Cooking from Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry: Grilled Cheese with Figgy Marmalade and a Giveaway

November 10, 2014
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I’m so excited for my friend Cathy Barrow, who I’ve written about frequently over the years (most recently here). Her new book, Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry, a comprehensive guide for year-round food preservation, is here. It’s content-rich and a feast for the eyes, full of lush, gorgeous photographs. Cathy starts us out easy — canning […]

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Maple Pumpkin Biscuits

November 3, 2014
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Our little city is overflowing with all manner of squash right now — edible, decorative and colorful. I may cook with only a few types, but I love seeing cheery cucurbita whether it’s at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market or other stops in town. This lavish bounty might explain why I became preoccupied with the […]

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Triple-Chocolate Pudding

October 20, 2014
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As a child, few desserts made me as giddy as chocolate pudding. Piercing the skin with the tip of my spoon, gliding through the creamy custard below and scraping every last bit from the bottom of the pyrex ramekin remains an enduring, comforting memory of my childhood. Despite this near obsession, I rarely make pudding. […]

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On Baking Apple Pie

October 13, 2014
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We moved back into our kitchen last week and I love it. I had a working stove and fridge for a few weeks, but without cabinets and drawers, the room was largely a shell with its contents stashed in our pantry and other hiding places. With the kitchen largely out of commission through the summer, […]

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Early-Fall at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market

October 5, 2014
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There may be summer holdovers — heirloom tomatoes, summer squash and berries — but fall produce now is elbowing its way into the farm stands at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market. Here’s a look at our early-fall bounty.  

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Making Berry Pavlova

September 22, 2014
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I may have arrived fashionably late to the pavlova party, but I’m turning into the guest who wouldn’t leave! I was bowled over by the elegant dessert when we were on vacation in France a few months ago. We were the guests at a perfect Sunday supper hosted by Pascale Bonnard, a college friend of […]

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Lemony Farro with Tomatoes, Corn, Edamame and Cannellini Beans

September 15, 2014
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We’re having a heat wave, which means dinners these days are mostly of the cold-supper variety: substantial salads augmented by creamy wedges of Fromager d’affinois cheese, a buttery, double-cream brie-like cheese, or cups of ice-cold, garlicky gazpacho. This Chicken Salad with Shelling Beans and Roasted Tomatoes from Los Angeles-based chef Jessica Koslow, is a new […]

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August in Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Kitchen: The Bug and I Help Prepare a Mexican Feast

August 19, 2014
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When we were in Washington, D.C. a few weeks ago, The Bug and I spent an afternoon in Cathy Barrow’s (AKA Mrs. Wheelbarrow) sunny kitchen, helping her prepare a Mexican feast. Well, we didn’t just help prepare it. We came back in the evening with Matthew and my parents, and devoured it. A succulent, savory […]

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Sunday at Washington, D.C.’s Eastern Market

August 11, 2014
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Established more than 136 years ago, Washington, D.C.’s historic Eastern Market anchors the Capitol Hill community. Farmers from neighboring states sell their produce and flowers under the tents. Local artisans showcase products as diverse as African art and Turkish towels. Inside, Market Lunch serves breakfast and lunch to locals and tourists, who don’t mind standing […]

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My Summer Vacation, Part II: London

August 5, 2014
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There is so much to love about London — historic sites and museums, lush and expansive parks, the Thames, and a youthful energy that is intoxicating. But, I had to laugh when I poured through my photos. I snapped just as many shots of food as I did of sites! Most of the food-related photos […]

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