It’s officially getting hot. The wild asparagus is just to the point of being ready in some areas, and the domestic asparagus is in full swing in the markets. We’re probably going to be seeing it for a couple of weeks more while it’s still officially “in season”, and then it will be gone for another year. That’s the thing about seasonal eating: you miss it like crazy while it’s not in season (or pay dearly for it), and then after it’s been in season for a few weeks you’re ready to move on. By the time it’s in season [...]

We’re right at that in-between stage in the weather, where it’s not quite warm, and it’s not quite cold.  It’s been a bit warmer than usual here, but still a bit chilly for outside dining because of the wind.  So we’re getting beautiful scents blowing through the windows, but the breeze is cool enough to make it comfortable to not worry too much about warming up the kitchen.  So the week’s grilling can be done inside or out, depending on the weather where you live.

Subscribers this week get an interesting Mediterranean twist on a familiar favorite with Mediterranean Meatloaf; a simple French [...]

The weather is still a bit dodgy, although the daffodils may be out. It seems to go back and forth between being warm enough for shorts to requiring a winter coat (and having to cover plants at night)! It’s also not quite anything season, either, although gardeners that started vegetables in cold frames might now have spinach and radishes, and possibly asparagus. A couple of weeks ago a friend living in Queensland told me he’d not yet seen asparagus in the markets there.

Because of the unstable weather, please feel free to move menus around to nights when they work [...]

This week, spring has finally sprung.  You’ll notice that for the first time in a very long time, there is no soup on the menu.  And for the first time in a very long time, one meal can be grilled!  The weather is still unpredictable enough that there are still plenty of recipes for the stovetop, oven and slow cooker. We’ll also be using some early spring vegetables, even though for many of us they’re not up yet—at least they’re less-expensive in the stores than they were last month!  We’re using mushrooms, asparagus, spinach and artichokes this week, with not a turnip in sight.  [...]

Last week’s bonus was a Sponge Cake recipe, and I hope you all still have it! It’s key for the Tiramisu recipe this week. And as spring progresses, we’re going to see a fair amount of green this week, using lettuces and spinach. The lettuce won’t be just in salad. If we use things like kale and other greens in soup, why not lettuce? We’ll also have corned beef in Cream of Ruben Soup, and cabbage in a slow-cooked Savory Pork with Cabbage. Other meals on the menu include Spicy Ginger and Lemon Chicken, Crispy Parmesan Fish, Baked Jalapeño Poppers, [...]