asparagus - Asparagus dates back to the age of reptiles, when ferns were the dominant plants. Tell that to your kids if they don’t want to try it - it’s dinosaur food!

Some think that thicker asparagus is older, but in fact fat and skinny spears grow side by side in my garden and all others. I’ve read that skinny spears are male and fat ones female. Younger plants tend to produce fatter asparagus, and I tend to prefer thick spears for their meatier flavor. They have a better flavor and texture, and are especially prized in Germany and Switzerland, where people know their asparagus. One of my favorite dishes is plain steamed super fresh asparagus, so if you’re a farmer’s market fan and wrestle with the white-jacketed chefs for the fat spears, take them home and steam for a few minutes, sprinkle with your best sea salt, and drizzle with a buttery olive oil. I’ve found that the leftover steaming water, especially if you’ve added a little salt, is a tasty tonic as well.

White asparagus always strikes me as sort of tragic: it comes from the same plant as the green variety, but before it pokes through the ground (where sunlight would turn it green) dirt is piled on top of the plant so stalks continue to grow underground. White asparagus is hugely popular in Germany, where a “Spargel Queen” is annually named who wears a crown of white asparagus spears.

In Ayurvedic medicine, asparagus root is used for promoting fertility, increasing lactation, and relieving menustral pain. It reduces phlegm and mucus, eases constipation, and soothes internal membranes. Asparagus is the food highest in glutathione, an important anti-carcinogen. It also contains rutin, which is an antidote against X rays and other forms of radiation and helps prevent ruptured blood vessels. It contains good counts of vitamins A, B-complex, C, E, potassium, and zinc.

basmati rice - Rice! Untold numbers of people around the world are sitting down to a nice bowl of rice right now. And chances are, they are quite skinny, and are eating white rice. Although most nutrition experts agree that whole grains provide us with a wider range of nutrients (dissidents argue that the extra nutrition in whole grains is harder to digest and therefore it’s a toss-up), around the world most peoples eat white rice and seem not to suffer for it (rice-eating cultures are the oldest cultures on the planet). But I usually use brown rice because its available and less processed. I also believe that those who eat white rice around the world get a wide variety of nutrients from other foods (as their diets are usually more rooted in an older cuisine that has survived precisely because it’s nutritious), but us first world Americans, with our limitless choices and supersized everything, need the nutrition in brown rice. Brown rice is highest of all grains in B vitamins, and contains iron, vitamin E, and amino acids. Basmati rice is a long grain, aromatic Himalayan rice with a buttery aroma, nutty flavor, and fluffy texture. When cooked, each grain almost doubles in length yet changes little in thickness.

beans, black - Black beans, or black turtle beans, as they are commonly called, are native to Mexico. They are sweet, spicy robust beans, and I tend to favor them a little over other beans because of their well-rounded deep flavor and pleasant texture. The health benefits of beans seem almost limitless. All beans benefit the kidneys, black beans most of all. Beans also contain a phytochemical which appears to inhibit cancer cells from multiplying. All beans are good sources of calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and B vitamins, and help prevent against heart disease and cancer. Beans are made up of 17-25% protein, which is higher than that of eggs and most meats (soybeans are composed of 38% protein!). Of course, protein builds body mass, but unlike meat it does so without cholesterol, saturated fat, toxic byproducts, etc. Beans are one of the most pure foods that we eat: organic beans are completely unrefined and unadulterated – they are simply dried, shelled, cleaned, and sold.

beans, fresh and dried - Beans grow on vines and are contained in pods. We eat them the same way they have been eaten for millennia: dried, shelled, and cleaned. We also eat them fermented into tempeh, miso, and shoyu (soy sauce), made into milk and tofu, and fresh off the vine. I like using a wide variety of beans because different kinds of beans are used in so many different ways around the world. Although beans are sometimes thought of as “poor man’s meat,” the varieties and ways of preparing beans put them in a whole different class altogether. Nutritionally, beans strengthen the kidneys and adrenal glands and build body mass in the same way meat does, but without the cholesterol, saturated fat, and toxic nitrogen byproducts. The phytochemical diosgenin, which appears to inhibit cancer cells from multiplying, is found in beans, and their isoflavones help prevent cancer and heart disease. Beans are slowly digested and cause only a gradual rise in blood sugar levels. Beans are also high in calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and several B vitamins.

beans, heirloom - There are many more kinds of beans than the 5-6 varieties that we typically use, and it’s important to seek out exotic varieties, because it’s fun and because it ensures that we preserve a diversity of crops. It’s just as necessary that we make sure an heirloom bean doesn’t go “extinct” as it is that we protect koala bears and whales. Anyway, you already knew that beans are high in protein, but did you also know they also strengthen the kidneys and adrenal glands, reduce cholesterol, and offer protection against heart disease?

beets - I know that many of you, gentle clients, harbor ill will toward beets. They are too bitter, too earthy, too weird, too reminiscent of your childhood dinner table. And if you desire it, you can always substitute another dish on the menu for a beet-heavy one like this week’s salad. But I have converted many beet-haters to beet-likers (I won’t yet say lovers, but I’m working on it) by trying to always use fresh (not old, bitter, soft) beets, interesting varieties (like the “candy stripe” chioggia beets in this week’s salad, whose stripes fade a bit upon cooking but are sweet enough to remind one that refined beets were once a major source of sugar), and preparing them in ways that are miles away from the boiled-to-death plain mushy beets that gave them such a bad name. Beets can be black, white, yellow, and all shades of red and pink. There are also several beet varieties that are grown for their greens alone, such as their close relative, Swiss chard. I have heard that if your urine is pink after eating beets you may have an iron deficiency, but I can’t seem to find any definitive proof of this. Beets are excellent blood purifiers, and aid the liver and heart. Beet greens are high in calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and contain vitamins A, B-complex, and C.


biodynamics - The grapes in this week’s dessert are biodynamically certified. Biodynamic farming incorporates the “whole farm organism” concept, which goes beyond organic principles and seeks to actively heal and improve the environment. It also involves planetary and cosmic rhythms and is considered more of an ongoing path of knowledge than a collection of techniques. The Community Supported Agriculture movement came out of the biodynamic project.


bok choy - Bok choy, a member of the brassica (cabbage) family, is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, as well as folate and calcium. It is widely available organic, and easy to grow in the garden practically year round, although it is best in fall and winter. It’s a friendly vegetable in that its gentle, refreshing flavor goes well in all kinds of dishes. I love pan-searing baby bok choy whole with garlic, ginger, shoyu (real soy sauce), and rice wine, but older bok choy also excels in this nicely balanced stir fry.


brown rice, the newly super healthy kind- Good news everyone! My partner bought me a ridiculously high tech rice cooker for my birthday (29 years old! The dew of youth is fading!) , and one of its features (in addition to playing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” when rice is ready) is something I had never heard of called GABA brown rice. I did a little research, and what it comes down to is that the rice cooker soaks the rice at 104°F for a few hours before the actual cooking begins, which increases availability of (naturally occurring) gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an amino acid in brown rice that has health giving properties such as lowering blood pressure, improving kidney function and relieving stress. GABA is a neurotransmitter blocker, which means that it is calming. It's been described as natural valium. Research carried out for the United Nations Year of Rice has shown that it is possible to obtain a more complete amino acid profile by soaking the rice for a few hours. I read a review of the rice cooker on the internet that says that if they eat the GABA brown rice at night, they feel more calm and sleep better, which makes sense. How cool! Of course I’m going to take advantage of this strangely-helpful feature - more amino acids are always better. And other whole grains (only whole grains though) can be cooked in the same way. Be prepared to feel less stressed out! Also, the new rice cooker uses induction technology, which means it is super energy-efficient. Add that to the fact that all my kitchen towels are washed in my newly built bike-powered washing machine (I am not making this up! I built it!), and you can feel truly good about the Lagusta’s Luscious carbon footprint.


bulgur - Bulgur (also spelled bulghur) is steamed, dried, cracked whole wheat berries. This Middle Eastern dish was most likely devised because whole wheat berries (the term for the whole wheat grain with just its outer hull removed) are extremely chewy and can be hard to digest. Bulgur is much lighter in flavor and chew, and it soaks up flavors well. There are two types of bulgur: dark, and white, and both are whole grains. Dark bulgur is made from hard red wheat and white bulgur is made from soft white wheat.


burdock - “Black from dust but still alive and red in the center … [burdock] makes me want to write. It asserts life to the end, and alone in the midst of the whole field, somehow or other had asserted it.” - Tolstoy

People are always scared off by burdock at the farmer’s market and health food store, which means I can get the juiciest ones all to myself. It’s true that long, skinny burdock roots smell intensely of sweet, freshly dug soil and bear more than a slight resemblance to tree roots (they are roots, afterall), but they are nothing to be intimidated by. Burdock tastes earthy as well, a little like artichokes and salsify (to which it looks almost identical). It is a member of the sunflower family and has been used for centuries in Japan, where it is called gobo. Burdock has many health benefits. It is excellent for diabetics because it contains the nutraceutical inulin. It is known to cleanse and purify the blood, as well as support digestion and the elimination of toxins. It is also used as a liver detoxifier, s an excellent source of potassium, and contains protein, calcium, and phosphorus.

