication to your dishes. I'm thinking about caramelized onions on pizza, salads, and grilled meat. Yummy!

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CRANBERRY BEANS

These beans are a show-stopper. The gorgeous pods of this bean are marbled in a radiant fuchsia pink that looks as if someone took a pink marker and went crazy more than once.

More than great looks, cranberry beans are known for their delectable creamy texture and nutty flavor reminiscent of chestnuts. Heavenly!

SAVOY CABBAGE

Double-click on the photo above to get an even closer look at this lacy, vein-patterned leaf. Pretty cool, isn't it?



Tender and milder in flavor than the green and red cabbage varieties, savoy cabbage is my favorite variety for sauteing.

SEVEN SPICE CARNITAS RECIPE

When I think of slow-food, I think of braised meats. Beautifully marbled and muscled cuts of meat tenderized over hours of low heat to sublime perfection. My favorite version of braised meat is carnitas, pork shoulder that is slowly simmered in an exotic array of spices. It is simply divine.

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QUINOA - RINSE AND SPIN CYCLE

High in protein and rich in vitamins and minerals, this small seed packs a big punch in the nutrition arena. So much so that quinoa has been referred to as a supergrain. Indigenous to South America where it has been cultivated for several centuries, this seed has grown wildly popular in American kitchens where it has been adopted as an excellent gluten-free alternative and wonderful go-to grain for those short on time or simply seeking variety. And why not? Nutty with a delicate fluffy grain texture, quinoa is highly versatile and cooks very quickly.

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BAR MASA NEW YORK

For my birthday, my husband and I celebrated at Bar Masa, a Japanese restaurant that we have looking forward visiting to since arriving in New York. Located at the south end of Central Park in Columbus Circle, Bar Masa neighbors some of the city's most revered establishments including Per Se and its sister restaurant, Masa.  However, Bar Masa differentiates itself by offering a more casual approach to an amazing dinner experience, that is - exquisitely avant-garde food in a relaxed setting.

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CILANTRO

HASS AVOCADO

I love hass avocados, it's my favorite varietal of the twenty-some types. In California, where 85% of the avocado crop is the hass varietal, you can find trees growing on the streets, and limbs heavy with fruits.

Richer, more buttery and nuttier and most other varieties, hass avocados are an excellent and highly adaptable fruit, showing up in several different ethnic cuisines such as Japanese, Mexican and across European plates.

If you are interested in preparing hass in a guacamole, here is a detailed recipe, make sure to stick with hass for best results.

GARLIC CLOVE

How do you add flavor with minimal effort and get the most bang for your buck?

Use fresh garlic. This aromatic and intense flavor binds the diversity of ethnic cuisine types and brings a warm familiarity that can best be described as comfort. In my kitchen, not only is fresh garlic comfortable but it is a staple.



How to pick: Choose large, firm bulbs. Avoid garlic that has any soft spot, which means that one or more of the garlic cloves have shriveled or potentially has mold.

How to store: Store in a cool dry place with light. I like to place several bulbs in its own bowl on the countertop or sometimes on the counter alone.

How to peel: Chop off both ends of the garlic and peel back the garlic skin. An alternative is to crush the garlic clove on the side of a chef's knife.

If you prefer to have peeled garlic on hand all the time, you may consider peeling a bulb at a time to store in the refrigerator. Simply soak the garlic bulb in cold water for half an hour, taking care to break apart the bulb along the way. The garlic skins will absorb the moisture like paper and peel off effortlessly.

Dry the peeled cloves, and store in a container that is lined with a fresh paper towel. Place in the refrigerator and replace the paper towel every week ... if you still have any around.

How to prepare: Crushed, minced or sliced, the smaller you cut it, the stronger the flavors.