Thinking Pumpkins; Anticipating Fall

By Lori Powell

I have never had a pumpkin patch...until now. When I moved into my rental house, there was a raised bed with rotting pumpkins.

Agreed, it was not so pretty, but thought, wow! How cool would it be to have pumpkins? Well, those pumpkins became compost over the winter and their seeds produced offspring.

First there was a small green one, which is becoming rather large. And then a small orange one popped up, and now a white mini pumpkin. They are literally taking over the garden so I had to take out a couple of plants and steer the vines to the outside of the box to protect the rest of the herbs and tomato plants that were about to be overcome by the big beauties!

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Sweet Summer Corn

By Andrew Hunter

Growing up in Michigan, sweet corn was as much a part of summer as swimming and humidity. I remember going to our local farm market called Leverett’s for corn so sweet that it satisfied my candy cravings.

Mrs. Leverett, who was also our source for pumpkins, Christmas trees and all things seasonal, taught me the quicker you go from stalk to pot, the sweeter the corn will be. I learned as a chef that the natural sugars change to starch after corn is picked, so while she probably didn’t understand the science, Mrs. Leverett knew enough to put a burner and pot of water in the field she was picking to capture that sugar before it escaped.

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Avocado Soup – to Celebrate the Simple

By Lori Powell

It has been hot and super-hot in most of the country, not to mention what it going on with our economy, the world and the markets...not so hot!

Try to keep in mind that the simple things in life are not to be overlooked. We still have lots to be thankful for and if you have your health…well put simply, it does not get much better than that.

So much these days is out of our control but being thankful for what we still have and rewarding ourselves with good food is a good thing.

Make yourself something delicious, invite some friends and celebrate the simple! Here’s a refreshing soup for four to start you on your way.

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Tomatoes in the Raw

By Katie Barreira

August is the right time for a ripe tomato. As a latecomer to the joys of this fresh fruit (ketchup was as close as I came to a tomato in my youth), I do my best to make up for the lost years during tomato season.

Whether it’s grape tomatoes halved in guacamole, beefsteak slices layered with fresh mozzarella or whole sun-warmed heirlooms eaten straight off the vine, I can always find room for fresh tomatoes.

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It’s Easy to Make Thai Chicken Salad

By Joy Liao

Thai cooking is by far, one of my favorites. I love that it utilizes simple, fresh ingredients to create bold, aromatic flavors. While Thai fare is famous for lots of spice and heat, it's also celebrated for balanced flavors with components of sweet, sour and savory.

Aside from the popularized Pad Thai noodles and Thai curries, there is a slew of amazing dishes like Larb. Admittedly, the first time I ordered this dish, it was simply because I found the name interesting. To my dismay, a few of my dinner companions thought the name rather off-putting. Little did we know, Larb, really pronounced 'Laab,' would become one of the best discoveries we'd ever make.

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