2017: Not My Favorite Year, or Was It?
The holidays are over and there's a lot of work to do but my mind and heart are not in the game. I think it's better I should look through...
The Rancho Gordo Blog
What the Hell Did We Just Go Through? Some Thoughts about The Fire
I was driving the other day with my son and noticed a new area that had been damaged by the fires. I hadn't noticed it before. I turned to him...
Leftover Soup from Marcella Beans, Rapini and Wild Rice Broth
I can't take too much credit for this. These were the components leftover in my fridge. 2 cups Marcella beans and some of their liquid 1 1/2 cups broth from...
Beans for Breakfast (with Mushrooms, Ricotta and Good Olive Oil)
A few leftovers and some milk that was about to expire led to this really fine breakfast. Ayocote beans are runner bean. Phaseolus coccineus. This family includes Scarlet Runners and...
Greens for Beans
I like them all: dandelion, kale, chard, lambsquarters....all of them. I could live without spinach but I would never make a fuss if it was offered. Sauteed greens are a...
Pickled Shallots in Pineapple Vinegar
I'm enjoying David Tanis' new book Market Cooking. At first glance, it's a little disappointing. Market fresh seasonal vegetables blah blah blah. Haven't we heard this a million times before?...
Slow Baked Garbanzos
One of my favorite books from the last years has been The Blue Zones (National Geographic, 2008) by Dan Buettner. Statistics for longevity are examined and there are some not...
Chicken Liver Spread on Crackers (Or How I Make the Most of a Chicken)
This isn't revolutionary but I do like to buy whole chickens and roast them or break them down and braise them. I often use the bones and back for a...
Heirloom Tomato & Royal Corona Salad
I remember when I first started gardening and I had the bright idea that direct seeding tomatoes in the ground was the best idea. The plants were incredible and strong...
A Free eBooklet for Your Best Thanksgiving
We've updated our free ebooklet, The Rancho Gordo New World Thanksgiving Guide. It now includes one of our most wildly popular recipes, the main-course Wild Rice and Heirloom Bean Salad...
Wild Mushrooms with Alubia Blanca
It's a good thing when your neighbor is Connie Green and she offers you a nice big bag of chantrelle mushrooms. It's even better when you have a pot of...
After All These Years in the Kitchen, I Finally Learn to Cook.
He would probably be surprised to learn it, but Mother Jones writer and food editor Tom Philpott has changed the way I cook. The roots of this revolution had been...