Yes, the very word pie brings a memory that links my mother and grandmother to me in a humorous story of my first pie making attempt at age 8 that did not end particularly well (at least in terms of a finished pie.) There’s just something about making a pie...I’d love to read this book and learn more about Beth and her stories. Count me in...

I made this and it’s great! A few subs: I had two small kohlbrabis in the fridge so I used those rather than turnips. Also had some blanched and frozen greens from last summer - mostly kale I think...used those instead of collards. Found it needed to simmer longer than 30 minutes. And I think this serves 8-10. It filled almost to top my 5 1/2 st. Le Creuset dutch oven. Really hearty and I’ll be happy to eat it all week. Thanks!

Made this last weekend and it is fantastic! I used about 2 Tbs. to season a pot of slightly overcooked black beans I rescued from the freezer that I partially emulsified for a great soup. Black beans always seem to eat whatever seasoning you add, but this was a perfect blend. Love this recipe!

I love the dark leafy greens. Here is a link to a recipe from Vegetarian Times which I have adapted for all seasons by simply varying the greens. Collards sliced thinly and kale are great in this - just steam them longer than the tender spring greens in the recipe, until they are mostly tender but still bright green. I’ve used rapini, turnip greens, mustard greens, braising greens mix -- it all works. Delicious! http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/11247?section=

This is a wonderful dish and a nice variant on the Moroccan chicken theme for using preserved lemons (which are easy to make but you have to start them 3-4 weeks before cooking.) I have subbed evaporated milk for the heavy cream with good success for a less decadent sauce.

Fascinating idea!

I started with coffee (1/2 caff) followed by 1/2 cup Fiber One (original) with about 3/4 cup homemade 2% strained yogurt and a peach cut up into it.

2 1/2 pecans from a truck on the street selling nuts from Texas (I bought some.)

Snack pack from Starbucks with hummus, pita, chicken, carrots, zucchini spear and 2 tiny grape tomatoes plus another cup of coffee. (This is not usual fare for me, but I was out with Mom and not much choice. It was relatively cheap and healthy - about 250 calories.)

Dinner was 1 cup of browned butternut squash whole wheat couscous (recipe from Chow) and a broiled herbed chicken leg. (These were leftovers from Monday and really delish.) And 1 1/2 glasses of Pinot Grigio.

Don’t just throw out those stems! Use them to flavor stocks or stews/braises - they don’t alter the color the way the leaves do. Thanks for focusing on this most useful of herbs.

Zegg - sage is very hardy and I’ve had great success with it. It peters out after about 4 years (assuming Bambi doesn’t find it first.) Likewise oregano seems impossible to kill. And thyme is also reliable in the NE. Chives are also reliable and the first harbinger of spring. And you might think about planting garlic in the fall (I found the variety “music” to be reliable even in less than full sun.

I just bought this app having seen it on the featured apps list on my iphone. It is awesome! The search and shopping list aspects make it worth having even though I own the paper version. Please consider Molly Stevens “All About Braising” for a future app. And wouldn’t Michael Ruhlman’s “Ratio” be a nifty app to have. The chef’s cheat sheet on your phone. I’m loving that idea...

Keep up the great work! You got this just right.

I just saw this post - loved it! I too have been sourdough crazy for a couple of years...in NYC I get such a mixed culture. And I too make all sorts of sourdough recipes including bagels (the most serious exercise ever.) Thanks for such a nice read.

Loved this! Wish I had land so I could have a cow. I know it’s a romantic notion for a NYC kid, but I can dream...

Thanks for this excerpt. I appreciate anything that spreads the word about pasties!

About 8 years ago Gourmet Magazine (RIP) ran an article about the Upper Peninsula of Michigan which has deep Cornish connections, and where you can find pasties everywhere including the grocery store. They published recipes for some pretty odd sounding pasties which resulted in a torrent of reader replies. My husband’s family gathers every summer there (great grandfather was a miner from Cornwall who came over to mine copper - a cousin Jack) and we much enjoy eating pasties as picnic fare. This past summer my niece decided to make her own so she researched recipes. The style we like best is pretty straightforward: beef (not ground - chopped finely instead), onions, rutabaga (absolutely required!) cubed potato. None of the filling ingredients are precooked. The authentic pastry should be made with lard (she couldn’t face it and used butter instead.) They were just great.

Another note - we have a miner’s pasty pail from great grandfather. It is a two part item about 8” in diameter and 12” tall set up like a double boiler. The large bottom part would be filled with hot tea and the pasty went into the insert on top of the tea with a lid over that. This kept the pasty warm through the morning until lunchtime. I never heard of the pastry crust being thrown away - thanks for that new info! But nowadays, I wouldn’t think of dumping the best part!

You can mail order pasties from www.pasty.com.

Thank you so much for your detailed explanation. I haven’t ever used baking soda, and agree that it probably tastes better without. Hope your holiday is filled with good things to eat.

One other reason to use a stemmed glass is the visual. Greasy fingerprints dull the view of the wine and the first sense you want to be involved in tasting is sight. I’ll stick to my stemmed glasses and buy cheaper ones for casual use so that the inevitable breakage doesn’t hurt as much.

Thanks for this enlightening piece! I never thought of roasting vegetables on either option. You’ve made my husband’s day (he does the clean up.) And thanks also for the tip about the precut parchment. I haven’t ever run across it - what a great idea.

I loved this piece! Such a great dose of common sense (which is notably missing in much of the professional foodie circuit.)

It seems absurd to me that people have forgotten that food just has to taste good - and it doesn’t matter whether you have all the right ingredients. Some of the best meals I’ve ever eaten and/or cooked were on summer vacation in the upper peninsula of Michigan where it is nigh on impossible to get any gourmet items. A fresh vegetable is sometimes challenging...but we have a bunch of creative cooks and we always find a way to make tasty meals.

Bravo.

Thanks for researching positive food stories. But where can we find these short films?

One of my favorite things to do with red currants (besides stare at their beauty) in to mash them somewhat with honey and mint and use this as a chutney on a grilled lamb burger which has been stuffed with feta cheese. The combination is absolutely perfect.

Beautiful post. Thanks.

Well said! That in the last 25 years we have gone from spending about 20-30% of our budget on food to less than 10% should set off alarms. You do in fact get what you pay for. I would only add that by becoming more conscious of your food choices you will also be consuming better tasting food. Thanks for the great post.

Braising is my favorite cooking mode in the winter. Molly Stevens’ “The Art of Braising” is a fabulous book for technique and ideas - she braises everything from vegetables to fish - not always a long braise, but employing the techniques you so clearly spelled out here. Bravo.