Crème de violette is a classic cocktail ingredient with a floral perfume and a deep purple hue. It’s a lovely liqueur, but I’m obsessed with the lilac, and not just because it’s the state flower of New Hampshire (where I was born and raised!). Inspired by Hunger & Thirst’s recipe for crème de violette, I’ve come up with a lilac…
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It’s funny how little time it takes to fall in love with a place. We have only had our cabin since September, but every time we drive up Highway 63 I marvel at the landscape. It’s fierce and beautiful and intimidating and inviting and I want to know every inch of it. But first there was the knee surgery, then…
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I admit it, I’m feeling a little cocky. After a long winter with very few fresh veg, spring greens are popping up all over, and these fritters bring just what I need and want to the table: fresh, healthy vegetables in a rich base of puréed evening primrose root. Each bite made me smile. Some foragers say that evening primrose…
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Growing up in the Northeast, I’m used to the idea of ephemeral plants, i.e. plants that emerge in spring, take advantage of the moisture and light (before the deciduous trees leaf out), do their business (flower, fruit, and set seed), then hibernate from the heat of summer through the end of the year. I haven’t found nearly as many ephemeral…
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The Siberian elm (aka Ulmus pumila) is among the toughest of trees. Native to Siberia, Mongolia, northern Kashmir, and the Gobi Desert (among other rugged locations), it was selected by the USDA to create shelter belts on the North American prairies after the disaster that was the dustbowl. Its tolerance for cold and drought and its rapid growth habit made…
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A podcast about plants with Ellen Zachos and C.L. Fornari