August 17, 2009
It’s a Small—and Delicious!—World
At Beyond Wonderful I’m always especially gratified to get emails from overseas readers with their culinary questions and kitchen adventures. So when Jeff from Jerusalem—a former Marin resident—asked for my help locating the huevos Mexicana recipe served at the local Shoreline Coffee Shop in Mill Valley, I had to smile at how small the world [...]
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August 9, 2009
My Kitchen Runneth Over! Making the Most of Peak-Season Abundance
Early one morning with strong black coffee in hand, I stood surveying my small kitchen. Filled with boxes of produce, herbs and supplies from an afternoon food event at Dan’s Fresh Produce Market in Alameda, the place was utter chaos. Where to begin? Better yet, how to divvy all this up? Friends and family would [...]
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July 29, 2009
Hot Spice, Cool Friends and a Warm Heart
Spur-of the-moment weekend meals are a great way to catch up with old friends before facing the chaos of the coming week. So when two of my favorites called from Sonoma, I invited them for dinner on their way home to the city. I wanted super simple food packed with the flavors of the season [...]
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July 26, 2009
Popsicles
Soaring summer temperatures always send the kids outdoors to cool off in the sprinkler. Add a spirited squirt gun battle and they are soon tuckered-out and ready for one of my delicious, homemade popsicles. These sweet treats are easy to make and often tastier and more economical than store-bought.
I first made popsicles as a young [...]
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July 9, 2009
Peach Perfection
Trips to the farmers market always yield a treasure or two that aren’t on my shopping list. So when a vendor approached with a large sample platter of sliced, golden peaches I couldn’t resist. They were perfectly ripe, packed with flavor and dripping juice. Pie! They would make an amazing fresh peach pie.
I savored a [...]
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June 30, 2009
A Family Feast for the Fourth
When I was a little kid, fireworks bursting high in the star-filled night sky were the most thrilling part of Independence Day. Their brilliant, ever-exploding colors punctuated by deafening booms and the cheering crowd sent me soaring.
As an adult, I still thrill the fireworks, but my greatest joy comes from sharing traditions I’ve built with [...]
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June 25, 2009
Juiced Up: Mexican-style Quenchers Beat the Heat
When the outside temperatures soar, I keep my refrigerator well-stocked with pitchers of freshly made Mexican agua frescas. These simple, fresh water drinks are made from fruits, flowers or grains and are the ultimate thirst-quenchers. Unlike American soda pops and commercially prepared drinks and juices, aguas are naturally-flavored and contain no additives, artificial flavors and [...]
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June 20, 2009
Rhapsody in Red (and Yellow, and Orange…)Summer’s Spectacular Heirloom Tomatoes
Grab your salt shaker and get ready for great eating; the early season heirloom tomatoes are arriving in the markets. These brilliantly colored, lumpy-bumpy jewels of summer deliver old-time tomato flavor that puts supermarket hybrids to shame. Heirlooms are amazing eaten out-of-hand with a sprinkling of salt, or showcased in brilliantly colored summer salads, favorite [...]
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June 3, 2009
Sweet, Salty, Simply SummerMy Favorite Watermelon Salad
Nothing screams summer like ice-cold watermelon on a blistering hot day. As kids, my brother and I loved cooling off by running through the backyard sprinkler, then devouring huge chunks of crunchy pinky-red melon under the big shade tree out back. We were young and thought nothing of diving in face first, then spitting black [...]
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