Here’s a fascinating fact about burdock: After taking his dog for a walk one day in the early 1940s, George de Mestral, a Swiss inventor, became curious about the seeds of the burdock plant that had attached themselves to his clothes and to the dog's fur. Under a microscope, he looked closely at the hook-and-loop system that the seeds have evolved to hitchhike on passing animals and aid pollination, and he realised that the same approach could be used to join other things together. The result was Velcro.

cabbage - Though it seems like a blah vegetable, cabbage actually has a whole mountain of interesting “do you know?” tidbits behind it. The word cabbage derives from the Latin word caput, meaning “head.” (Writing this immediately before making the red cabbage dish for this week made me feel a little weird about hacking into a huge pile of cabbages with my vegetable cleaver and reducing them to blood-red shreds...) The reason so many people don’t like cabbage is because it’s usually overcooked, whereupon it emits hydrogen sulfide (the rotten egg aroma), ammonia, and other foul smells. It is also not too kind to the intestines when overcooked, so I like to serve it raw in coleslaw and sauteed in this red cabbage dish. Yet another “did you know?”: cabbage is higher in vitamin C than oranges! Red cabbage is superior nutritionally because it contains more antioxidants (those things that help make you look so young and gorgeous), but both red and green cabbage treat constipation, the common cold, mental depression, and irritability, as well as being rich in phytonutrients that help to do everything from inhibiting cancer formation to warding off carcinogens. A vegetable over 200 years old (bonus fun fact) can’t be bad!


carrots - Ok, I don’t want to be a snob here, but the first thing I have to say about carrots is my big pet peeve about them: those scary little peeled “baby” carrots you get in bags at the supermarket. They aren’t babies, just adults machine peeled and cut into unnatural shapes, and their flavor is a pale imitation of a freshly dug carrot with dirt still on the hairy roots. I can’t wait until the growing season starts and I can get my hands on some real baby carrots, cute little things with green tops that are not only orange, but deep red, yellow, purple, and even white. Until then, fully grown organic California carrots will be OK. The ancient Greek word for carrot, philon, comes from the word “love,” as they were thought to be aphrodisiac, so they are a nice mid-February treat. In addition to improving night vision, carrots support the lungs, spleen-pancreas, liver, and kidneys. They support the elimination of waste, prevent constipation, purify the blood, lower blood sugar, and treat indigestion, as well as relieving menstrual pain and PMS. As well, they are high in vitamin A and carotenoids. Against the advice of all fancy-pants chefs, I try to peel good organic carrots as little as possible, as their nutrients are concentrated in and near the skin.

cauliflower and the doctrine of signatures -Did you know that broccoli and cauliflower are essentially the same vegetable, differentiated by little other than color? Both are members of the large Brassica family, which also include cabbage - cauliflower actually means “cabbage flower,” proving Mark Twain’s quip that “Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.” Cauliflower is easier to digest raw than broccoli, but it still benefits from light cooking. Like most light-colored vegetables, cauliflower is less rich in vitamins, minerals, and chlorophyll than broccoli, its greener counterpart.

I always find it fascinating when vegetables that resemble parts of the body are actually beneficial for those body parts. This strange fact is actually an ancient European philosophy called “the doctrine of signatures,” and is still used by Chinese herbalists and homeopaths, among others. So, round, pale, and knobby cauliflower is considered a brain food. Kidney beans really do strengthen the kidneys, beets are good for good for blood strengthening, walnuts are brain foods (rich in Omega 3 fatty acids) mature lettuce leaves that leak milky sap support lactation, and carrots support the (get your mind out of the gutter!) eyes because a sliced carrot with its radiating lines looks like the pupil and iris of the human eye. Recent Western research has subsequently proven these claims.

celery root - I adore celery root. It is a handy way to infuse a dish with a lovely background celery flavor without the texture and bitterness issues cooked celery sometimes presents. Unfortunately I almost never get to use this lovely vegetable because no one grows it around here except one farmer – apparently there is no market for it! OK, I will not deny it is a fantastically ugly vegetable, all lumpy and gnarled with thick hairy roots hanging off it. But its thick peel is rather quickly taken off, and underneath is a gleaming white softball-size root perfect for mashing like (or with) potatoes, roasting, caramelizing, deep frying – like most roots, celery roots are almost infinitely variable. Much like beets, when sliced veey very thinly they can even be eaten raw. Oh celery root! Maybe next year I’ll try my hand at growing my own.

certified naturally grown - Not an ingredient, but I think this is important to discuss: because of new (2002) USDA regulations for organic certification that make it much more difficult for smaller farmers  to get certified regardless of how organic their practices are (as well as other problems with the organic label that I don't have space to go into here), many smart farmers are turning to alternative certifications, like Certified Naturally Grown. Here’s some information on CNG, courtesy of one of the farmers we’ll be getting produce from this summer:

“Hello to all our Neighbors,

I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about Meadow View Farm, a Certified Naturally Grown produce farm. Certified Naturally Grown is a grassroots effort by 300 farms across the county [Ulster County, NY] to provide a more credible alternative to the USDA Organic program for small, diversified farmers. 

Farmers commit to the following practices in growing your food: Absolutely NO use of synthetic chemical insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or fertilizer on our crops or fields; Minimal and careful use of even Organically approved soil amendments and sprays; Care for our soil, water and air quality with crop rotations, cover crops, protective buffer strips and ecologically sustainable farming practices; NO use of chemically treated or Genetically Modified seeds; Follow sanitary post-harvest practices including proper transport, storage and the use of only potable water for the washing of produce; To pass on the land and surrounding environment in an even better condition than it was passed on to us.

“We grow this way because we care about our families’ and workers’ health, the health of our friends and customers purchasing and enjoying our food, and because we want to be good, sustainable stewards of the small portion of this earth that has temporarily been put under our care.”

certified veganic - One thing I love about being a cook is the symbiotic relationship I have with farmers. As you know, I love farms and farmers! But not all farms. Even some picturesque, pretty upstate farms still use dangerous and nasty chemicals. It’s not enough to just shop locally - we must find farmers who farm responsibly. Of course I try to buy from organic farms, but I’ve recently learned a bit about something called “veganic farming.” It sounds weird - how can a vegetable not be “veganic”? Well, my friend Ron, an amazing farmer who grows most of the produce I use, has recently become obsessed with this issue and started a certification program for farmers who, like him and his wife Kate, use no animal by-products.
For more information, check out certifiedveganic.org, but here’s the basic skinny, in his own words: “The primary source of nutrients on most Certified Organic farms comes from factory farmed animal wastes. Manure, bone meal and other animal by-products are relied on heavily, even though crop rotations and green manures are alternative methods to ensure soil fertility.
Veganic describes an approach to agriculture that breaks the link between vegetable production and animal products.
Veganic agriculture is much less dependent than traditional organic farming on fossil fuels - seeds are transported to the field and the plant matter just stays there instead of being transported to a cow and then transported back again as manure after being processed by the animal's stomach.
Veganic farming does not help subsidize inhumane and environmentally damaging farming practices often found on large-scale livestock operations from which most animal-based fertilizers are purchased.
Certified Veganic seeks to demonstrate a more sustainable form of agriculture and provide a labeling system for organic farmers that are willing to completely sever the tight bond that exists between raising animals for food, and organically grown fruits and vegetables.”

cherries, sweet - Cherries! I was in mourning because I thought the entire Hudson Valley cherry crop had been ruined by the hard rain, but I managed to find some after all, and they are delicious.
Do you know why Broadway in New York veers off course at East 10th street? Because at one time a cherry tree grew there (OK, some say it was an apple orchard) that was more important than a tidy road. Although New York is not typically known for cherries, upstate farmers produce some gorgeous and tasty ones. Of all fresh fruits, commercial cherries, apples, and grapes generally contain the most toxic chemical residues. The cherries I’ve been getting are from a farm that is not certified organic but that is extremely low spray and very committed to environmentally responsible practices.Cherries are rich in antioxidants such as anthocyanin, which is believed to reduce pain and inflammation. They have also been found to fight myraid diseases, including diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and gout. Cherries are an excellent source of iron and contain some phosphorus, potassium, and calcium, as well as vitamin A. They are a warming food that tones the spleen-pancreas, liver, and kidneys. They remove excess body acids and blood stagnation.


chickpeas - The chickpea meal this week includes chickpea flour, which makes excellent cakes and also nice eggless crepes. Chickpea flour is typically used in Indian and Italian cuisines, and is high in protein and more digestible than the other common legume flour, soy flour (which is icky, in my opinion). One of our first cultivated crops, chickpeas have three times more vitamin C, nearly double the amount of iron, and more fat than most legumes. In Chinese medicine, it supports the spleen-pancreas, stomach, and heart.

