Reviving Traditional Foods
Homemade sauerkraut, in all its funky humility, is a favorite food in our home – particularly in wintertime when fresh, local produce is a rare treat and we rely on what we’ve put by over the summer and autumn months. For us, this means lots of fermented foods and sauerkraut in particular. We grow cabbage [...]
Four Thieves Vinegar can cure the plague, at least, that’s what French folklore teaches us. And while I can’t comment on the veracity of this statement (and, no, it hasn’t been approved by the Food & Drug Administration), I will say that in every little garden whether it’s an expansive lot on a farmstead, a [...]
Onion bisque, a decidedly humble food, bridges the seasons of winter and spring in a beautiful marriage of overwintered onions and shallots with the new leeks of early spring. While many traditional bisques rely on thickening from cream or a floury roux, this simple onion bisque relies instead on a smooth body of pureed leeks [...]
Looking for a collard greens recipe to bring a little luck to your new year? In this traditional recipe for creamed collards, collard greens are gently simmered in fresh cream with caramelized onions and sprinkling of freshly grated nutmeg. Creamed collards speak to the essence of comfort food in a way few other dishes do. [...]
Tomato and cucumber salad, sparkling with the bright flavors of parsley, fresh lemon juice and a subdued and earthy olive oil, finds its way to our supper table several times a week during the height of the tomato season from early August through mid-September. Our family loves the simple combination of some of summer’s best [...]
Homemade horseradish found its way to our table this week, and it’s hot – painfully hot, pleasurably hot, perfectly hot. When fresh horseradish root appears at market, which is rarely, I fight my way to it – elbowing into the stand before the other Weston A Price Foundation and fermentation enthusiasts in my community can [...]
Sesame honey candy, or pasteli, is a traditional Greek confection which combines the simplest of ingredients to create a wholesome, natural treat featuring three simple ingredients: sesame seeds, honey and unrefined sea salt. Often served for Easter, though a charming treat any time of the year, sesame honey candy are dense with sesame flavor and [...]
Beetroot relish – savory, sweet and spiced with with cloves and star anise – nuzzles its way onto our supper plates every winter. A near-perfect side to pan-fried pork chops seasoned with sage or to a classic roast beef, beetroot relish provides an intensity of flavor coupled with nourishing micronutrients including vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. [...]
Treats are on my mind this week! It must be the lack of goodies on our Food Stamp Challenge that has me digging through old posts-in-progress looking for tasty, nourishing treats like sprouted grain doughnuts. Like every good American, I have a penchant for cheeseburgers, french fries and milkshakes but fast food shakes filled [...]
Labneh – a yogurt cheese of middle eastern origin – is remarkably versatile and very easy to make at home. Alternately known as lebni, labni or laban, labneh is found all across the middle east where it’s popularly rolled into small balls, served with unrefined extra virgin olive oil and used as a condiment. [...]
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Jenny McGruther is a wife, mother and cooking instructor specializing in real and traditional foods. Her work has been featured on CNN, the Globe & Mail, the Atlantic, the Christian Science Monitor, Denver Post and WebMD. Click here to learn more.
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