Farm stands and farmers markets are the grocery stores of summer, when the produce is so ripe and flavorful you don’t need to do much to take it from your canvas tote to the plate. But while we tend to lump the two together — and it’s true that you can buy many of the same fruits and veggies at both — farm stands and farmers market are actually different.
Here, we look at the difference to you and to the farmer in terms of cost, labor, and quality of produce.
(Image credit: Maria Midoes)
My dad was one of eight children, and his mother and father owned a general store and deli after escaping the New Jersey suburbs for a small town in Vermont, which is just to say — my grandmother knew how to make a big sandwich for a crowd.
I spent many summers in her kitchen preparing picnic lunches for two or three aunts and a circus of cousins to take to the lake. These large sandwiches became a staple of summer. They were filling, could be made well in advance, and traveled well. Over those summers I learned my grandmother’s tricks for making a hearty sandwich for a crowd.
This sandwich for a crowd is not your typical party sub sandwich. It isn’t built on a hoagie roll or baguette. A sub sandwich has its place at a party, but it doesn’t pack well for a picnic, hike, or trip to the beach. Instead we’re using a whole round bread loaf to build a sandwich that is protected by the bread and condiments themselves.
(Image credit: Christine Han)
I don’t just like asparagus — I love it! It’s a bit of an obsession for me. I’ll eat it broiled, roasted, steamed, baked, and even raw. To that roster of preparations is the recent addition of oven-baked asparagus fries in all their golden, crispy-brown glory.
With the help of a breadcrumb trick that you can make use of beyond this recipe, I present the crispiest, crunchiest, tastiest asparagus I’ve made to date — and folks, it’s all done in the oven.
(Image credit: maria midoes)
Eggplant is a nightshade often used as a substitute for meat in a number of dishes — from bolognese to burgers — so it only seems natural that we try our hand at transforming it into bacon. We’re taking eggplant back to the skillet, seasoning it for bacon success, and frying it up — just like the real stuff.
(Image credit: Emma Christensen)
Have you ever had a scotcheroo? Where I grew up in Minnesota, no backyard cookout, birthday party, or post-Little League pizza dinner was complete without a plate piled high with these squares. Imagine if Rice Krispies treats had a run-in with a jar of peanut butter and then got doused in a melted medley of chocolate and butterscotch chips. An improbable combination? Perhaps. Insanely good? You betcha.
If you didn’t grow up with these, you must — I repeat, must — try them this summer. Making a batch big enough to feed the whole neighborhood takes just a few pantry ingredients and about 15 minutes, so no excuses. Here’s what to do.
(Image credit: Emma Christensen)
There are few things better than summer sweet corn. Of course I could say that about many things this time of year, but there really is something special about corn on the cob, served steaming hot and slathered in butter, don’t you think?
Here are three ways to cook corn perfectly every time.
Whether you’re stuck in an extended stay hotel for work, making do with a small dorm fridge in your new apartment, or trying to cram the food needs of a large family into the modest upper compartment of a standard-sized fridge, keeping your frozen goods frozen with minimal space can be a frustrating challenge. Not everyone can accommodate the beauty of a good chest freezer, however, so it’s best to practice maximum efficiency with the square footage you’ve been given.
Here are some of the most effective ways to put prime freezer real estate to good use.
Fresh berries are one of summer’s great pleasures, but they don’t come cheap — which makes it even more disappointing when a basket of strawberries or raspberries turns to moldy mush within days of purchase. Washing them before storage usually accelerates the deterioration, but Cook’s Illustrated has a washing method that actually keeps the berries fresh longer in storage. Here’s what they recommend.
You made it! The long weekend is finally here and it’s time to treat yourself. For me, that means starting with an extra-special breakfast. Most days I run out the door with a banana or granola bar. If I’m lucky, I’ll have time to scramble an egg or throw some avocado on toast. But when a holiday weekend rolls around, I’m sure to make it count.
It doesn’t mean every recipe needs to take hours to make, or even that they’re complicated — they’re simply delicious recipes that you can make when you have a little more time. So put on a pot of coffee, turn on the music, and head into the kitchen with these recipes for your lazy holiday weekend.
It isn’t summer until you’ve had your first watermelon of the season. Chances are, though, that it’s been about a year since you’ve bought your last watermelon. Do you remember how to pick out a good one? Did you ever really know? Here’s what you need to look for in order to spot the perfect picnic-worthy specimen.
