See the article Saving the Summer: Preserving the Harvest in the Fall 2011 issue for more great recipes. Strawberry Balsamic Poached Pears During the fall and winter I probably prepare poached pears more often than any other dessert. They are really easy—foolproof, actually. The only thing you can do wrong is overcook the pears so
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When we think of picnics, barbeques, and summer, often the main course takes center stage. Classic sides are a seasonal treat, but traditional side dishes like cole slaw, pasta, and potato salads, are usually not only high in fat and calories, but mayonnaise based salads don’t tolerate heat well—a problem if they will be sitting
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I was once in California at the height of their strawberry season. Like so many things in California, the berries seemed larger than life. Even though purchased at a roadside store, they were unmistakably local—not picked in order to ripen on the way to their ultimate destination, no white core supporting their sexy scarlet exterior:
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The Egg and You Traditional rites of spring have long revolved around the egg. There is even an old Latin proverb, “Omne vivum ex ovo” which means “All life comes from an egg.” The Romans weren’t alone in celebrating the egg. Eggs have long been held as an emblem of new life, and as time
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Snow may still lie across much of northern New England, but already the buds of the maple trees are red against the blue sky, a sure sign of spring. Another sign is the gathering of maple sap, which will become “March Gold,” that lovely amber sweetness we pour over waffles, pancakes, French toast, and more.
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Raw Kale? You bet! Trust me on this one and give it a try. It’s full of fun textures and flavors and is broken down so well by the acid that it tastes cooked. One bowl of this and. . .

On December 20, 2010 Jean Kerr, editor of Northeast FLAVOR, was a guest on WCSH Channel 6′s evening television magazine program “207.” Channel 6 airs out of Portland, Maine. . .

New ideas for an old seasonal favorite Bite into a nutty cookie or brownie and chances are you’ll bite into a tender fragment of walnut. Order a composed salad in a fine restaurant, and it may well be dressed with light, fragrant walnut oil. For centuries, walnuts have symbolized health, wealth and good fortune. Legend
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“At Christmas time in Italy, families make what we call the ‘keeping cakes of Christmas,’” explains Mary Ann Esposito, star of PBS’s Ciao Italia, television’s longest-running cooking show, and the author of numerous best-selling cookbooks. “Each cake is part of a long tradition of holiday celebrations, and each has its own story.” “The first keeping
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Pumpkins and squash are just about synonymous with our fall and winter seasons. From the earliest days of the American Colonies, (and prior to that in the Native American diet) they were an important part of the colder months’ menus. Although pumpkin was a popular ingredient in England prior to the 1800s, food historians speculate
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