Ramps, Vintage ’24
Beware the hawker of this wild allium whose sales pitch comes with strings attached for that person is not paying the darling of spring the respect it needs to survive. Buy only sustainably harvested ramps and in this, a slow year, use more sparingly in accenting roles. In other words: Enjoy, but mindfully.
Heirloom Apple Salsa
Change up the topper for Hanukkah’s latkes by dolloping potato pancakes with neither sour cream nor applesauce but by taking a spin on the lighter side with a refreshing – and seasonal – salsa.
Cranberry Contest
Native to our Pinelands and popping up in markets right now throughout the Garden State, the ruby berry that is equal parts nutritional and flavor powerhouse may be fundamental to our holiday-season tables, but could and should be a year-round staple. Herewith, YOUR chance to prove its singular mettle.
‘Blessed Little Fishes’
Tinned fishes are easy to take for granted. They’re also easy to take advantage of when dinner-in-a-minute is the order of the day.
A Reverence for Ratatouille
Sure, you can dump vegetables in a pot, stew it and serve it. But if you treat those same vegetables with a little more respect, the result is a supper worth sitting down to.
Ceviche
It’s the seafood dish that lets you keep your cool when summer’s at its sticky-thickest. What makes it ever so right, now and always? Its fans weigh in.
Amaranth, to Amaze
Pretty and showy, with its green-and-red leaves bringing Christmas colors to July, this peak-summer plant may be a looker, but it’s also too flavorful and nutritious not to eat. Ella explores the possibilities.
Snap Into Summer
Honeysuckle memories blend into sugary pea todays. The popcorn of June.
Different Drumsticks
… and other dishes that beat out the usual prospects on a holiday weekend that kicks off the good ol’ summertime.
Honest ABE
All hail asparagus, which at the farms where it’s cultivated often is the first major vegetable to reach harvest in spring. McCormack Farms picked its first round on Wednesday and it sold faster than Taylor Swift concert tickets.
Rabes to the Rescue
Bridging the traditional leanest-season produce gap are lesser-known but decidedly not less-flavorful greens: kale rabe, spring rabe and arugula rabe.
Cinnamon Stick Tea
… and other flu-soaked sob stories from the leanest time of the year for a diehard Jersey-grown freshest-food addict.