Inverted Bruschetta… A Bit of History: Once again, an ancient fruit stars in my recipe for Smoked Fig Jam Bruschetta. Scientists and historians discovered evidence of fig cultivation dating back over 11,000 years ago in Jericho on the West Bank. Figs are really a fascinating fruit with a long and significant history! Since figs predated the domestication and cultivation…
For Courtney… A Wonderful Neighbor… About the Recipe: Rosemary Thyme Fig Jam A few weeks ago my very kind friend who also happens to be my neighbor invited me to pick some delightful figs from her backyard tree. I was so excited as the timing was perfect! Rob was making pizza/flatbread dough and I had…
The 4,000 Year Old Breakfast… A Bit of History: People have been using turmeric for over 4,000 years, most likely originating in the Vedic culture of India. Throughout its long use, Turmeric played an important role in cooking, religious ceremonies, and Ayurvedic medicine. Historians discovered traces of garlic, ginger, and turmeric in ancient Indian cooking…
Gorp and Scroggin…For Breakfast? A Bit of History: Chances are you have eaten Gorp and Scroggin even if you don’t recognize the names as trail mix. In New Zealand trail mix is called Scroggin. Gorp is an acronym (good old peanuts and raisins or granola, oats, raisin, and peanuts) often used by hikers in North…
A Fruit Fit for a King… A Bit of History: Olive trees symbolize endurance, eternity, and peace. However, you won’t need an endurance effort to craft this easy, 5-minute Sun-Dried Tomato Olive Tapenade. Olives have an incredible ability to adapt to a multitude of environments; including temperature fluctuations, soil changes, and salt water. In fact,…
A Guide for Building the Perfect Greek Inspired Sandwich Introduction: Coming from a Greek and Italian family, I can definitely appreciate the puns featured in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Eating plant-based I always enjoy the line “What do you mean you eat no meat? It’s ok, I make lamb.” But aside from…
The Foreigner… A Bit of History: I believe almost all of us could identify a scallion or a green onion, but did you know they are also known as spring onions, sibies, or a Welsh onion? Given these names, one might think that scallions are a native species in Wales. However, the term Welsh onion,…
Pesto..It’s Still a Big Deal About the Recipe: Vegan Garlic-Scape Basil Pesto Pesto is one of those easy weeknight dinners in my house and is always a big deal! As an added bonus, it is something that the whole family will eat at the same time. I love combining fresh herbs, lemon, and nuts into…
Not Under the Sea…But Under a Tree A Bit of History: Oyster mushrooms were first cultivated in Germany just after World War I, to supplement the meager food supply. Since that time they have become one of the most widely consumed mushrooms. In the wild, they grow on fallen logs or under rotting tree branches….
Mushroom Madness… with Homemade Tomato Za’tar Ketchup Introduction: My friend Jana very kindly gave me their air fryer while in the process of converting to a different unit. At first, I thought I would just play around with it. However, I discovered that we use it on a daily basis. It is such an easy…