Faviken – Magnus Nilsson – and Autumn Leaves

  • Post published:10/07/2013
  • Post comments:3 Comments

Swedish chef Magnus Nilsson has found a use for autumn leaves in his kitchen where he has been known to boil up a broth of autumn leaves that he thinks "tastes like a season." So, think again about the autumn leaves flying through the air with dancing autumnal breezes. Autumn leaves are falling and collecting on the ground where they are now being washed by gentle autumnal rains.  They are beautiful, and Magnus Nilsson has found a use for them beyond the…

Green River Ambrosia – Fit for the Gods

  • Post published:02/04/2012
  • Post comments:1 Comment

The Green River Ambrosia crew - standing L-R Brendan Burns, Will Savitri, Garth Shaneyfelt.  Kneeling L-R Sandy Pearson, Sam Dibble Mead is an ancient drink, essentially a wine made with honey instead of grapes. The great Norse hero Beowulf drank mead and feasted in a great mead hall 1500 years ago. Somewhere along the line mead fell out of favor as a popular drink, even in Scandinavia, but three young Greenfield men, Garth Shaneyfelt, Will Savitri, and Sam…

Sunday Afternoon with Mozz, Feta, Chevre, Cajeta and more

  • Post published:01/12/2012
  • Post comments:8 Comments

Actually my neighbor Sheila of Dell Farmstead started her cheesemaking workshop at 9 am! Fortunately, she included a beautiful lunch in the day's schedule. By the end of the day we had made: chevre, a goat cheese; 30 minute mozzarella; feta; cheddar; creme fraiche, soft goat cheese, and a Tomme unique to Dell Farmstead. We learned that all cheese begins with separating the curds from the whey - with the help of additives like citric acid, and starter…

Look At My Loot

  • Post published:01/05/2012
  • Post comments:4 Comments

As Christmas drew near a  friend asked if I his Christmas gift had been delivered. I said no deliveries and then waited every day for my treat to arrive. I did get a Package Too Big notice from the Post Office and picked up this bag of compost that had a mailing label right on the bag. I assumed it was some sort of sample from the Seven Years Gold company, although it did seem an odd time…

We Love to Eat – Blog Action Day 2011

  • Post published:10/16/2011
  • Post comments:7 Comments

I live in a ruraltown of 750 souls in the western corner of Massachusetts that sits on the Vermont border. On the Fourth of July in 1981 I happened to meet two other friends at the spinning wheel in the town museum. We were celebrating the holiday, but got to complaining that we never went out to dinner, we  couldn't afford to, and besides there were no good restaurants closer than 40 miles. Actually there were no restaurants…

Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?

  • Post published:09/26/2011
  • Post comments:3 Comments

In yesterday's NY Times Mark Bittman asked the question, Is Junk Food Really Cheaper? Can you really feed a family for less at McDonalds than at your own table filled with home cooked food.  In spite of the protestations that a bag of chips is cheaper than a head of broccoli and other such, the answer is NO!  A meal for a family of four at McDonald's will come to between $23 and $28.  How many groceries can…

Rose Hip Season

  • Post published:09/06/2011
  • Post comments:3 Comments

Rose blossoms come in many shapes and forms. Rose hips are more limited is form, but have their own beauty and use. I planted Rosa glauca nearly 30 years ago because the catalog description said that it looked like a Pompeian wall painting and the black hips were beautiful. I had never thought about the appearance of rose hips before, but the description intrigued on all counts. The hips are ripening right now and though they will never get really…

More Tours – Hawley

  • Post published:06/29/2011
  • Post comments:4 Comments

The weekend of July 9 is going to be busy. A festival of garden and artisan tours will be on offer. The Hawley Artisan's & Garden Tour, sponsored by the Sons and Daughters of Hawley is billed as "A Collage of Art and Gardens." One of my favorite gardens is Jerry Sternstein's vegetable garden that is much more lush than mine - and has a fabulous view. Other Hawley gardens have perennial borders and blooming shrubs, but many…

Rain Didn’t Deter the Crowds

  • Post published:06/27/2011
  • Post comments:5 Comments

Saturday dawned gray and misty. At 10 am those driving up to Heath for the Franklin Land Trust Farm and Garden Tour found themselves driving through thick Shangi-La fog to the mythical land of Heath with its fields and forests, blueberries, maple syrup, its country gardens, its history, and of course, its roses. The air and the grass were wet, flowers somewhat rain battered after a week of downpours, but enthusiastic gardeners came from across the state, from…