Volunteering at the Hurley Corn Festival

By Lori Powell

Every year on the third weekend of August, I volunteer to help run the food stand at the Hurley Corn Festival from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. The festival is held down the road from my house in Upstate New York.

This was the 32nd annual festival and each year, it helps to support the Heritage Society. (I was a board member until I moved to Pennsylvania.) I used to also process the vendor applications, find new vendors and then place them at the festival. Not an easy task. I was happy to give up those duties, along with my seat on the board, to Mr. Eric as he is known to his students (he teaches seventh grade history at a local school in Ulster Country).

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A Meal from Mushrooms

By Lori Powell

My fridge is a bit empty due to my being out all last week on a location photo shoot. But if you have a pantry stocked with some good grub that includes some condiments, you’re well on your way to creating a delicious meal for one.

This week I’m going meatless and turning to some meaty portobello mushrooms. I am generally not a fan of these oversized fungi but when roasted, broiled or grilled whole they deliver a different world of flavor. You see, when roasted or broiled, the outside edges and gills get a bit crispy. On the grill over high heat, they get pretty much the same effect, with the added bonus of a smoky hit.

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Shishito Peppers – the New Hot Thing

By Lori Powell

I’m kind of on a vegetable kick at the moment but then, isn’t that what summer is all about? Before we know it, fall’s chill will be in the air and the summer harvest will disappear. Not that I am lamenting summer just yet but I’m really embracing the last two months of the earth’s seasonal bounty.

Every weekend I go to the farmers’ market, whether I’m in Pennsylvania, New York City, Upstate New York or even while on vacation. It is my kind of candy shop.

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Beautiful Beans!

By Lori Powell

About 100 years ago, the string bean had a makeover and was newly uncloaked as a stringless wonder. A very good thing since it was considered laborious to de-string.

Since then, the humble bean has gone on to new heights of popularity. Farmers are growing unusual varieties with exotic names in abundance. I've highlighted three below (see photo) after buying them at the Union Square Greenmarket in New York City.

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Celebrate the Fourth with Corn

By Lori Powell

Too hot to cook…so don’t! Take it outside along with the rest of your Fourth of July BBQ dishes.

Now is the time to use the best produce the season has to offer and in this case, it’s corn, which is a bit early this year. It is the perfect pick of the crop right now.

Since my house is surrounded by fields of corn it only seems appropriate to celebrate the Fourth with some of the earth’s golden bounty.

Take the corn outside and give it a brief spin on the grill along with a poblano pepper and a good set of long tongs. This salad takes only minutes to prepare. My real goal is to give the corn a slight smoky flavor to complement its inherent sweetness and accent it with the slight heat of the poblano.

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