Grow. Cook. Eat.

The Calendar Says Summer, But... (And give-away winners)

2009-07-01T10:36:00.004-04:00

If you entered the “Random Apps of Kindness” giveaway, then you won! Lucky for you, only a few readers responded, so all will receive a random kindness. Just send me your mailing address to julia [at] growcookeat [dot] com. Don’t forget to pass it on.For those of you keeping track, Boston broke all sorts of records this June, weather-wise. Many questioned if perhaps we had entered an

Julia on Julie & Julia

2009-06-29T09:41:00.003-04:00

When I had my business, Interactive Cuisine, I found the best marketing came from securing press coverage. I did a pretty good job over the years and a few newspapers even referred to me as, “The Other Julia.” Since we both lived in Cambridge, my mentors coached me to work this angle.A few years into my business, I started hearing about The Julia Project. A woman named Julie was cooking her

Urban Gardening at its Best!

2009-06-26T10:49:00.002-04:00

Outside the second story window of an apartment building on Hampshire Street in Cambridge...The gutters have been repurposed....Perhaps most intriguing is the upside-down tomato plant.

Free Range Eggs (Recipe: Oleana's Deviled Eggs)

2009-06-24T11:07:00.000-04:00

Amazing things happen when animals can roam freely. From all this exercise, more blood flows through their muscles, yielding meat that is more is more flavorful and also has a little more texture. And when egg-laying hens roam freely, the eggs taste better too!Cooking farm-fresh eggs is different than regular supermarket eggs. They cook more quickly. When used in cakes or other baked goods,

Random Apps of Kindness (and GIVEAWAY!)

2009-06-21T12:29:00.002-04:00

Several years ago, my friend David and I started Random Apps of Kindness: every time we dined out, we sent an appetizer to a stranger. What started as a way to make peace with a favorite bartender, turned into a little adventure. For 6 months, we made new friends and even had an article written about us in the local paper. But like most good things, it came to an end.When Melissa announced

The One Page Cookbook (Recipe: Herb Crusted Tuna)

2009-06-20T14:29:00.000-04:00

Over 20 years ago, my father was my first passenger after I got my pilot’s license. It seems only fitting that today he should be my first guest poster. And as he tells it, he taught me everything I know about cooking, and especially plate presentation. Thankfully, I learned to eat artichokes on my own.I am Julia's father. Although I have written a number of books and magazine articles, this

Herbalicious

2009-06-16T08:31:00.001-04:00

I favor the soft herbs --- tarragon, basil, chervil, chives. On the other end of the spectrum – rosemary, sage, and oregano – the flavors tend to overpower. Too often, cooks have a heavy hand with the hard herbs, and ruin an otherwise good dish.But back to the soft herbs… They can be mixed with lettuces for a salad or blended together for my cherished dreamy green goddess. Or, mixed with

Spring's Last Hurrah

2009-06-15T20:14:00.004-04:00

I've never had much luck growing peas... I usually console myself with the tendrils and buy English peas at the market. For Spring's last hurrah, I sauteed freshly shelled peas with morels, asparagus and tarragon (from the garden). I tossed it all with fresh pasta; a little butter, lemon juice and freshly grated parmesan rounded out the dish.

ERS (Empty Restaurant Syndrome)

2009-06-13T12:20:00.000-04:00

I recall learning about this in culinary school. Our instructors warned us of this problem – potential customers walk into your restaurant and see nary a soul dining. They think something must be wrong with the restaurant and walk out. No one wants to be the first customer of the evening. And when the first customer is seated, we were taught to seat them in the window so passers by don’t get

Garden Updates - Early June

2009-06-11T05:53:00.002-04:00

I harvested the first kale last week. The leaves are decently sized, but like the first cutting of most leafy greens, they were still quite tender and delicately flavored. And they cook down like spinach. But to get to the second cutting, when the leaves will have more texture and flavor, I must get through the first.Not that the first cutting was such a hardship. I sautéed them with garlic

Bermuda Onions (Recipe: Alsatian Tart)

2009-06-10T08:21:00.006-04:00

I used to work for a company that had over a dozen lunch-time cafes that featured sandwiches and salads. As one of the more experienced chefs within the company, I was called upon to help with new store openings and trainings. My boss assigned me to work with the deli staff and train them on the recipes. He didn’t think he needed to train me.The signature tuna salad recipe called for Bermuda

CSA Cookbooks (Recipe: Pesto Pasta with Seared Scallops)

2009-06-09T09:48:00.006-04:00

Many CSAs are starting up this week with their first deliveries. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. It’s a concept that has increased in popularity over the past few years as more consumers become concerned about their food sources.So what is a CSA? Farmers sell subscriptions or shares of their farms crop to the public. In exchange, the consumer gets a weekly box (bag, basket)

Rose Petals

2009-06-07T14:06:00.000-04:00

Down the road from Even' Star Organic Farm, in Southern Maryland, live Cameron and Donna. On their coastal property overlooking the Chesapeake Bay, they raise sheep. They only have a few dozen animals... they keep the herd small so that they can personally attend to each one and ensure they live a healthy, free-range life. Last year, when I did some work for Brett, he paid me in lamb from

Dear Whole Foods: Get it Together!