chiles - Chilies, in varying guises and forms, are used in several forms this week. Chile peppers are the world’s most highly consumed spice, partially due to their amazing versatility, and partially because of the universal love for spicy food. Behind their heat is a range of earthy sweet flavors, from deep, rich roasty anchos to peppery habaneros. Hot chiles are known to create moments of heightened awareness and to enhance moods because they increase the production of endorphins. Capsaicin, which is what makes chiles hot, widens blood vessels, which enhances blood circulation. In general, chilies stimulate and tonify various systems and parts of the body, so they are a good wake up to spring. They stimulate the digestive system, have antioxidant properties, protect against some chemical carcinogens, and treat colds, fevers, varicose veins, and asthma. They contain potassium, folic acid, fiber, and iron. Chiles are also extremely easy to grow in the garden, so look for dishes featuring my own small heirloom harvest this summer!


chocolate - Chocolate! There is a lot to say about this gift from the Aztecs. First off, please make sure all the chocolate you buy is fair-trade. I won’t go into it now because it takes up too much space, but there are very real and documentated cases of child slavery being used to produce chocolate in the Ivory Coast (more information: american.edu/TED/chocolate-slave.htm)

What I do want to go into is the health benefits of chocolate. Yes - chocolate is a healthy food. Yes - you should eat chocolate. What you should not eat is commercial chocolate milk chocolate bars that are loaded with refined fats and sugar. Dark chocolate with more than 50% chocolate and no milkfat, is the way to go. One of the main reasons to eat chocolate is because of it’s antioxidant content. Antioxidants are compounds that help prevent practically countless numbers of diseases - heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, the effects of aging, and more. So, you might drink green tea or red wine on occasion to get those antioxidants, but did you know that dark chocolate has seven times more antioxidants than green tea, and twice as many as red wine? I’m running out of space, so here are some more quick facts (For further reading, pick up a copy of the very interesting book Chocolate Unwrapped!): chocolate might promote low blood pressure, prevent blood clots, reduce symptoms of asthma and allergies and treat coughs!
Eat chocolate!

citrus - One of the redeeming things about winter is the chance to eat good-quality citrus from sunnier climates. Technically citrus is available year-round, but in the spring and summer I find it’s better to focus on local seasonal fruit. But during the winter, when apples and pears get old, citrus saves the day. Its bright clean flavor always seems so special when it’s cold out and our bodies can feel so dull and sluggish. I like to pair the relatively rich and creamy peanut noodles with this Moroccan salad because it acts as such a great palate cleanser. Everyone knows that citrus is high in vitamin C, but citrus fruits also contain potassium and citric acid. Citrus has been used as a general tonic for weak digestion and poor appetite, and contains 58 known anticancer agents. This salad includes blood oranges, which are exceptionally sweet and dramatically colored.

coconut - Many people have a negative impression of coconut products, especially coconut oil, because it is a saturated fat (it is solid at room temperature). However, it does not pose a problem for those who do not consume an excess of fat and/or cholesterol since more than half of it is composed of medium-chain fatty acids, which are used as energy and not stored as fat. Coconut oil does not contain toxic trans-fatty acids found in hydrogenated vegetable oils, which have been found to contribute to heart disease. Therefore, remarkably, this most luscious and luxuriously fatty food is not used as fat in the body but works as instantly available energy. In addition, unlike most vegetable fats which are unsaturated and prone to destabilizing reactions with oxygen, coconut oil is highly stable and has a high smoke point. This is important because in order to get the nice caramelized brown color that makes vegetarian food so much more satisfying, oil must be heated very hot. When oil is heated, it can burn and become carcinogenic. Because coconut oil has a high smoke point, it is less likely to burn and thus much healthier than less saturated fats for searing, sautéing, and pan- and deep-frying. That this saturated fat is our best choice for frying seems to run counter to the general wisdom that unsaturated oils such as olive oil are always best for our health. It is important to keep in mind that the health benefits of unsaturated fats are only valid when those oils are stable, and for high heat frying, coconut oil provides a healthy alternative. For more coconut info, click here.

corn - Oh, corn. Corn is the most widely used native grain in the western hemisphere. It originated nearly eight thousand years ago when Indian tribes in Mexico began selectively breeding a wild grass. A farmer friend told me recently that conventionally grown corn husks are so toxic that the workers who handle corn are not even supposed to touch it, and it’s handled by people wearing white decontamination-type suits. Luckily, the corn itself is not highly contaminated because the husks protect it so well --- as a matter of fact, corn is not high on the list of “must buy organic” veggies that environmental groups put out  (I always buy organic corn anyway, though). However, things like this show us that buying organic and Certified Naturally Grown veggies is not only a personal health issue, it’s also an environmental and worker’s rights issue. Anyway, the just-picked, no-spray corn in this week’s cornbread and pilaf is from a nice local farm. Sweet corn (as opposed to decorative flint corn, flour corn, or popcorn) is actually a vegetable, not a grain, because it has a recessive gene that prevents its sugars from turning into starches. Corn is high in Vitamin A and is used in the treatment of heart disease, sexual weakness, and loss of appetite. It can help to prevent the formation of urinary stones and strengthens overall energy (chi), blood, the stomach, and bladder.

cranberries - The name "cranberry" evolved from "craneberry" (a common name for the low-growing shrub Vaccinum macrocarpon) because the plant’s flowers resemble the heads of cranes frequently spotted in the bogs where cranberries thrive. (And right there I have provided you with a nice ice-breaking conversational tidbit to bring to your holiday table - you’re welcome!) These puckery berries are one of the only native fruits of the far north. (If the first fun fact grabbed everyone’s attention, you could toss that one out, too.) As many women know, whole cranberries as well as their juice and extract can help prevent and heal urinary tract infections. (While useful to know, you might not want to segue into this fact during Thanksgiving dinner.) This is accomplished by inhibiting bacteria (especially e. coli) from adhering to the bladder and urinary tract, which also helps to reduce certain types of kidney stones. Cranberries are high in Vitamin C and can help prevent gum disease.

the wide world of curry - Tandoori, vindaloo, garam masala, rogan josh, saté, laksa, sambal - the world of curries is wide and often confusing.
Curries can be Indian, Thai, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Indonesian, or from pretty much any Asian country. As you would expect, curries from different regions are all slightly (or widely) different, making it hard to know what to expect when ordering a dish called curry. Curry was born in India, and Indian curries are the most popular in the US.
Curry powder is just as complex as the world of curries itself and often contains up to 14 spices. In India curry powder is not widely used - cooks mix spices according to the dish they are making. In fact, curry powder is an English invention, developed by colonial rulers to mimic the taste of Indian cuisine at home. For this curry-scented mushroom dish I splurge on a very complex sweet curry powder from Penzey’s Spices that is heavy with saffron threads.
Curry powder may or may not contain leaves of the curry plant, which is a highly aromatic thin-bladed herb used somewhat like bay leaves in Indian and Sri Lankan cooking.
There has been some chatter about the spice turmeric, which is frequently a component of curry powders, being a potent cancer fighter. In general, curries are excellent winter dishes because they stimulate the digestive system and are generally warming foods because of their rich spices.

dandelion greens - The dandelion plant, scourge of suburban lawns everywhere, is actually an amazing specimen. Queen of foragers everywhere because its leaves, roots, and flowers are all edible, it is also one of the most complete plant foods on the earth. It contains more beta-carotene than carrots, more potassium than bananas, as much iron as spinach, and a lots more vitamins and minerals. It has also been used for centuries to treat liver ailments and digestive disorders, and especially as a diuretic. In fact, the French nickname for dandelion is pissenlit, “`[vulgar term for urinating] in bed.” I like to eat dandelion greens in the springtime because they are excellent detoxifiers and cleansers, which is nice after heavy winter meals.

Dandelion is believed to be among the bitter herbs at the first Passover seders. The name dandelion is charmingly derived from “dent-de-lion,” French for lion’s tooth, referring to the plants serrated leaves.

If you are looking to find some dandelion greens in your front yard, your window of opportunity is approaching -- the only dandelion greens worth eating are the very first spring shoots, as later greens are often punishingly bitter. Dandelion greens can be eaten raw, but older ones are best lightly cooked.

edible flowers - When I first bought my house and planted a real garden, I told all my gardening friends that I wasn’t going to waste time planting any frou-frou flowers - I was only going to plant edible flowers, as any self-respecting chef should. I love using edible flowers in cooking, and am wary of they ones commercially available - either they are sprayed with scary pesticides (for God’s sake - never eat flowers from a florist!), or they are old and wilty. Now I grow lots of edible flowers - my favorites are edible nasturtiums because they come in wild pinks, reds, and oranges, as well as creamy peach and white combinations. I also love delicate pansies and violas, minty johnny-jump ups, and herb flowers like the cucumber-tasting, robin’s-egg-blue borage flowers, pretty white mint flowers, and purple sage flowers. I’m also growing some Asian edible chrysanthemums, whose stems are good for stir-frying. They aren’t quite ready yet, but look for them in a dish soon. I have to admit, though, that this year I broke down and grew some non-edible morning glories, and I don’t feel too un-chefy about it. Edible flowers are usually consumed in such small quantities (large amounts of them tend to be overkill) that nutritionally they are a wash. As well, they are usually about 95% water. In general though, they do contain the same nutritional properties of the plant, just in smaller quantities.

