There’s a lot of goodness baked into Casey Blankenship’s homemade chocolate chip cookies. Folded into each delectable batch are scores of rich, silky chocolate chips, a dash of dedication, a sprinkling of business acumen and a spoonful of public service. Casey Blankenship is an extraordinary baker – and at age 14 – he is one exceptional teenager. Each Saturday – while most of his peers are
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Dawging
You heard it here first. Dawging is the next big thing.What is Dawging? Well, it’s not quite as counter-culture as raving, but it does push the culinary envelope, just a bit. Hold onto your nitrites.Our saga begins when I am sitting in Atlanta, sweating, and reading the New York Times. I bypass all the really important news and go straight to the Food Section where I learn that a new
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Over-the-Rainbow Chard Pie and Sunset Dinner at Restoration Farm
Somewhere, over the rainbow, my CSA share would never end and I’d have a bounty of vegetables twelve months of the year. Ah, well, I can dream of “vegetable heaven.” In the meantime, I can bask in the bodacious and fanciful Swiss chard that proliferates at Restoration Farm. The large curly foliage resembles colossal green fans, and the stems are multi-colored. I once found these imposing
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A Summer Feast, Foster Harris House-style
Blue hydrangeas embellish the table, stemware shimmers and candles flicker, casting an ethereal glow. Diane MacPherson puts a whimsical menu at each place setting and fills each wine glass with cold, crisp Sauvignon Blanc. This is the culmination of the visit to the Foster Harris House in Washington, Virginia - a singular dinner created by Chef John MacPherson, which fêtes the edible gifts
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Flavor, Labor and Neighbors at The Farm at Sunnyside
Breakfast has concluded at the Foster Harris House, and John MacPherson sheds his chef whites in favor of a green tee-shirt, shorts and baseball cap. We hop in the truck and head out into the rolling hills of Rappahannock County. Chef John is putting together a special dinner and he is in search of local ingredients.We drive several miles and finally arrive at The Farm at Sunnyside, a source for
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The Chef’s Canvas
A succession of rectangular plates is arranged on the counter in the kitchen of the Foster Harris House, like a gleaming mosaic of perfect white tiles.Chef John MacPherson steps back and silently considers the potential of the pristine, blank canvas for just a moment. Then - quickly and precisely - he sets to work.I have been given a backstage pass. Welcomed beyond the kitchen door of the Foster
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Do I Dare to Eat a Virginia Peach?
No sooner have I entered the Foster Harris House in Washington, Virginia when I spot it – a deep straw basket delivered by a neighbor, piled high with luscious round orbs, streaked with pink, blush and gold. It has been just a few hours since I’ve departed the Big Apple, and I am confronted with a mountain of giant peaches. The Southern air is a touch sultry and the peaches simply glow with
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Blueberry-Almond Granola and Memories of Acadia National Park
There are no wild blueberries on Long Island, but on Mount Desert Island in Maine they grow in abundance at Acadia National Park. Summertime inspires memories of family camping trips to Acadia, way back when. We would pile in the station wagon and make the drive in two days. How else could my parents manage four boys in the back seat of a car? (The portable DVD player had not yet been invented.)
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Plum Scrumptious
Plum Clafoutis. The name has to make you smile, assuming you can even pronounce it. My ability to spell the word correctly is often challenged. But, talk about a perfect summer dessert.The clafoutis hails from the Limousin region of France and is traditionally made using whole black cherries. The cherries are placed in a buttered dish and baked in a golden batter of eggs, milk, four and
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