It’s peak mango season in Florida, which means backyard trees are dripping with fruit, and grocery store bins are filled to the rims. There are more than 500 varieties of mangoes, but common supermarket varieties you’ll find include Tommy Adkins (large red, juicy), Keitt, and Honey. And if you’re really lucky (like if you’re in…
Stuffed Portobello with Tarragon Crumbs
Prior to the mid-1990s, the concept of Portobello mushrooms on our home dinner plates was pretty much nonexistent. We really only heard about these Italian-imported, fancy mushrooms from waiters describing the ingredients in our dishes at high-end restaurants, or we may have spotted them in natural food stores but had no idea what to do…
Field Trip Friday – Planet Claire Farmacy
(Field Trip Fridays capture interesting, fun, food-related and/or fishing adventures that I like to share with you!) Walking through a forest is magical, isn’t it? It’s teeming with life; the trees providing oxygen and shade, and ground cover housing thousands of creatures and habitats. But have you ever seen a ‘food forest’? It’s similar to a nature-made forest,…
Vintage Seafoam Salad
Summer is on its way and we’re feeling the heat here in Florida. To cool things down, I decided to make a dish that’s not only refreshing, but easy. It even jiggles. Yes, it’s a Jello-O® salad! Jell-O has its origins in gelatin (around since the 15th century), but I recently learned that the sweet, dessert…
Roasted Radishes with Butter & Chives
Buying veggies directly from a farm is just plain fun. Many farms even utilize a Consumer Supported Agriculture (CSA) model in which you purchase a membership, and the farm, in turn, supplies you with a box of veggies each week (and sometimes it’s a surprise what’s in there). It’s a great partnership because you support…
Face Masks by Delicious Dry Goods!
You know that phrase “Necessity is the mother of invention“? It’s a concept that has resulted in some pretty amazing inventions, and it’s also a concept that sparked a new product offering in my business! As I sat with my artist hubby in our studio recently, discussing our small business challenges, we remembered a friend’s…
Forgotten Cookies
Craving something sweet? I’ve got you covered. This dessert is not only sweet, it’s a vintage recipe that’s easy to make, has no flour, and is gluten-free. What IS this magical dessert? Meringue cookies, of course! My grandmother made these for as long as I can remember. She didn’t invent them (there are tons of posts…
Shakshuka-Style Cod
This week I’ve been feeling mixed up, out of sorts, and a little depressed. Maybe it’s this August-like hot, humid air that has permeated south Florida. Maybe it’s the state of our world, or the cloud of uncertainty under which we’re living. Maybe it’s because I’m in desperate need of a hair appointment and there’s…
Salmon & Potato Hand Pies
Craving comfort food lately? You’re not alone. The definition of comfort food differs from person to person. When stressed or exhausted, I want meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Or bread pudding. Or homemade macaroni and cheese. Or pizza. Or creamy risotto. Or stuffed cabbage. Or gooey, chocolate cake. It’s actually a pretty long list. My go-to…
Spelt Quick Bread
All-purpose flour and yeast have been popular at grocery stores lately. Could it be that every household in America is baking? If so, that’s wonderful. I love baking. And while I’m a little frustrated I can’t find these two essential baking ingredients, I’m still glad so many people are doing it 🙂 That said, I…
Chickpeas and Pasta
This week I dusted off M.F.K. Fisher’s How to Cook a Wolf. It was published in 1942 and opens with a quote from American humanist Charlotte Perkins (Stetson) Gilman: “There’s a whining at the threshold, There’s a scratching at the floor. To work! To work! In Heaven’s name! The wolf is at the door!” It…
Easy, No-Knead Bread
If I’m offered crusty, chewy bread, it’s hard for me to say ’no, thank you’ and move on. And during times of stress, it’s my favorite thing, toasted and topped with salty butter. I was reminded of my lifelong love of bread this week while reading a post from my friend Jessie at Life As A…