My friend Ms. Zany tells me they pickle everything in her hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania – beans, beets, red peppers and even hard cooked eggs. Some people – who clearly see themselves as slick urbanites – raise an eyebrow when she mentions this, and I assure you, she mentions it fairly frequently. I like Zany. She knows what’s important in life. Yet, for all my prowess in the kitchen, I’ve
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Thank God for Organic Vegetables
I am a true believer. Organic vegetables from the community garden are a blessing. Amen!It’s even better when the organic garden is run by a group of Dominican nuns. Maybe I’ll get extra credit in heaven for doing something good for the Earth.That looked doubtful a few weeks ago, as I’d systematically avoided every available opportunity to do my required 15 hours of work in the garden as part
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Jackson Heights, NY: Noshing in the Nation’s Most Diverse Zip Code
The great food connoisseurs say, “Go abroad. You will only truly understand cuisine when you cook and eat among the major cultures of the world.”Have you checked the price of an airline ticket recently? Enter my colleague, Hal2001, a creative thinker and an epicurean who never hesitates to embrace the bold, big idea. He has recently relocated to Jackson Heights, and has been exploring the
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Camp Cheddar
I’m too old to qualify for the draft (although I may never have really “qualified”) but nonetheless, I decide to enlist – in Cheese Boot Camp. (I might have actually given more than a passing thought to ROTC if cheese had been part of the deal.)I get the first email from my drill sergeant Taylor Cocalis at Murray’s Cheese in Greenwich Village. “Eat plenty of greens (got that covered) and report
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If It Can Work in San Francisco, It Can Work in New York
I know that lately I am obsessing over organic vegetables and farmers markets. Maybe it’s the summer season. Or maybe it’s because obsession tends to be a slight issue with me (see series of posts on mini-bundt cakes). At least this obsession has plenty of fiber.So, when – by chance – I find myself to be staying just steps away from the historic San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market (for once
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First Visit to Sophia Garden and Spinning with Salads
The summer sun beats down on my neck as I walk across the field towards the pickup area for newly harvested vegetables at Sophia Garden. There is a tented area to shade the vegetables and two volunteers are nearby to give direction.I ask how the system works, mentioning that my parents picked up my share the first time. “You’re that guy?” asked a volunteer.I do a double take. Is she talking to me
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Patriotic Pancakes for a Blog Birthday
Culinary Types turns two-years-old today, marking twenty-four months and thousands and thousands of words devoted to food and the people who love it! Many thanks to you – my loyal readers – who regularly drop by for a taste of history, drama or comedy, topped off with a great big slice of Retro Cake.Today is also Independence Day, the birthday of the United States of America. What better way to
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