Do you have leftover apple peels from making sauce, pie, and other seasonal apple dishes? Instead of tossing them in the compost, simmer the peels on the stove for a sweet scented tea. More

On the train into San Francisco last week, I noticed some cactus growing along the fences with brilliant purple fruits perched on the end of each thorny arm. It wasn't until I saw baskets of this same fruit at the market over the weekend that I realized what I'd seen: prickly pears! Have you ever made anything with this fruit? More

A Neapolitan pizza just isn't a Neapolitan pizza if it's not made with San Marzano tomatoes. Truly! Neapolitans are serious about their pizza. But why San Marzanos? What makes this tomato so special? More

Q: Does anyone have ideas for making homemade juice concentrates? It's the end of summer and there is all this perfectly ripe fruit. I'm thinking of putting everything through my juicer and freezing it. Any other suggestions?

Sent by Thomas More

Have you solved the mystery of the humidity drawer in your fridge? If you're like me you probably just bump the notches towards the middle as a safety precaution. You may also put things into them haphazardly: all greens in one drawer, colorful things in the other. Sounds good enough, right? Well, last week, after seeing carrots and cucumbers not survive their time in these cryogenic chambers, I figured I had to look into how to use them properly... for the veggies' sake! More

In case you couldn't already tell from the overflowing stands at the farmers' market and grocery store, it's apple season. A wonderful time indeed, but do you ever feel overwhelmed by the sheer variety? Which kind is best for cider? For throwing in your bag for an afternoon snack? What about pies and cobblers? Well, thanks to Slate, there's now a handy flowchart to help you find the best apple for you, whether you want to cook it or, you know, just throw it at someone. More

In case you've ever wondered what your fruits and vegetables would look like put through an MRI machine, well, now you know! Boston technologist Andy Ellison has been doing that exact thing for the last few years, and putting the results up on his blog Inside Insides. The photos you see above (of cucumber, corn, and tomatoes) are just the stills. To get the full effect, you have to see them animated. It's really quite stunning! More

The second the weather breaks I want to eat anything and everything that tastes like fall. I can't help it. I'd blame my female programming, but I see just as many dudes chugging down pumpkin lattes, so ladies, we're not alone. So now that we've gotten that out of the way there are more important things to discuss, like fried apple rings! More

My neighbor's tree is brimming with quince. Membrillo, a Spanish quince paste, is one of my go-to mates for cheese. And so yesterday, I decided to make some. More

This week my CSA share provided me with two pounds of delicious pears. They are currently ripening on my counter, and in a few days I'll have to decide what to do with them. Poach them with some honey? Mix them into pancakes? Bake them into a skillet cake? I'll likely turn to one or more of these recipes for inspiration when that time comes: More