eggplant - Eggplant has a curious nomenclature: it was first called Solanum insanum because Europeans were convinced that it caused instant insanity. Its name has since been changed to melongena, which refers to its dark color. Its common name refers to the fact that the first eggplants were the size and shape of eggs. I was helping out a friend at her stand at the famous Union Square farmer’s market this weekend (her farm is called Tweefontein Herb Farm, and she makes excellent pesto and herbal iced teas. If you’re in the Union Square area on Saturdays, be sure to pick some up!), so even though I had already shopped at the upstate farms I visit weekly, I couldn’t stop myself going on an eggplant spree in Union Square – a friend who works at yet another farm stand was offering all kinds of purple, green, striped, white, long, thin, small, fat, and even egg-shaped eggplants. I got a good assortment of all kinds, and hope you enjoy eating them as much as I enjoyed picking them out. Eggplant is a cooling food that is used for bleeding problems and to influence blood in the lower part of the body. Because of this, in Asia pregnant women are advised to eat eggplant sparingly because it could cause miscarriage. These same properties are medicinal in cases of ovarian cysts, menstrual irregularities, and uterine tumors.

fava beans - Those big green kidney-shaped beans in this week’s curry are fava beans. One of the oldest cultivated vegetables (favas have been found with Iron Age relics in parts of Europe), fava beans were a mainstay throughout much of the world. I’m going to guess that they fell out of favor because people started realizing that they could grow other crops that required much less preparation - I watched an entire movie (“Saving Face” - excellent!) while shelling and peeling this week’s beans. Favas sport a velvety pod that looks very pretty and green but is not edible unless the bean is super young. The beans need to be shelled from the pod, then the beans themselves are encased in an inedible skin that needs to be peeled. The reward for all this effort is a tasty and pretty bean, but more than that it’s a sort of metonymy for spring (maybe my English major was not a complete waste, if words like metonymy still spring to mind), as it is often one of the first spring vegetables to arrive in markets.

Favas improve blood circulation and water metabolism and are sometimes used to treat loss of appetite in Chinese medicine. I am fascinated by the fact that fava beans are the only food I can think of with a disease named for them: favism (severe anemia). A small number of people, mostly boys of Mediterranean origin and some people from Africa, the middle east, and Asia, can develop favism after eating fava beans. It is said that Pythagoreas (of the theorem fame), one of the first to advocate a vegetarian diet (until 1847 vegetarians were called Pythagoreans) suffered from favism and, not knowing of the disease, argued that beans caused “cloudy thinking” and should not be eaten - causing many ancient vegetarians to miss out on an excellent protein source. One more thing - fava beans should be avoided by anyone taking antidepressants of the MAO-inhibitor type.

fermented black beans - In my quest to make vegetarian food as interesting and nuanced as non-veggie fare, I think of fermented black beans as a secret weapon. They have a complex, earthy flavor that can often stand in for Southeast Asian staples like fish sauce and shrimp paste, and are equally at home (in small quantities, so at not to be overwhelming) in non-Asian dishes. Not to be confused with black turtle beans used in Mexican cooking, fermented black beans are small, black soybeans that have been fermented in salt with garlic, ginger, and other aromatics, then sun-dried. Also known as Chinese black beans or salty or salted black beans, they have a very strong, salty flavor and are generally soaked for a half hour or so in fresh water before being added to a dish. This ancient foodstuff was first stumbled upon in the Zhou Dynasty or the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD). The beans used today in Chinese cooking differ little from those early fermentation experiments. Fascinatingly, black beans were the forerunner of what is essentially their liquified equivalent, soy sauce. Fermented black beans are, rather obviously, an essential and traditional component of black bean sauce, where they are combined with ginger, garlic, scallions, and other aromatics whose strong flavor matches their own. Bottled black bean sauce is widely available, but I like to make my own because the packaged stuff is often too oily, salty, or just has a processed flavor. Like all fermented foods, fermented black beans are more healthful than their non-fermented counterparts. In addition to contributing to healthy bacteria in the gut, the fermentation process makes them easier to digest
(December 5, 2006)

fiddlehead ferns - What is this strange curled vegetable sitting on your Bourguignonne? It’s a fiddlehead fern, and along with the ramps (see last week’s ingredient focus), asparagus, and artichokes in the other meals this week, it represents the finest song sung in the key of spring, if you’ll excuse the preciousness of that statement. Fiddlehead ferns are any type of fern that is not yet unfurled. Most fiddleheads are ostrich ferns, which are of Asian descent and are known to have been eaten by early American Indians. They are currently not cultivated, so they are only available wild in the spring in northern climates, and their season is only about 2 weeks long (so if you are not in love with these ferns, they won’t be coming around again for a while) before they unfurl to inedible plumes. Their flavor is often compared to their seasonal partners artichokes, asparagus, green beans, and morels, but they have a unique chewy texture.
(May 10, 2005)

garlic - Even though a friend was getting married this weekend, I still found time to sneak off to a garlic festival near Woodstock. If my fancy dress smelled of garlic at the ceremony, no one mentioned it, and if they had I could have just told than that garlic is a universally known aphrodisiac, and therefore appropriate at a wedding. In fact, some monks forbid it because of its heat-increasing properties. I’ve been using this amazing garlic, called rocambole that I buy in a huge batch every Fall. It costs almost twice as much as the regular stuff, but it’s organic and so great to work with (= the cloves are huge, so minimal peeling) -- & it’s the best tasting garlic on the planet. I also really like the farmer who makes it, and even though the NY Times recently mentioned him in a big article on garlic and all the fancy chefs want to get their hands on his garlic, he still always finds some for me. On the health front, garlic is a winner: it is a universally recognized antibacterial, anticarcinogenic, and antifungal agent, promotes the growth of healthy intestinal flora, and eliminates toxins like poisonous metals from the body.
(July 27, 2004, and September 25, 2005)

garlic scapes - Usually in mid-June, garlic growing in our area bursts upward with a curly seed top known as the scape. Scapes are the flowerstalks found on all members of the Allium family (onions, leeks, chives, and garlic). In garlic, the scapes curl as they grow, and ultimately straighten, and then grow little seed-like bulbs. Garlic producers remove the scapes to enhance bulb development. When the scapes are curled like a pig’s tail, they are tender and have a mild-medium garlic flavor with fresh green notes.
(June 21, 2005)

goji berries - Tart-sweet goji berries (very closely related to, but not identical to, wolf berries) are a native of China and Tibet, where they have been cultivated for more than 500 years. They look like large red raisins, but are less sweet and more tart, in a pleasant way (I always find raisins’ sweetness a little cloying), with multi-dimensional cherry and cranberry notes.

Goji berries are considered to be one of the most nutritious food sources on the planet. They have traditionally been regarded as a longevity-enhancing, strength-building, sexual-potency-boosting food of the highest order, and several Western studies have supported these claims.

Grown in fertile valleys, they are rich in antioxidant carotenoids, Vitamin A, and iron. They contain B-complex vitamins, Vitamin C (500 times more than oranges), and important polysaccharides, which fortify the immune system. They are 10% protein and supply all 19 different amino acids, including all 8 essential amino acids. In addition, goji berries are loaded with many phytonutrients.

In China the berries are usually eaten raw or made into teas and soups.

greens - The summer is ending, so it’s a nice time to rekindle our commitment to healthy eating. I’ve been eating a lot of summery vacation-type foods  (maybe you have too?) and it’s all made me crave greens like crazy. Lots of greens always make me feel rejuvenated – all that calcium! All that Vitamin D! – and these are nicely flavored so that even those who don’t usually adore greens will enjoy them. Now, you might be looking at that container of greens and thinking that there’s not much “there” there, but remember how much greens cook down: each 2 cup container contains just over 1 lb. of greens!

hemp seed oil, EFAs, and a word about protein - I’m a big fan of hemp seed oil. I can rarely use it when cooking for the service, however, because hemp seed oil cannot be heated at all. I do use it in a few vinaigrettes (like this week’s Ginger Walnut Miso dressing), and because it’s such an important ingredient I thought I’d talk about it a little and encourage everyone to have a bottle on hand to drizzle over cooked foods or blend into smoothies.

First, let’s talk about fat. Our bodies need 20 different types of essential fatty acids (EFAs)for optimal health. We make all but two of these - Omega 3 and Omega 6. These need to be eaten. For best health, it’s important to consume these in a balanced ratio (specifically 4 parts Omega 6 to 1 part Omega 3). My favorite source of Omega 3 & 6 EFAs is hemp seed oil. It contains more of these essential fatty acids than flax seed oil (a common but unpleasant-tasting source of EFAs) and they are perfectly balanced. I actually like the deeply nutty flavor of hemp seed oil, and use it to liven up plain veggies, rice, etc. It also completely disappears when blended into smoothies. Like flax seed oil, hemp seed oil’s EFAs are destroyed when heated, so be sure to use it in cold preparations or over cooked foods. In addition, hemp seeds themselves are an excellent source of high-quality protein. Pound for pound, hemp protein is higher in protein than (in order of protein content) soy, beef, fish, peanuts, cheese, chicken, almonds, tofu, and milk.

