Lynn

When my friend Laura Martin told me about a locally produced olive oil she recently tasted and wrote about, I took note.  Please welcome her as a guest author. Laurie Schuler-Flynn strongly urges that you take that precious bottle of fancy olive oil out of your cupboard and use it. Now. And you should...

Quince is definitely not the easiest fruit to work with but if you’re willing to put some effort into it, it’s worth the eating reward.  I’m finding I like this darn hard fruit more and more.  I keep getting grocery bags full of seasonal fruit from various friends and just got one with the...

Tamara Murphy, Seattle chef owner of Elliott Bay Cafés, and James Beard Award winner is releasing a book in time for the holidays.  I was lucky enough to have a close extended peek while recently in Seattle and liked it enough to want to share. The book celebrates local farmers, wanting people to know...

Little did I know the jujube fruit, also called red date or Chinese date is highly desired by several Asian cultures.  The Chinese have long used jujubes to treat anxiety and insomnia.  They also invigorate the digestive system and are used to make restorative tea.  Who would know this little drupe (the technical name)...

Rumor on the street is donuts are back.  How unexpected stumbling upon a Times Magazine article indicating such.  And I, one who doesn’t like donuts happened to try a very worthy gluten-free donut earlier this week. I was approached by the frozen food buyer, Jose at Whole Foods Market in Sacramento.  His extended hand...

Celebrating the release of Beaujolais Nouveau is a global phenomenon and a great excuse to party the French way.  Officially released for sale the third Thursday of November each year amid fanfare and excitement, the race is on to get the first bottles of the vintage to Paris and other markets, then the party...

Ever enjoyed lacquered pork, horseradish noodles or apple glass?  Been exploited by citrus?  Pajo (pronounced Pie-yo) Bruich of Pajo’s Boutique Catering may be based out of a small town near Sacramento but his creativity and thought behind food preparation are right up there with the best.  Adamant about quality, local ingredients, preparation and appearance,...

Fresh figs, creamy goat cheese, caramelized onions and arugula- who can go wrong with such flavorsome items found on many a menu.  The perfect base for this summer vegetable tart is a buttery ground almond crust brushed with rich berry or fig jam.  Finish the picture drizzling a balsamic or fruit reduction sauce and...

Wouldn’t it be fun to get people together Friday after work to kick off the weekend?  And at the same time build community and relationships?  That’s just what Terri Shettle, Executive Director of the Sierra 2 Center and Neighborhood Association, a Curtis Park based non-profit is doing. The idea behind Best Friend Fridays is...

“There’s nothing like cackleberries on a fine-morning like this!” I turned to Jim, an inquisitive look on my face. Sitting in the kitchen with the in-laws recently, I felt groggy from the additional glass of wine consumed but I knew I heard him say cackleberry.  What the heck is a cackleberry? The first time...