Q: I would like to buy a pair of solid fruit and vegetable reference books. I am debating between Chez Panisse Fruits and Vegetables and Nigel Slater's Tender and Ripe. Do you have any suggestions or thoughts on how they compare? Are they unique enough that it's worth owning all four books?

Fruit crumble is usually pretty straightforward: combine flour, sugar, and butter and you've got a perfect streusel topping, right? But what happens when you can't eat regular flour, sugar, or butter (or nuts)? Suddenly, making a really good fruit crumble might not be so simple after all. Faced with such a predicament, I started experimenting with gluten-free and vegan ingredients (and eating many, many servings of crumble in the process!) until I finally came up with my new go-to, allergy-friendly crumble recipe. 

I'm a sucker for an unfussy cake, the kind of cake that you can whip up in an hour or less without any extra trips to the grocery store, one that is special enough to serve to guests, but homey enough to not need a special occasion at all. This fragrant lemon cake — scattered with juicy blueberries and dolloped with soft lemon cream — is the perfect unfussy cake, just the thing to bring to a last-minute spring dinner party or to snack on with afternoon tea.

I haven't made a pie in awhile and I was thinking at this point that I'd hold out until early spring berries made their way into the markets. But recently, I overheard talk of a pie that caught me off guard: Chai-Spiced Banana Cream Pie. I didn't have a recipe, but I could only imagine how amazing the spice-flecked vanilla custard, soft bananas and pillowy whipped cream would taste, so I set to work. More

Monk fruit is the latest darling of the alternative sweetener world, but what is this exotic fruit, and how does it compare to sugar and other substitutes? 

Spring officially arrives this week, and what better time for the release of Amy Stewart's delightful new book, The Drunken Botanist. As you're planning your garden, foraging for wild plants, or simply looking for a good cocktail recipe (and cocktail party conversation topics!), you don't want to miss this entertaining and illuminating guide to "the plants that create the world's great drinks." More

Recently my neighbors had some house guests from Southern California who had come up with a truckload of just-picked avocados that they were going to sell on the street corner just outside of our neighborhood farmers' market. The fruit was beautiful, still rock hard (which was good for transporting) but they promised they would ripen up in a week or so. At three for $1, I went wild and purchased nine. Which is also a little crazy because I live alone and while I love avocados, that's a lot to have around all at once. But if I had known then that you can freeze them, I may have doubled my purchase. Wait, what was that? You can freeze avocados? More

I usually tuck some type of whole fruit in my bag to eat with lunch or snack on later in the day. It might roll around a bit or — if I put it directly into my backpack or purse — encounter who-knows-what at the bottom of my bag. To protect apples, pears and other fruit with edible peels, I've come up with an quick way to keep them clean and protected from bruises.

Most energy bars, whether store-bought or homemade, include nuts as a primary ingredient. That's why I was thrilled to discover The Good Bean's Fruit & No-Nut Bar, a wholesome snack for the nut allergic or those looking for something different. More

I don't know what screams winter more than bright, juicy citrus fruit and what shouts spring more than a sweet, tart poppy seed dressing. When tossed together they become the quintessential March salad and a perfect weekday lunch!

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