And finally – hemp vs. pot: you probably know this, but I should point out that hemp seed oil is deliberately manufactured to contain no significant amounts of THC and is therefore not a psychoactive drug!

herbs and spices, in 3 parts -
Part 1: Introduction to herbs and spices. It always amazes me how much more there is to learn about cooking. I used to think that cinnamon was cinnamon was cinnamon, but these days I’m a Mexican (ceylon) cinnamon snob because of it’s complex, fruity flavor, and I snub my nose at the Vietnamese (cassia) stuff that most of us grew up with. The last time I was at my mom’s place I noticed some dusty supermarket-brand spices that seemed to predate my birth, so for her birthday I got her a big box of spices from Penzey’s Spices, a small(ish) company based in Wisconsin that goes to the ends of the earth to find the best quality spices anywhere. Their catalog is a fascinating education in the world of spices. Knowing the history behind the pinches and dashes we toss into our pomo fusion cooking connects us to a non-globalized time when every dash was meted out carefully because empires depended on spice routes. I don’t want to go back to Medieval England or anything, it’s just nice to not take for granted the richness we have today. One way to reconnect with spices is to always use whole spices and grind them just before use in a coffee grinder - the flavor difference is amazing.

Part 2: The spicy politics of the spice trade. We probably all know that the spice trade has historically been a source of what would be termed “human rights abuses” today, but the sad fact is that even today large multi-national agri-business concerns, in the all-important drive to provide lots of product at a low price, do not compensate the workers who grow, harvest, and pack herbs and spices adequately. Information about chocolate and virtual slave labor has recently come to light, and it appears that because spices are often harvested in parts of the world with minimal labor and human rights laws (or enforcement of the laws that do exist) the same problems can and most likely do occur. I always try to buy organic spices, which are widely available (although the quality is not always what I would like, so not 100% of my spices are organic), and I shop at smaller retailers who are most likely to have a personal relationship with the merchants who provide their product. Fresh herbs can of course be bought locally when in season, but most spices are by necessity world travelers. Luckily, fair trade spices are becoming more and more available.
Special spice quiz! Email me your response(s) for a special treat in January!
1) Name 2 spices that started out life as parts of flowers (one as a bud and one as a stigma). 2) What spice was illegal in the US until recently?

Part 3: Fun facts about herbs and spices. The use of herbs and spices to flavor foods is as old as cooking itself and is what distinguishes many similar dishes around the world. You could travel around the world eating only rice and beans – from Texas to Cuba to Spain to Israel to India to Tibet – and you’d never have the same dish twice because of the different seasonings used. (Does this fact sort of blow your mind? It does mine.)

Do you know the difference between a spice and an herb? Herbs are simple: they are all leaves. Spices, a testament to human curiosity and ingenuity, can be the bark (cinnamon), bud (cloves, capers), seed (caraway, cumin, fennel,

) root (chicory, ginger), fruit (cayenne, nutmeg), rind (mace), or berry (peppercorns) of a plant. Lovely saffron is actually the stigma of a flower!

I hope you’ve enjoyed our three-week exploration of the world of herbs and spices! 

horseradish - Aside from being one of the bitter herbs eaten on Passover (though it is much more pungent than bitter), most of us are used to thinking about horseradish as the condiment that goes on (veggie) hot dogs, known as “prepared horseradish.” The horseradish I use is a woody, slightly scary-looking knobby root (it always looks to me like an extremely dirty severed foot, yum!) that appears every year as a volunteer in my garden (in the winter I buy fresh horseradish root). I peel and grate it (being mindful not to take a big whiff while pulsing it in the food processor, lest it burn my nose off) and mix the grated horseradish with vinegar. This is pretty much what’s in the bottles of prepared horseradish you can buy, except that it sometimes contains preservatives.
The Horseradish Information Council helpfully tells me that “Horseradish is a member of the mustard family (sharing lineage with its gentler cousins, kale, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and the common radish) and is cultivated for its thick, fleshy white roots. The bite and aroma of the horseradish root are almost absent until it is grated or ground. During this process, as the root cells are crushed, volatile oils known as isothiocyanate are released. Vinegar stops this reaction and stabilizes the flavor.” Horseradish is an excellent source of iron and potassium. It inhibits bacterial infection, increases perspiration and circulation, and acts as a diuretic.
(May 23, 2006)

jerusalem artichokes, aka sunchokes - There are various theories on why Helianthus tuberosus aquired the name “Jerusalem artichoke” (it appears to be distorted Italian), but “sunchoke” refers to the fact that this sunflower relative produces tubers on underground root stalks. It has been grown on American soil for hundreds of years, and is one of the few American produce exports.

Don’t these roasted sunchokes taste like dirt, in the most pleasant way? I sometimes crave sunchokes and burdock and the like, and wonder if this makes me a geophagist (dirt-eater). Don’t worry, I made sure to wash these organic sunchokes well.

Whole sunchokes look like knobby potatoes, with ginger-like folds. They are sweet and crisp when raw, but I like the melty interior and earthy exterior of roasted sunchokes best. Be sure to warm these completely so they lose their chill, which can make them tough.

Sunchokes confer a number of lovely health benefits, such as reduced blood cholesterol and decreased incidence of colon cancer. Unlike most root vegetables, they contain no starch. They are rich in Vitamins A and B-complex, potassium, iron, calcium, and magnesium, and have been known to relieve asthmatic conditions, treat constipation, and nourish the lungs.
(May 16, 2006)

kale - Kale is the grandmother of the entire cabbage family. Kale is extremely hardy – in fact, it is sweetest after a good frost. The reason for this is the same reason the sugariest ice cream often has the best texture: by pumping sugar into the water inside its leaves, kale lowers the temperature at which freezing begins. Thus, kale is an ideal winter food. Fresh, frost-kissed kale should not have an overly bitter flavor but should be sweet and rich. A strengthening vegetable, kale is warming and benefits the stomach, liver, and immune system. It contains nutraceuticals which protect the eyes from macular degeneration and something called indole-3-carbinol, which may protect against colon cancer. As one of the darkest of the dark, leafy greens, kale is therefore highest in the nutrients found in all leafy greens: it is an exceptional source of chlorophyll, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C. Red Russian kale is an especially rich, tasty, and gorgeous variety that is making a comeback in local markets.
(March 14, 2005)

kimchi - Kimchi is a spicy Korean pickle. I recently read that the average adult Korean person consumes more than a quarter pound of kimchi every day. This is a pretty traditional kimchi except that it does not contain fish sauce or red chilies (I saw some lovely green ones instead). Kimchi is made by mixing vegetables with a sea salt solution and fermenting them in a cool place for about a week, after which they will keep in the refrigerator several months. This live, unprocessed kimchi assists digestion because it supplies the digestive tract with living cultures essential for breaking down food. Because fermentation makes food more nutritious (some ferments function as antibiotics, some create omega-3 fatty acids, all help increase vitamin and mineral absorption), eating live kimchi is more healthy than eating its component parts raw.
(April 5, 2005)

lavender - I’m going to cheat this week and copy some info from the website of the farm where I get my lavender, pelindaba.com:
Grown exclusively in our own organically certified fields, Pelindaba's Organic Culinary Lavender comes from the first of the flowers to be harvested each summer. We select only the finest "Provence" flowers, cut by hand just as the first blossoms begin to appear. Bunched and hung to dry (naturally) in the Drying Barn, the flower buds are then stripped from their stalks, sifted through a three tiered screening column, and then given a further sift and sort by hand to remove any undesirable material.

Probably the most versatile of culinary herbs, organic lavender has been used over the centuries in an extraordinary range of culinary delights. Up until the 20th century it was in many ways more popular than rosemary. Indeed, for all those savory dishes that call for rosemary, think lavender instead for a completely unique alternative flavor. But what makes culinary lavender relatively unique among the herbs is its wide application on the sweet as well as the savory side of the palate. It turns ordinary "sweet" into an extraordinarily exotic nectar.
(February 21, 2006)

lemons - I’m a big fan of the humble lemon, an Indian native without which so many dishes would be lacking. Sour flavors do such a great job of pointing up all the flavors in a dish, and lemon is the queen when it comes to well-rounded sour flavor. The bracing freshness that lemon provides is welcome in so many dishes, from soups to salads to desserts, that I don’t know how I could cook without this essential ingredient. Nutritionally, lemon is a powerhouse. Because it stimulates the production of saliva, it aids digestion and supports the hard-working liver. If you tend to eat right before bed and sometimes wake up with a stomachache, it means your liver wasn’t able to finish purifying your blood while you slept. Placate it with a morning elixir of hot water with a big squeeze of lemon and a little maple syrup. Lemons have antiseptic and antimicrobial properties, and treat flu, colds, coughs, and parasite infection. Additionally, they improve the absorption of minerals, cleanse the blood, and treat high blood pressure, sore throats, and hiccups. Not surprisingly, lemons are high in vitamin C. They are also a good source of potassium and vitamin B.

meyer lemons - It feels exclusionary to focus on an ingredient only in the dessert when not everyone gets the dessert, but I’ll be using Meyer lemons more as the season progresses, so don’t worry. Meyer lemons are a natural (not GMO!) hybrid between a mandarin and a lemon, discovered in Peking (where they have been used for centuries) by a Mr. Meyer, whose hand I’d like to shake. Now they are mostly grown in California. They have a sweeter and softer flavor than regular lemons, and an intriguing complexity reminiscent of mandarins, limes, and flowers. As a medicinal agent, the lemon is remarkable. Lemon improves the absorption of minerals, cleanses the blood, is useful in treating high blood pressure, assists with weight loss, alleviates flatulence, and has antiseptic and diuretic properties.

lettuce - Hooray for lettuce season! Right now(June) - when the nights are still a little cool but the days have lots of sun - is peak lettuce-picking time. Personally, I’m partial to heirloom varities that have been bred for flavor, rather than transportability. I’m happy that I’m able to get local organic lettuce year-round, including great mesclun mixes from several farms. The story of lettuce is the story of a battle against bitterness - the precursor to the lettuce we eat today is a wild lettuce that is punishingly bitter. Over hundreds of years the bitterness has been dramatically toned down through selective breeding - although you can still find some bitter lettuces, which are nice in small quantities. Lettuce has traditionally been valued as a calming, cooling food. It can help tame fevers, and liver inflammations, and relax the nerves. It acts as a mild diuretic and is drying, so it is useful in treating edema, candida, and damp conditions. It supports the pancreas and contains good amounts of magnesium.