2009-06-04T10:18:00.003-04:00

A few years ago, Whole Foods came out with a line of “Two-Bite” confections: two-bite cupcakes, two-bite brownies, two-bite macaroons. As someone who truly wants only a bite or two of sweets, these were the perfect treats! I regularly purchased the chocolate cupcakes – they were moist with a perfect crumb, and the buttercream frosting was rich and creamy – perfect! I developed a

Death of a Sage Plant

2009-06-03T03:39:00.000-04:00

I can't take it anymore! I'm tired of looking at the sage plant... tired of trying to give away gallons of leaves.... tired of trying to justify its existence in my yard. Yes, it makes a nice border for the patio... and yes, I like to use it in marinades a pastas. But enough's enough!So, this afternoon, I whacked it. And lo and behold, I have more room for tomatoes, cucumbers or any other

Garden Surprises

2009-06-01T00:12:00.003-04:00

As I pulled out my tape measure the other morning to thin some plants to precisely 5 inches apart, an onlooker might think I’m quite anal about tending to my vegetable garden. Perhaps. But in some ways I am also quite lazy. One thing I don’t do is label the plantings. I figure the vegetables will present themselves when they’re ready. While the initial sprouts of cucumber and zucchini look

Asparagus Vichyssoise with Sautéed Morels

2009-05-29T11:18:00.000-04:00

I never know how much fiddleheads and morels I’ll be able to get each year, so I always make sure to cook them at least once each Spring. But with the temperamental prices and my cooking schedule, I never know if the second opportunity will arise.The first cooking, I keep simple. I want to savor the flavors and textures, uncluttered. The second cooking, I tend to be more “creative.” An

Quintessential Spring: Fiddlehead Ferns

2009-05-27T04:16:00.000-04:00

Though summer unofficially started this past weekend, the farmers’ markets and produce aisles still say spring. I don’t let the season pass without getting at least one taste of those wild ingredients that only grow this time of year – ramps, fiddleheads, morels and shad roe. And, of course, I fill up on artichokes and asparagus. Even though they are available year-round, their flavors peak

Mole, Take II

2009-05-25T20:59:00.002-04:00

After the enchiladas, I had left-overs of everything except the chicken and the slaw. What better way to utilize everything than to make nachos. I cut the tortillas into pie-shaped wedges, fried them in a little canola oil and then topped them with the leftovers. It hardly felt recycled.

Chicken Enchiladas

2009-05-22T08:08:00.002-04:00

Rick Bayless’s recipe for mole (pronounced mo-LAY) cautions the reader that it will require 26 different ingredients. The first time I made this Mexican chili and chocolate sauce it took me three hours. The second time, only 1 ½. Now, I can make it in a half hour.Of course, I take short-cuts. Mr. Bayless recommends giving each ingredient individual attention: dry roast, fry, and then soak 4

Transition from Spring to Summer

2009-05-19T09:25:00.000-04:00

My spring garden is just coming into full swing: I'm harvesting salad on a regular basis and cutting mint for drinks and dinner seasonings. The tarragon and scallions make regular appearances in my cooking. The radishes will be ready in less than a week. I planted cucumber seeds and jalapenos in the last few square feet of garden space.Meanwhile, the tomato plants grow patiently on the deck,

Cooking with Katie

2009-05-17T10:18:00.001-04:00

Like most women, I vacillate between wanting to lose 20 pounds and being content with my weight. When I "adopted" Katie from Eat this, I excitedly looked through her recipes for new ideas to cook healthy. She cooks with a lot of whole grains, many that I know of, but don't typically cook. Maybe I can finally make realistic modifications to my diet and lose some weight.Last night, I brought

Bolting Arugula

2009-05-15T15:45:00.001-04:00

Bolting Arugula....See the woody stem? As the temperatures rise, the leaves get spicier and their growth rate diminishes significantly. The plant wants to go to seed.Not Bolting Arugula....

Harvesting Lettuce

2009-05-14T09:20:00.002-04:00

I planted lettuce seeds on March 5th (or so) and harvested my first salad less than 60 days later. The lettuce patch is now in full production, and I’m cutting about a gallon of lettuce every other day – a mix of arugula, mizuna, tatsoi and green leaf.I grow lettuces for many reasons, but the big one is the yield I get for the square footage. Lettuce falls into the category of “cut and come

The Upside of Urban Gardening

2009-05-12T10:31:00.001-04:00

I moved into my house in the dead of winter 2002. I didn’t meet my new neighbors until the spring thaw when everyone ventured out to start cleaning up their yards.One spring afternoon as I approached my house after running errands, I noticed three grey haired men, probably in their 70’s, hunched over a shovel in my front yard. Not yet familiar with the neighbors, I was quite suspicious. What