Do you ever play the game: What would you eat if you got lost in the woods?
Spruce Tip Panna Cotta: Recipe
My dinner guests are often confused by this pale green dessert, and I can’t blame them. But I don’t tell them what they’re eating until AFTER they’ve tasted it. Why? I want people to experience these new, unbuyable flavors with an open mind, without any pre-conceived notions. After all, green is an unusual color for a dessert, and most people…
Read More
Chokecherries (aka Prunus virginiana)
There are several species of chokecherry native to North America, but the one I harvest most often is Prunus virginiana. Most people consider it a weedy tree, but wildlife of all kinds appreciate the fruit, and in this instance I’m siding with the birds (and the bears and the raccoons). Underripe chokecherries are unpleasantly astringent, but let them ripen to…
Read More
Juniper Berry Icing: Recipe
Are you a cookie maker? Whether you’re baking for a school event, an office party, or a picnic, why not add a new and unusual flavor to your next batch? Even if all you do is bake from a mix, you can add a personal touch that makes your cookies stand out. This simple juniper berry icing takes even the…
Read More
Spruce Needle and Spruce Tip Ice Cream: Recipe
For many years I only used the soft, young tips of spruce branches for cooking, but recently I tried some mature, first year branches, harvested on a snowy December walk. I kept the branches in the freezer, waiting for a special occasion, and pulled them out last week to use in spruce tip ice cream. Their flavor is different from…
Read More