According to the ancient Greeks, Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, was so distraught over the death of handsome Adonis that, for sedation, she slept upon a bed of lettuce. In fact, lettuce’s sedative properties are so intense that eating a large quantity of lettuce that has gone to seed (“bolted”) can apparently cause a coma. Luckily, bolted lettuce isn’t sold in stores and garden lettuce that has gone to seed will be too bitter to eat.

eating locally - the new (old) thing -The New York Times had a nice article on the quest to eat locally recently - how exhilarating! I feel deeply happy to be participating in this renaissance of local foods. I’m always excited to find a new farmer, mushroom grower or forager. Local foods are more fresh and delicious, and also are actually better for our bodies, since eating food that comes from the soil that surrounds us is a great way to build up our immune systems. All across the country “locavores” (or “localvores”) are challenging themselves to eat local foods exclusively for a certain period of time. While this can be a fun game, I can’t delude myself that it would work for the meal delivery service - I would be the first to go crazy if squash, apples, parsnips, maple syrup, and the occasional soft potato were the only veggies I could use for 5 months. I won’t even begin to imagine the horrors of not using chocolate, olive oil, flour (my quest for local flour has become a three-year-long odyssey), or practically all the spices I adore and rely on. And I’m not opposed to importing some special foods - one of the things I love best about cooking is the window to other cultures it opens up. But our food system has indeed become unsustainable, dependent as it is on fossil fuels, low-paying unsatisfying jobs, and unsustainable environmental practices. So I will continue my quest to use as many local and organic ingredients as possible, while still making my meals as tasty as I know how.

microwaving - I know the microwave is sometimes a necessity, especially in offices. Here’s some information on the safety of gamma rays exciting your Lagusta’s Luscious molecules, from organicstyle.com: “Many plastic products contain compounds known as phthalates, or plasticizers, which enhance flexibility. Added to everything from wall coverings to nail polish, these chemicals have become ubiquitous in our environment—and have found their way into our bodies. The CDC reported last year that most Americans now have detectable levels of phthalates in their blood.…some studies suggest they may harm the reproductive system. What we do know: When you store or wrap food in plastic, small amounts of phthalates migrate into it. High acid content (as in tomatoes) or high fat content (as in cheese) accelerates this process, as does heat—hence, the microwave concern.” Most research I’ve done on this issue runs through the possible risks (dioxin exposure, possible cancer risks, more) then comes up with the conclusion that the risk of long term health problems from microwaving in plastic is pretty small. My personal feeling is that we do a lot of small things (like breathing NYC air) that are harmful for us, and even though each on its own might not be enough to make us sick, what is the combined effect of them? I recommend: never microwaving food with plastic wrap on top of it, never microwaving in carryout containers, trying to microwave in ceramic dishes, and trying to avoid the microwave whenever possible. As we’ve seen time and time again, our government won’t protect us from health risks, so we need to protect ourselves!

mint - Mint is so easy to grow that it’s the perfect herb for city dwellers. There are more than 500 known mint varieties, but the most common are peppermint and spearmint. Last week’s lentils featured chocolate mint, and this week’s chutney is a mélange of apple mint, Egyptian mint and spearmint. The pungent menthol flavor of mint helps disperse pathogens such as viruses or bacteria, invigorates by promoting circulation of energy, blood, and lymph. These properties make mint useful in many herbal remedies.  Peppermint relieves spasms, increases perspiration, and tones the digestive system, especially the colon. Spearmint is a common remedy for feverish childhood illnesses as well as hiccups, indigestion, and flatulence.
(July 26, 2005)

miso - Miso is a fermented soy food, prepared in a traditional way. It was first recorded in Japanese documents beginning in year 901. In Japanese folk wisdom, miso has long been associated with health and longevity. Specifically, it is an anticarcinogen (miso has also been linked to up to a 50% reduction in breast cancer) and provides protection against exposure to radiation and heavy metals - miso contains an alkaloid that binds with heavy metals and carries them out of the body. One of the best health properties of miso is that, like all naturally fermented foods (sauerkraut, tempeh, shoyu), it promotes digestion because the fermentation process pre-digests hard to eat foods (like soybeans) and promotes healthy bacteria in the gut. Miso is also an extremely concentrated protein source, and contains all eight essential amino acids. Miso is naturally low in fat.

Recently I have been making my own miso, which is a lengthy but simple process. Most misos (there are different types, depending on how long they ferment) take at least a year to make, and in general the older the miso is the more complex, rich, and flavorful it is. The miso in this dish is about two years old, and is made with organic soybeans, which is traditional, as well as organic kidney beans for a little more color and complex flavor. For more on miso, see the excellent book Wild Fermentation, by my pal Sandor Katz.
(July 6, 2004)

mushrooms - I try to use a lot of mushrooms. Mushrooms are valuable health food - low in calories, high in proteins, iron, zinc, fiber, essential amino acids, vitamins & minerals. Mushrooms also have a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Their legendary effects on promoting good health and vitality have been supported by recent studies. These studies suggest that mushrooms are probiotic - they help our body strengthen itself and fight off illness by maintaining physiological homeostasis - restoring our bodies` balance and natural resistance to disease. Some mushrooms are currently used as adjuncts to cancer treatments in Japan and China. I use a lot of shiitake mushrooms, an extract of which has been licensed as a anti-cancer drug by the Japanese FDA because it has shown some effect on bowel cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, ovarian cancer and lung cancer. It stimulates the production of T lymphocytes and natural killer cells and can potentiate the effect of AZT in the anti-viral treatment of AIDS. Shiitake mushrooms are rich in several anti-oxidants as well as Vitamin D. They may also lower blood pressure in those with hypertension, lower serum cholesterol levels, increase libido, and have been proven effective against Hepatitis in some cases. Mushrooms in general are excellent detoxifiers because they do in the human body just what they do in nature - they draw upon that which is decaying (fat in the blood, excess mucus, pathogens) and help to adsorb and then safely eliminate it.

From a culinary standpoint, mushrooms are also the epitome of the flavor compound umami, which refers to that rich savory flavor that MSG tries to mimic. I love using them because they provide a richness and depth to vegetarian foods. (Sept 21, 2004)

mustard greens - Perfectly in season right now, ruffly-leaved mustard greens are pungent and truly mustardy, although they lose their bite a bit when cooked. Like other dark leafy greens, they help protect against cancer and other outside invaders with phytochemicals. Mustard greens specifically help move stuck energy and so are beneficial for colds, arthritis, and depression.
(Oct 26, 2004)

nopales - The prickly pear cactus stem, nopal, also called cactus paddle or beavertail cactus, acts as a thickener like okra, and also has significant health benefits. It is a cooling food, and skinned nopales can soothe burns much like aloe vera. It is also an anti-inflammatory and a diuretic, and recent clinical studies have confirmed the oral tradition that nopales are effective for adult-onset diabetes and hypoglycemia. Although not something to eat every day in this climate (because eating non-local foods all the time is not a great idea), I like that this food that I used to grill when camping out with my family growing up in Arizona is available in markets in these snowier, colder part of the world. Nopales arrive with prickly spines that need to be carefully peeled and removed.
(March 8, 2005)

olives and olive oil - Olives are especially valuable to those who eat vegetarian and Mediterranean diets because of the oil they produce. I use only extra virgin olive oil from the first cold pressing, which yields the best tasting and most nutritious oil. Olive oil is rich in Vitamin E and almost all of its fat content is monosaturated fat, which lowers “bad” LDL cholesterol and leaves “good” HDL cholesterol undisturbed. It also supports liver and gallbladder functions.
Olives, one of the only fruits never eaten raw, are usually fermented to make them edible. Olives tend to slow down body functions and so are considered medicinal for a person with high-strung, nervous energy. Green olives are picked unripe and soaked in a lye solution then cured in a salt solution. Black olives are picked ripe and cured in a salt solution. I’ve fermented my own olives, and they were delicious - the only difficulty is finding raw olives. The only olives to avoid are the hideous cheap canned black ones that are made from unripe olives and canned – because they are heat-treated and not allowed to ferment, they have no flavor.

