Author: Tammy Everts

  • Recipe: Cream of Shallot Soup

    2010_03_04-Soup.jpgSpring is just around the corner, but there’s just enough time to squeeze this late-late-winter recipe into your cream soup arsenal before it arrives. The delicate bite of shallots is more subtle than the flavor you get from onions, while the egg yolks provide an extra depth of creaminess.

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  • Sorapot by Joey Roth

    030210-sorapot-1.jpgFor us, the ritual of brewing tea is as meditative as drinking it. We love the idea of tossing our favorite loose-leaf jasmine green tea into this Zen-meets-architectural-design teapot from San Francisco designer Joey Roth, and watching the color bloom in rhythm with the aroma.

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  • Recipe: Cauliflower Purée

    022410-cauliflower-puree.jpgAfter trying a version of cauliflower puree at a local restaurant a couple of years back, I just had to track down a recipe. If you want to impress your guests, you can call this classic French dish by its original name: chou-fleur purée. Traditionally used as a bed for serving roasted meats, in lieu of potatoes, it also makes a great side dish sans meat.

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  • Technique: Slow Cooking Without a Slow Cooker

    022310-no-slow-cooker.jpgAfter reading Emma’s Ultimate Cheater Pulled Pork recipe last week, I was craving homemade pulled pork, but was saddened by the fact that, without a slow cooker, it seemed beyond my reach. I did some digging, however, and learned that there are some easy workarounds for this dilemma, and that my days of being stymied by slow cooker recipes are behind me.

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  • Good Product: Wooden Toaster Tongs

    2010_02_18-ToasterTongs.jpgAt first glance, the idea of tongs dedicated to toaster use seems about as vital as having a separate set of spoons for caviar. But if, like me, (a) you have a partner who loves crumpets, and (b) said partner has a habit of fishing in the toaster for said crumpets with a fork, and (c) you really like your partner, this little wooden gadget starts to sound a lot more valuable.

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  • Deep-Winter Dishes: 5 Recipes to Reinvigorate Your Palate

    At this point in the year, we’re doing our best to eat locally as much as possible, but sometimes it’s hard to get excited about it. We dug into our archives for some inspiring takes on classic deep-winter ingredients like sweet potatoes, sunchokes, beets, and butternut squash.

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  • Recipe: Apple and Parsnip Soup

    021110-apple-parsnip-soup.jpgWe’re in the throes of deep-winter eating and there are definitely some days when it’s hard to find cooking inspiration in the produce section. This recipe, which was passed along by a friend, came just in time. The brilliant pairing of apples and parsnips is new and refreshing without being weird.

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  • 6 Things You Can Do Now to Eat Locally This Summer

    020910-local-eating.jpgIn many parts of the continent, we’re still in the throes of winter, so planning now for summer fare may seem far-fetched. But if you want to enjoy the full bounty of summertime, this is the time to start thinking about where your food will be coming from.

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  • Kitchen Organization: A Special Drawer for Kid Dishes

    020410-kitchen-kids.jpgIf we want our children to learn how to participate in household chores, we have to make it easy for them to help out, and we are always looking for ways to make the kitchen more kid-friendly. So we love how Sharilyn at the blog Lovely Design has created a special kitchen drawer for her daughter Adelaide’s dishes, cups, and cutlery.

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  • Good Idea: Toaster Pancakes

    020210-toaster-pancakes.jpgFrom the “Duh… eureka!” files: I’m embarrassed to admit to how many perfectly good pancakes I gave to the dog before it occurred to me to start freezing leftovers to reheat in the toaster. It’s a wonderful way to get a taste of the weekend on an otherwise rushed weekday morning. Here are a few tips.

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  • Cheap & Eco-Friendly: Frigoverre Glass Storage Containers

    012810-frigoverre2.jpgIn an ideal world, we’d use nothing but cool vintage Pyrex containers for storing leftovers. But in an ideal world these containers would still be as cheap and plentiful as they were before they become sought-after collectibles. Enter these very simple, very affordable, very kitchen-friendly Frigoverre glass storage containers from Bormioli Rocco.

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  • Keep Calm and Have a Cupcake Print

    012610-cupcake-print-1.jpgIn recent years, the circa-WWII Keep Calm and Carry On poster has inspired countless affectionate spoofs. This is the newest one to cross our path. It’s a timeless message that we can all get behind.

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  • Agave Nectar: Healthful or Harmful?

    012110-agave-nectar.jpgWhen agave nectar burst onto the health food market, many people were excited about it as a substitute for refined sugar. But a growing body of research indicates that agave nectar — which is not, in fact, a nectar and is processed in much the same way as high-fructose corn syrup — might be as unhealthy as HFCS is purported to be.

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  • The Little House Cookbook by Barbara M. Walker Book Review 2010

    011910-little-house-cookbook.jpgAfter seeing Faith’s delectable post about making maple syrup taffy à la Little House in the Big Woods, I was compelled to pull down my battered copy of The Little House Cookbook and pore over the recipes inside. If, like me, you regularly re-read the Little House series as much for the mouthwatering food writing as for the stories, this cookbook is a must-read.

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  • Gallery: Light, Bright Kitchens

    Are there many things more satisfying than working with lovely fresh ingredients in a bright, cheerful kitchen? This gallery offers a variety of ideas for creating your own bright culinary oasis. Light wall color, to start. A tough stance on clutter helps, too. White- or light-painted cupboards for an added boost. And a healthy burst of sunshine doesn’t hurt, either.

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  • Perpetual Gardening Calendar by Krankpress

    2010_01_14-Calendars.jpgWhat a gorgeous way to stay mindful of what kinds of local produce are in season. And even if you don’t garden, we love the connectedness of knowing what farmers and gardeners are sowing each month. Krankpress makes these lovely perpetual calendars for west-coasters from Southern California to the Pacific Northwest.

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