{drink it up} The Art of the Hot Toddy

It’s officially flu season. According to the CDC, the onset of flu season has been delay recently. If (like me) you thought that you were in the clear, think again. The nasty virus might still be lurking, waiting to take you as its next prey. And then there is all the other yuckiness that’s been…

{how to} A Temporary Fireplace for Making Maple Syrup

Editor’s Note: Its that time of year again- Maple Sap running! You can do it- go outside & tap your neighborhood maple trees (with permission from your neighbors of course!) Dianna is back with another (helpful) installment in her How To Maple Syrup Series. If you weren’t with us last year this time, Dianna cranked…

{Valentine’s Day 2012} Food Is Love

According to the Smithsonian, “French women traditionally have relied on subtle culinary cues to signal their amorous intentions. The July 1956 issue of the journal Western Folklore reported: “a young maid lets her swain know whether the answer is ‘yes’ or ‘no’ by what she feeds him on St. Valentine’s Day. It’s a custom that…

{community voices} Scaling Up the Northeast Grains System

Editor’s Note: I am so happy to announce we are starting a new contributor-stream on FSC; Community Voices. These contributors will be monthly and are the voices in our local food community; whether it be a local chef, writer or swapper. First up, writer, teacher, wife, mother, urban homesteader Amy Halloran. I first met Amy…

{FSC SWAPPERS} breads, jams, soups, lip balms… oh my!

Editor’s Note: Swapper Natalie & her friend, Swapper Lindsay, have rocked the Saratoga Food Swap since they began attending a few months back. They are serious regulars now and I’m always delighted to see them (and what they bring to swap) each month! They tend to be very creative with glorious packaging and display wow….

{NOFA-NY Winter Conference} pieces of the food puzzle

*I find it interesting that in the same week as I’m writing this post, our biggest local paper, The Times Union, ran a story on a local farm, Dharma Lea farm in Sharon Springs run by the Van Amburgh family, on the cover of their Sunday edition Business Section. Granted, we do have some great farmland…

{WNIMKW} Vitamix Blender

Editors Note: Let’s take a moment and rewind. Hop into the FSC Time Machine and if you go back to 2010 – early 2011 and you will find 19 posts under the series title “What’s New In My Kitchen Wednesdays” or WNIMKW for short.  This used to be a semi-weekly series where we weaved a…

{recipe} White Bean & Tomato Spread

If you’re looking for a party dip to serve your Superbowl-watching guests tonight, have no fear, this easy dip packs a lot of flavor and will pair perfectly with a corn chip. Or a veggie straw. Or slice of a hakurei turnip, carrot or black radish (yep, their in season!). If you are not watching…

{recipe} Popovers: my latest breakfast obsession

Popovers are my latest food obsession. Since having a baby a couple months ago, we’ve had guests staying with us periodically.  Despite being preoccupied with the baby, I love to cook and have been relieved to have something special for our visitors that doesn’t require excessive amounts of my time.  I have wonderful memories of…

{4 saturdays, 4 giveaways} U-Pick

UPDATE: 7:30am Saturday February 4th: THE WINNER IS SARA and she requested “What to Eat” By Marion Nestle! Therefore, we know have “An Everlasting Meal” and “What to Eat” in our 2012 FSC Book Club selections. CONGRATS SARA! Please email us at fromscratchclub (at) gmail (dot) com. The winner of the FSC bonanza (bookmark, full-color…

{from scratch club bookshelf} Memoirs & Policy Reads

In the spirit of our {4 Saturdays, 4 Giveaways} extravaganza, let’s talk books. We all have so many books that are dog-eared and covered with tomato sauce, having been read and referenced over and over. We have even more books on our to-read list for 2012: from light-hearted memoirs to food policy primers and everything…

Hello to my New Digs {and saying goodbye to the old ones}

:: My girls on a fall day, loving our backyard :: It’s here. Moving Day. As you read this, I’m watching four super-strong men load all of my worldly possessions into a moving truck. I’m selling my house today, and tomorrow I’m buying a different one. My new house isn’t too far away – two towns…

{the new year} All Good Bakers’ Full Plates

2011 was a year of amazing growth for me personally and for the tiny bakery my husband and I opened in April of this year. After 25 years of working in restaurants (full and part-time; mostly on, sometimes off), I’m learning how to manage our very own bakery/café – not an insignificant challenge for someone…

{the new year} A New Garden

{Our main garden in quiet rest} After the big fall harvest my garden, my husband, and I am ready for a break. We begin to put most all things outdoors to rest, batten down the hatches, and embrace winter. Our minds take a respite during the month of November and December from gardening but once…

{4 saturdays, 4 giveaways} All About Braising

EDITOR’S NOTE: THIS GIVEAWAY CLOSED AT MIDNIGHT JANUARY 27th, 2012. FIND THE WINNERS HERE. -Christina   Ohhhhhhhhhhhh….Do I love this book! I’m going to leave this book review short & sweet. I promise. Molly Steven’s All About Braising: The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking is one of my kitchen bibles, along with How to Cook Everything,…