organic vs. local - Everyone knows that organic produce is better from an environmental standpoint (and possibly a health standpoint), but there are some factors to consider that organic certification doesn’t cover. Have you ever taken snacks on a plane, had them leftover when you came down and didn’t want to eat them because they just didn’t seem fresh any more? That, along with the fact that locally grown food saves massive amounts of fossil fuels, is a clear taste argument for local produce. I’ve been working with several farms to supply the service with produce when the growing season starts in the spring, and I’m really excited about the excellent local produce available in NY state. Buying food straight from the farmer eliminates the big agro-business conglomerates that have virtually taken over the organic food world, and since new USDA guidelines for organic certification were approved in 2002 that are filled with loopholes and heavily favor big business, I feel better about supporting responsible local family farms who do not use chemicals than I do buying “truck lettuce” from a huge organic company out of California, Mexico, or Chile. Plus, it means that the money stays in the community, and, of course, local produce tastes incomparably better. To check out some of the farms that will be supplying us with produce, go to flyingbeet.com, philliesbridge.com, and taliaferrofarms.com.

parsnips - These carrot cousins look like albino carrots, but have a sweeter and nuttier flavor. Unlike carrots, they are not tasty raw. They are high in silicon and insoluble fiber and contain vitamin A, C, calcium, and potassium. In Chinese medicine they are also medicinal for the stomach and spleen-pancreas.

peaches - The peaches this year are amazingly tasty, and I seem to be able to get endless amounts of them, so they have been appearing in the dessert frequently. Peaches are yet another gift from Asia. Peach trees originated in China and were known as the Tree of Life to the ancient Chinese, where they still symbolize virginity and fertility (this seems a rather strange combination). After making their way to Persia and Europe, peaches found their way to the US, where they are currently grown in 36 states.

From a health standpoint, peaches are a cooling food. They are low in calories (lower even than apples and pears) and aid elimination, as well as being high in vitamin A and C. Unlike most fruits, they also contain calcium.
(August 22, 2006)

pecans - Pecans are a native American nut, and as such were an important staple for Native Americans. The name “pecan” comes from a Algonquin word meaning “a tough nut to crack.”
You can still sometimes find wild pecans at farmer’s markets and on the internet. Wild pecans are sweeter and pecan-er than others, and definitely worth seeking out.

Pecans, though high in fat, contain mostly polyunsaturated fat and no cholesterol. Additionally, there is evidence that adding pecans to a low-fat diet can significantly improve the cholesterol-lowering properties of a heart-healthy diet. Pecans can help to decrease the levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and maintain desirable levels of “good” HDL cholesterol. Apparently this is because plant sterols, found naturally in pecans in concentrated amounts, help to prevent the absorption of cholesterol in the body and thus have the ability to lower blood cholesterol.

Additionally, pecans are a healthy food because they are high in iron, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. They contain vitamins A, C, E, and B-complex, making them an excellent snack for vegans who might not otherwise be getting enough B vitamins.
Obligatory random fun fact: A mature pecan tree produces about 500 pounds of pecans every year.

peppercorns - I first bonded with my partner’s stepfather over peppercorns – he’s a huge pepper enthusiast and, when he found out I was a cook, made me taste his favorite peppercorn and asked me what kind it was. Taking a blind guess at the best (and biggest) pepper variety I knew, I ventured, “Tellicherry?” and our friendship was sealed. I use tellicherry peppercorns exclusively, as they are the best of the best (only the largest 10% of the pepper crop is awarded the grade “tellicherry” – and bigger is better because bigger peppercorns are more ripe and therefore flavorful). Peppercorns (the good ones, anyway) are harvested and air-dried today in regions like India much the same way they have been for centuries (writing that sentence, I got to thinking about the political aspects of the pepper trade, and just sent an e-mail to my pepper supplier asking them if they have any info on fair trade issues like how workers who harvest pepper are treated – I’ll keep you posted). The pink peppercorns used in this week’s dish have a bright, rich, sweet flavor, but I’d be lying if I said I don’t also love them for their Valentine’s day color. Nutritionally, pepper stimulates the flow of energy and blood to the body and opens up the pores, making it good at the onset of a cold. It’s an anti-inflammatory and a good source of chromium. Try not to buy pre –ground pepper, as when ground its flavor deteriorates rapidly and it is often toasted, which causes it to act as an irritant.

plums -

This Is Just to Say
by William Carlos Williams

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

(September 19 2006)

polenta, locally grown! - I’ve been buying perfectly lovely polenta from Bob’s Red Mill, based in Oregon. They are a good and rather charming company that makes excellent products, but, as you know, I’m trying to buy more and more ingredients that were grown within a 100-mile radius. So, I was recently very excited to find Wild Hive Farm, an organic farm in Clinton Corners, NY. They grow their own wheat and corn and grind flour and cornmeal fresh. They also have lovely polenta, which is making its first appearance in the polenta torte this week.

Polenta is an interesting ingredient. The word “polenta” is Italian, but variations of cornmeal mush exist in dozens of cultures, from the grits of the American South to the palenta of Croatia to the angu of Brazil to the mealie pap of South Africa.

Because polenta is a whole grain (corn), it is a good addition to a healthy diet. It is also the only grain that contains vitamin A.

pomegranates - Pomegranate, which means “many-grained apple,” is a truly ancient fruit. Originally thought to be native to China, pomegranates were actually brought to China in about 100 B.C. The pomegranate’s native region is from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India and has been cultivated across the Mediterranean region since ancient times.

One look at the jewel-like interior of a ripe pomegranate reveals its healthful properties – as almost everyone knows by now because of the very successful recent marketing of pomegranate tea and juice, pomegranates are higher in antioxidants than most other fruits, red wine, and green tea. They are excellent at curbing inflammations, and may lower cancer risks. In addition, they expel tapeworms, strengthen the bladder, and soothe ulcers in the mouth and throat. They are high in potassium and citric acid, and have moderate amounts of vitamin C and the B vitamins.

Random pomegranate fun facts: Granada was named for the pomegranate, which became their national emblem. The first pomegranate planted in Britain was done by none other than King Henry VIII. Ancient Romans tanned pomegranate skins and used them as leather. The French named their hand-tossed explosive a grenade after the seed-scattering properties of the pomegranate fruit.

potatoes - The story of potatoes in America is a classic one: heartbreakingly sad on one hand, happily hopeful on the other. On the one hand is terrible dilemna you’re in if you choose not to eat organic potatoes: almost certainly if they are not genetically modified they are absolutely soaked with poisoinous pesticides. The latter is worse for your personal health, the former is worse for our planetary health (some would say it’s a wash). As well, to a large extent we have reduced the unbelievably wide potato world to Idaho russets that are grown according to the specifications of fast food giants and destined to become soggy French fries.

The flip side of these sadnesses is the breathtakingly diverse flavors, colors, shapes and sizes of hierloom, antique, and other non-Russet-type of potatoes (a complex carbohydrate, mind you), many of which are grown organically right here in the Hudson Valley. Last fall I had the good fortune to participate in a tasting of local potatoes, and it knocked my socks off. The potatoes in this potato salad are a mix of uncertified organic local red potatoes and certified organic nonlocal fingerlings.

pumpkin seed oil - Dark green pumpkin seed oil (from dark green pumpkins!) is popular in Austrian cuisine. Pumpkin seed oil is high in Omega-3 fatty acids, as well as zinc, phosphorus, vitamin A, vitamin E, and calcium. Most people think you need to eat fish to get proper amounts of Omega 3s, but it is actually available in a variety of plant foods, so, as usual, it just takes a new way of looking at things to ensure you’re getting enough of this essential nutrient, without which our bodies would decline and die (yikes).

This particular pumpkin seed oil is carefully roasted, then cold-pressed (which means no solvents or harsh chemicals were used to extract the oil from the seeds). It is from a tiny company that specializes in pumpkin seed oil from the “Steiermark” region of Austria. They work with a network of predominantly family run farms to produce their products, many of whom have achieved organic certification.

quinoa - Quinoa is one of the only grains we eat – along with wild rice and a few others – that is native to the Americas. It’s a perfect grain in so many ways – it cooks very quickly, is high in several nutrients and has a light nutty flavor. It has the highest protein of any grain (16%) and, unlike other grains, is a complete protein. It contains more calcium than milk and is high in lysine, an amino acid that is scarce in the vegetable kingdom. It is also rich in many other vital nutrients, including iron, phosphorus, B-vitamins, and vitamin E. Because it is so high protein and high energy, it is an ideal food for athletes. In the past 10 years or so, quinoa has had a renaissance. Native to the high valleys of the Andes, it was once so important to the Incas that they called it their “mother grain.” Spanish conquistadores had denigrated quinoa as chicken feed, however, and for the next 400 years or so it was avoided in favor of foods of the upper and middle classes – pasta and white bread. Today, North American interest in quinoa is helping to reinstate the status of the mother grain in its homeland.

ramps and their cousins, the onion family - Although their elegant open leaves and pink stems reveal themselves as a member of the lily family (like all onions), ramps are also known as wild leeks. As far as I know, they are not cultivated, so they only way to get them is to find a forager, find them yourself, or be lucky (and flush) enough to find a grocery store that has relationships with foragers. They are found only in the spring, mostly in the Northeast, and have a strong garlic-onion flavor and scent when raw, but are pleasantly mild and sweet when cooked. In the southern Appalachians, ramp-eating festivals are held when these heralds of spring appear. Native Americans ate ramps raw as a way to cleanse the body after heavy winter food (spring is an ideal time to do a little cleansing and detoxing).

