We received a note from a reader named Peggy, who sent us these photos of the loveliest family heirloom: A hand-embroidered seasoning chart. Want to hear her story about this beautiful heirloom? 

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Whether you choose the toppings or let your guests join in on the fun, pizzas and flatbreads are great crowd pleasers. I'm especially fond of socca, a chewy, crispy, gluten-free flatbread made from chickpea flour. As an appetizer or main course socca can be served plain or topped, like this one for spring. It features an herby, lemony pesto and fresh salad — plus it should even satisfy the worst dinner guest ever! 

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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

At my last desk job, I dedicated an entire drawer to tea and tea-making paraphernalia. In fact, I consider tea an essential office supply, right alongside pens and staplers. Here are five kinds of tea that are helpful to have on hand, from morning and afternoon pick-me-ups to preparing for a meeting, de-stressing, and soothing the stomach after lunch. More

How do you store your fresh herbs? Do you ever find them getting slimy in the back of the crisper drawer? Reader Jess just sent us this great tip for keeping herbs fresh for a long time. We've seen this before, but she illustrated it really well — take a look! More

Last year we wrote about how simple it is to re-grow bunches of celery and green onions on a windowsill, but it turns out those experiments are just the beginning. Black Thumb Gardener has a list of 17 plants that can be grown from kitchen scraps, including ginger, sweet potatoes, lemongrass, and even pineapple.

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It seems we're smack in the middle of cold and flu season, and with that comes the dreaded sore throat. Alongside kitchen staples like honey and lemon, we like to reach for sage, which can be used to make a comforting tea. More

I am not a gardener. As a city dweller with no outdoor space to call my own, I've never been able to dig deep into the soil and grow my own food. So my ears inevitably perk up whenever I hear about gardening products designed for urban cooks. The newest product I've discovered is a self-watering herb planter specifically designed for novice gardeners. More

Oh, how I love the subtle sweetness of shortbread mixed with fresh herbs. I am sure to have an herb-scented shortbread on my cookie tray every holiday season, and it all started with one: More

Q: When a recipe calls for "mint," should I use spearmint or peppermint? Is the mint extract at the store spearmint- or peppermint-flavored? I'm asking because I really don't like the flavor of spearmint, but could eat peppermint all day long; however, to me, peppermint seems like an odd flavor for savory dishes. What do your readers think? More