We’re right in the middle of soup season, meaning an almost constant need for some kind of stock. While it’s cheap enough to purchase at the supermarket, stock is one of those things that’s perfectly simple and economical to make at home. You’re in control of what goes into it, for starters. But more importantly, making stock is a clever way to use up vegetables that are about to go bad, or ends and skins of onions, garlic, celery, or carrots that would otherwise get tossed in the trash. Forget buying fresh vegetables to make stock and check out this sustainable, cost-effective method for making one of winter’s most essential ingredients!

Many see January 1st as the perfect time to begin something new. It’s a great concept, however you feel about New Year’s resolutions or starting a new diet; we all have goals, and sometimes the spark of a new year can be just the thing we need to finally start out. Veganuary takes advantage of January as the month for starting new diets and challenges people to try out a plant-based diet for the entire month. Maybe you’re considering it, or perhaps you’re just ready to finally try out a plant-based or plant-forward diet for yourself.

Whatever your reasons, there are a few things to know before you start out a new way of eating.

Imagine it: 1,000 AD, Europe. The ground was cold and softly dusted with snow. Nothing grows in this season. Whatever harvest they had is all stored away in their not-so-cozy homes, made to last until spring. Life was harsh, brutal, and full of disease and hardship. 

But it wasn’t all grim. The winter solstice, though a period marked by shortened days and long nights, also marked a time of celebration. Being as it was a season of cold and hard earth (conditions that made it difficult or impossible to work in the fields), the winter solstice was a time for feasting, enjoying the fruits of the spring, summer, and fall’s harvest and hard work. They could finally enjoy the alcohol that had been fermenting since spring.  And despite the cold and hardship, the community came together to enjoy food. It was at this time where, in addition to the meat, alcohol, and breads that decorated the table, sweet treats made an appearance. 

When Marcella Hazan came to America in 1955, few people were prepared for the kind of innovative Italian cooking she taught. Being as she was a more recent immigrant from Italy than the many Italians who came to the states decades earlier, her advice was quite different from what Americans expected of an Italian-born cookbook author. Instead of hearty meatballs in pasta sauce or pizza recipes, she brought a completely different, unique, but no less wonderful sort of Italian cooking to Americans. So beloved are her recipes and advice, she became a kind of ‘Julia Child’ for Italian cuisine, bringing a more authentic way of preparing Italian food to Americans.

Recently, I took a few days off from cooking. The reason? I had far too much work to do at my full-time job, so much so that by the time I was finished, the very last thing on my mind was what to prepare for dinner. The kitchen itself felt like the last place I wanted to be…

Beans oftentimes get a bad rap. When we think of them, we think flatulence, flavorless, perhaps the soft, mushy version we suffered in our elementary school years. They carry the stigma of being the only thing vegans will eat, the poor-man’s protein source.

This is most unfortunate. All beans have the capacity of being something much more interesting. The best way to prove this is by exploring the majesty that is white beans.

There comes a time every summer where a heat wave completely catches me off-guard. Being in New England, so much of the year is spent wearing sweaters, socks, and jackets to keep warm, making soups and warm dishes to feed the soul. The suddenness of sweating and feeling like nothing will cool me down is a jarring contrast.

As staples go, there are few things more useful and heartwarming than a good marinara sauce. For pasta lovers all across the globe….

Ever wonder what farm-to-table means exactly? Read on….

Macaroni and cheese fell on the floor? Half your apple tort stick to the pan? I’ve got you covered.

Turkeys, you should know, only became famous because they were plentiful and dumb. In contrast to the fable that suggests pilgrims ate turkey….

Long ago, as far back as 10,000 BC perhaps, somewhere in the long expanse of ancient Mesopotamia, a vessel of milk began to ferment. Someone much braver than I decided to eat it and didn't die. On the contrary, they loved this accidental concoction so much, it became widely popular across the globe in the eras to follow.

Need more room in your kitchen? Read on for some ideas on how to de-clutter your kitchen of tools you aren’t using.

Curious how to start baking your own bread at home? Read on for some tips on how to get started.

Curious about Manchego? So was I. Read on!