Corn stalks

Corn stalks, some just inches tall, break New England soil starting late June. They know nothing of our current pandemic. Planted mere inches apart, twelve stalks of corn crowd into 6 square feet.⁠ 🌽⁠
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With an eater's anticipation, I wait for the stalks to convert the intensifying summer sun into sweet kernels for unsurpassable corn. I like eating it raw, the kernels shaved off the cob, or the whole cob boiled only for a minute, until sun-yellow. Here, it is grilled briefly over a live flame, charring enough to become a little chewy. That’s when the salt sticks best. ☀️⁠

Purple Kale Kitchen Works

Ten years ago, I'm elbow-deep in greens as I mull over names for a new venture I've begun: a new way to teach a new way to cook.⁠ ⁠
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"Kitchenworks" is a start. The word recognizes my love of lasting, no-frills kitchen equipment, as well as a commitment to practical, enduring culinary instruction. I search for a modifier, stumbling upon an alliteration called out by the greens in front of me: "kale Kitchen," "kitchen kale."⁠ I tack on “purple” to extend and enforce the rhythm. It is also my favorite color. ⁠
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I don’t foresee that aligning with a vegetable will project that I don’t cook or eat meat. And I can’t predict that an outlier green will become an unflattering meme for a whole socio-economic class. ⁠Simply, I’m tickled at the sound of the words strung together. ⁠
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I’ll learn that others are, too. And with that, a business is born🌿 ⁠#purplekalekitchenworks⁠
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Sear Kale?

Did you ever SEAR kale? Not steam, no. Not sauté. ⁠
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When you sear kale, you press garlicky oil into the softening leaves, turning them a forest green, spotted with yellows and browns. Their edges may crisp, like chips, but only a little. ⁠
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Unlike steamed or sautéed greens, which become watery and bland in a day, seared greens stay flavorful for a week. And because seared greens don’t “weep,” they won’t dull a dish they’re in. ⁠
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Try this: Seared Kale with Dates and Cream, page 51: The Nimble Cook 🌿#thenimblecook

It's Citrus Season

It's citrus season 🍋: @washingtonpost asked for my favorite ways to cook it. Thank you to @eatvoraciously for this opportunity to showcase these recipes + to @lisacherkasky (food styling) + @stacyzaringoldberg (photography) for these awesome photos. To view these three dishes click on the link in my bio. 🌿 #thenimblecook

Lemon + Castelvetrano Olives

The pulp of a lemon clings better than its juice to slippery castelvetrano olives.  Bay Salt (bay leaves ground with kosher salt) imparts more flavor than would a lone, loose leaf.  #learnhowtolook #thenimblecook page 375

Seared Winter Greens

I am loosening greens from the bottom of the pan that presses them flat to another pan to sear. Seared winter greens are tastier than sautéed, and store well for up to 7 days, bringing a dish like Seared Kale with Dates and Cream together in under a minute. The Nimble Cook, page 51. #thenimblecook

Crudite today?

Crudite today? Most peak-of-season ingredients, sliced thinly, can be eaten raw. Take parsnips: peel quickly, cut lengthwise in half, then trim the fibrous cores. Slice into misshapen batons that curl coyly stored in water (to make sure they don't oxidize). Drain, then serve with this pungent Anchovy Dressing. #thenimblecook page 379.

Fig and Dried Lemon Compote

Fig and Dried Lemon Compote⁠: black mission figs steeped in a fall-spiced balsamic caramel, mixed with minced honeyed lemon peel. A dessert that comes together in the little time it takes to scoop the ice cream it goes on. A nimble pantry is not about having the right things on hand, but having things on hand the right way. ⁠

Roasting Citrus Adds a Little Sunshine to Your Winter Recipes

Food feature for The Washington Post with recipes for Slow-Roasted Whole Lemons, Roasted Orange Slices, and Braised Chicken Legs with Roasted Lemons, Capers, and Chile Flakes.