Ramps, or at least their relatives in the onion family, have been used by humanity for more than six thousand years; they probably originated in Asia Minor. The onion is valued for its medicinal properties, which include improving kidney function and lowering cholesterol. The onion is an exceptionally strong anti oxidant and contains numerous anticancer agents. It is anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, and anti viral. Onions also help remove parasites and heavy metals from the system, and contain vitamins A, B-complex, and C.

rosemary - Oh rosemary - I know why I’m thinking about you. I’m thinking about how mean you were last year to die out on me when I dug you up from the garden and brought you inside for the winter. Why couldn’t you stay alive? I set you next to the window and you looked so stately in your square clay pot. Maybe this year I’ll have better luck. I’ve always loved you, rosemary, does that even matter to you? I love your Mediterranean blood - that you seem so much like those annuals thyme and sage, but in fact you are a perennial, a lover of hot weather just like myself, and must be carefully tended inside if you are going to be put back in the garden next year (just like myself, really). I love that you lower cholesterol, treat lung congestion, sore throat, and canker sores. I love that you stimulate the nervous system, support my brain functioning properly and my memory (what was that that Shakespeare said about you?). I’m not sure what you have against pregnant women though, why the two of you don’t mix, but we won’t go into that. I also like your delicious tea (3 Tb. dried rosemary or 4 sprigs fresh, steeped in 1 c boiling water for 10 minutes) , so lovely for calming acidic stomachs, headaches, gas, and fever. And finally, I love your super-potency: you’re no leafy herb like parsley - your flavor is never reduced with cooking. Will you run away with me rosemary? Or maybe just deign to live in my garden for a couple of months?

rosewater - Middle Eastern rose water is much less intense, cloying, and sweet than French rose water. It is made from the petals of the super-fragrant Damask rose and is used heavily in South Asian, West Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine—especially in sweets.

The distillation of rose water first became popular in the Middle East in the early Middle Ages and was brought to Europe by the crusaders. Flowery flavors like rosewater, lavender, and orange flower water always remind me of gigantic Middle Ages feasts with rough-hewn wooden tables laden with cakes scented with flowery flavors. I’m not sure if this ever really took place - the only research I can find says that rose water was used for hand washing at these feasts.

Rosewater also was also hugely popular in Victorian times, and reminds me of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette movie, which featured such outrageously girly shots of cloudlike pink desserts that I practically got goose bumps.

My favorite use for rosewater is to mix a little with champagne - delicious!

rutabaga - A member of that lovely brassica (cabbage) family, rutabaga is most likely a cross between a wild cabbage and a turnip. Like other root vegetables, rutabagas are warming and strengthen the digestive system, especially the stomach and spleen-pancreas; they also help detoxify the liver. Along with its sister vegetable, turnips, rutabagas are high in anticarcinogenic glucosinolates, as well as vitamins, A, B, C, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and other trace nutrients.

sauerkraut - The live unpasteurized red cabbage sauerkraut in this week’s potato salad is one of many fermentation projects I’ve got going on. Fermented foods are used in all cultures, primarily because they aid in digestion (and preserve food). Furthermore, a Finnish study has just reported that fermenting makes the Brassicaceae family (cabbage, etc) even more beneficial for fighting cancer. The primary benefit of fermented foods, though, is that by eating them you promote diversity among microbial cultures in your body, and, of course, diversity is one of the keys to a healthy ecosystem (a city, a country, a body, any ecosystem at all). Your body is an ecosystem that can function most effectively when populated by diverse species of microorganisms. This is why antibiotic soaps and cleaning products are not good to have around – they, as well as antibiotic drugs, kill all the bacteria they come into contact with, and we need some bacteria in order to remain healthy and balanced because beneficial bacteria exist to kill intrusive bacteria. Therefore, it’s extremely important to eat a wide variety of fermented foods when on or coming off of antibiotic drugs – sauerkraut, tempeh, miso, kim chi, amazake, real raw pickles, etc. For more, I highly recommend the book Wild Fermentation by my pal Sandor Katz!
(Nov 30, 2005)

scallions - A beloved member of the onion family, scallions combine the pungency of onions with a refreshing green flavor, making them (in my book at least) something more than an herb, but a little less than a vegetable. This week’s scallions are the very first local scallions of the year, which are worlds apart from the scallions available at the supermarket - they are much larger, with a more “scallion-y” flavor. They also hold up better when cooked, and are a prettier shade of green.
Scallions are sometimes labeled as “green onions,” which gets confusing because young regular onions are technically green onions, and are often labeled as such at farmer’s markets. In general, scallions have straight white bottoms and green tops and grow from seed, while other immature members of the onion family have curved bases and larger leafy green tops and grow from sets (1-year-old baby onions).
Although in the West they are typically used raw as garnishes, scallions are hugely popular in many Asian cuisines where they are used as a featured ingredient. When cooked quickly over high heat, scallions’ harsh onion-y flavor is tamed and their complex smoky flavor blooms.
Scallions are believed to fight fungal and bacterial infections and are high in vitamin A. They also help aid digestion and are useful in alleviating chest and heart pain.

sea vegetables (seaweed) - Sea vegetables, earth’s first vegetables, are not only the world’s most abundant food, but also one of its most nutritious. It’s worth it to develop a taste for this wide-ranging category of vegetables: because they are continuously bathed in the mineral-rich sea brine, they are extremely high in minerals and trace minerals, which are increasingly hard to get in our depleted soils. They have been found to reduce blood cholesterol, prevent goiter, combat hypothyroidism, counteract obesity, strengthen bones, and soften tumors and hardened masses. They are also widely used for healthy skin and hair. Surprisingly, sea vegetables are  extremely high in protein – up to 38%. As well, they are a rich source of calcium, iodine, phosphorus, sodium, and iron. My favorite health benefit of sea vegetables, though, is that they detoxify radioactive elements and heavy metals and counter the effects of X rays, a fact that has been widely documented in such established journals as Radiation Research, Health Physics, and Nature. In much the same way, sea vegetables have been used for centuries in Ireland in the beer making process – they were tossed into beer before kegging and then fished out. The sea vegetables would bond with impurities and discharge toxins. In our bodies, sea vegetables chelate with toxins and discharge them with normal body waste.
(June 7, 2004)

seitan - Seitan seems like one of those weird, laboratory-created fake vegetarian meats, but it’s not. Seitan made by making a wheat flour dough, then rinsing it under running water until the starch is washed off. What remains is a high protein wheat gluten that is cooked in an aromatic broth. It has been used for hundreds of years in Asia as a protein source. Prepared seitan can be purchased, but I like my homemade version.
(June 29, 2004)

sesame seeds - The coveted and tasty seeds from the hardy sesame plant were the first recorded seasoning in history - the Assyrians used them as far back as 3,000 B.C.
There are three primary types of sesame seed available: tan sesame seeds (whole seeds) milky white seeds (hulled tan seeds), and black seeds (whole seeds). The hulled white seeds have the mildest flavor, followed by the rich sesame flavor of the whole seeds. Black seeds have a complex, mineral-y flavor that is excellent in small quantities. They are higher in minerals and trace nutrients than the lighter-colored seeds.
Sesame seeds are one of those chameleon ingredients that are used in dozens of different ways all around the world. Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, African, and Indian cuisine all make use of the versatile sesame seed, in dishes as varied as Middle Eastern hummus tahini, Indian halvah confections, and an amazing Japanese dish of tofu made with ground sesame. Like all nuts and seeds, sesame seeds can become rancid if left at room temperature too long, so they should be stored in the refrigerator.
Apparently, the sudden popping sound made when mature sesame seed pods split open is where we get the saying "Open sesame!".
(October 3, 2006)

shoyu - Shoyu is real, fermented soy sauce. Unlike supermarket brands of soy sauce like Kikkoman, which are chemically brewed in a 24-hour process, real soy sauce is fermented for a year or more, making it high in amino acids and enhancing digestion. It has less sodium than regular salt, and has a salty, sweet, rich, mysterious flavor.

sorrel - Giving raw sorrel to people who don’t know what it tastes like is always fun: at first it tastes like any other fresh salad green, then suddenly a puckery burst of profound and incredible sourness hits - the name sorrel comes from a Germanic word for sour. After a minute it fades and leaves a pleasant clean sensation. I love sour flavors and their cleansing and detoxifying effects, but it is definitely not a flavor for everyone. However, lightly wilting sorrel transforms its bracing sour flavor to a gentle lemon. Sorrel stimulates the liver and