This morning I came home to find a sack of just-picked corn waiting for me on my kitchen steps. I had an idea of who had brought it and I also knew I had to work quickly so the corn wouldn’t spoil. For several hours I shucked, cleaned and made a huge batch of maque choux.
Read more »

Althought I have planted nasturtiums in my window boxes for years, I had not idea, until recently, that they are edible. The flowers can be shredded and added to risotto or mixed with olive oil and sprinkled on hot pasta. The leaves have a slightly peppery flavor and can be added to green salads. Nasturtium seeds and immature flower buds can be pickled and used like capers! And now you know!

A friend brought me a bouquet of fresh lemon balm and I’ve had a grand time experimenting with it. The scent and flavor is delightful. I sprinkled chopped lemon balm over an omelet, crushed some in my glass of ice tea, and added a few leaves to my green salad. Tomorrow, I’ll try it with my garden tomatoes!

When cleaning delicate crystal or glassware, line your sink with a clean towel before filling it with lukewarm water, mild dish detergent and a splash of vinegar. Wash one glass at a time to prevent chipping. After rinsing with lukewarm water, invert the glasses on a rack and let them drip dry.

Two tips for grating cheese: First, it’s best to grate cold cheese so leave it in the refrigerator until you’re ready. Second, lightly spray your grater with cooking spray to make cleanup easier.

A friend of mine is always on the cutting edge. We’ve all had water served with lemon slices, right? Last night, my friend offered glasses of cold water, some garnished with sliced of lime and others with cucumber slices. Nice touch.

To make uniform-size burgers, crab patties, potato ckaes or other such items, use a Mason jar lid. You can line the lid with plastic wrap or wax paper, then fill the lid completely with the ingredients, then remove the patty by gently pushing the lid up from the bottom.

Put the rinds of lemons, limes, grapefruit and oranges in your kitchen sink disposal—the strong scent of the citrus fruit as they grind refreshes the disposal as well as air in the kitchen.

I learned this trick years ago from a caterer and used it last week when I was making tons of chicken salad sandwiches for a bridal shower. To coarsely or finely chop hard-boiled eggs, grate them on a box grater. You can also press hard-boiled eggs through a fine-mesh sieve to get extra fine crumbled eggs to use for garnishes.

When preparing Steak au Poivre, it’s best to crush the black peppercorns rather than grind them. I have two methods I find do the trick. Put the peppercorns on a cutting board and use the back of a heavy skillet (rocking it back and forth) to crush them. Another method is to spread the peppercorns in a plastic storage bag (be sure to seal the bag completely) and whack them with a sturdy rolling pin or meat pounder. The layer of crushed peppercorns on the steak prevents juices from escaping and causing dryness.