Kathryn Hill

    How To Make Southern Sweet Tea
    It involves more than just adding a spoonful of sugar to a glass of iced tea.
    Kathryn Hill
    Nov 14, 2023
    The Secret to a Great Cuban Sandwich
    Hint: It's not a panini press.
    Kathryn Hill
    Oct 19, 2023
    What To Do With Green Tomatoes
    Green tomatoes — not to be confused with tomatillos — are simply regular tomatoes that haven’t ripened to redness, yet. Tomatoes can keep producing fruit well into fall, but they need temperatures of 75 degrees or more in order to reach full growth and optimum ripeness. Therefore, most tomatoes that start growing in the fall stay small and green. Don’t throw them out, though.The good news is that green tomatoes are still edible, delicious, and good for so many things!
    Faith Durand
    Sep 22, 2023
    Cuban Black Bean Soup
    This classic Cuban soup is inexpensive, hearty, and guaranteed to warm you up.
    Kathryn Hill
    Aug 30, 2023
    Nobu's Miso-Marinated Black Cod Tastes Fancy But Is Super Simple to Make
    There are many reasons to love black cod — it is sustainably fished, full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and wonderfully buttery when cooked. Here’s one more: Nobu restaurant’s miso-marinated black cod, a classic Japanese-influenced recipe that makes an easy, elegant dinner for guests or a quick main dish you can prep over the weekend.
    Kathryn Hill
    Aug 29, 2023
    Kohlrabi and Carrot Slaw
    With winter out of the way, one vegetable I’ve been seeing in abundance at Bay Area farmers markets is the sputnik-like vegetable with the funny name, kohlrabi. Eaten raw, it’s fresh, crisp, and the ideal ingredient for a summer slaw. This kohlrabi slaw is actually one of my favorite summer recipes. Quick and easy to make, it’s a nice cool side dish to eat after a long, warm day of working in the garden, or at a sunny picnic under flowering fruit trees.
    Kathryn Hill
    Aug 24, 2023
    Mushroom and Leek Risotto
    I’ve been craving a nice, hearty risotto so I’ve decided it would be a good time to make this type of dish during cold months. I had it in my mind that I wanted to make something with mushrooms and leeks. I wanted it to be savory and woodsy, encompassing the flavors of fall. I have a collection of nice dried mushrooms waiting to be used; some chanterelles picked by friends, and some dried porcinis that I picked with my mushroom picking club.
    Kathryn Hill
    Jul 31, 2023
    Weekend Recipe: Sauerbraten for Oktoberfest
    It’s that time of the year when people around the world go to German beer halls and German restaurants to celebrate Oktoberfest. Are you in the mood to try some homemade German cuisine this weekend? Try sauerbraten! The word means “sour roast,” and the dish is a roast beef that is marinated in vinegar and then braised. In the old days, sauerbraten was made with venison or horsemeat; today, most people use beef.
    Kathryn Hill
    Jul 25, 2023
    Quick Pasta Recipe: Orecchiete with Chanterelle Mushrooms, Sage, Walnuts, and Brown Butter
    It’s been a very good chanterelle mushroom season here in the Bay Area this year. I’ve been on many forays with my mushroom club, and I’ve gone to secret collecting spots in the forest with friends. I have been dry sautéeing and drying my chanterelle hauls, and making things like this risotto recipe. The other night, I threw together this easy pasta dish.Orecchiete with Chanterelle, Sage, Walnuts, & Brown ButterIngredients2 cups of orecchiete 1 tbsp.
    Kathryn Hill
    Jul 25, 2023
    What Foods Can You Carry on the Plane? The List Is Surprisingly Long.
    Hummus and carrots will be your new go-to travel snack.
    Kathryn Hill
    Jul 20, 2023
    How To Make A Sushi Hand Roll
    Yesterday I covered the different types of sushi, and one of these was the temaki, or hand roll. This cone-shaped wrap of seaweed sheet (nori) is filled with vinegared rice and various ingredients. In this post I’ll explain how to make one.Items You Will Need:1 sheet of nori (seaweed sheets), cut in half1/2 cup cooked sushi rice with 1 tbsp.
    Kathryn Hill
    Mar 8, 2023
    What Is A Meze?
    Last week I made a list of small bite meals around the world. One item on this list was meze, which is a collection of finger foods. A meze is a big part of the dining experience in Eastern Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Arab countries. The word “meze” means “taste” and/or “snack.” The concept is very similar to the tapas of Spain, but with different ingredients.
    Kathryn Hill
    Sep 28, 2022
    What Exactly Is Sushi?
    The word “sushi” is often ambiguous for non-native Japanese. We think of it as being interchangeable with raw fish. Sushi is vinegared rice topped with other ingredients. Sashimi, which is slices of raw fish alone, is not sushi because it isn’t accompanied with rice. Originally, sushi was fermented fish with rice preserved in salt, and this was a staple dish in Japan for a thousand years until the Edo Period (1603 to 1868) when contemporary sushi was developed.
    Kathryn Hill
    Sep 28, 2022
    How To Pick, Clean and Prepare Fava Beans
    Go ahead and make your jokes about fava beans and a nice Chianti. There’s no denying that these fresh, meaty beans are delicious, and they are in season right now, so grab them up! This protein-packed legume can be mashed and spread on bruschetta, or folded them into mashed potatoes. Most Americans aren’t familiar with fava beans, so we hope this post will make them seem less mysterious and cause more people to give them a try.
    Kathryn Hill
    Aug 8, 2022
    In Season Right Now: Sour Cherries
    These tart, acidic cousins of the sweeter table cherries are very hard to find. In the United States, they’re grown in large numbers in Michigan and Wisconsin and marketed as either sour or pie cherries. I managed to find them at an u-pick farm in Brentwood, California, but when I got out there, the trees had been picked over and I didn’t get enough cherries to make a pie or jam. Special note to cherry growers: please plant sour cherries. Hint, hint.
    Kathryn Hill
    May 13, 2022
    Seasonal Spotlight: Chanterelle Mushrooms
    I love it when these meaty, golden yellow mushrooms show up in the Fall at Far West Fungi or the Alemany market. They sprout from September to February, and are profuse since insects and other animals don’t like them. More for us!Chanterelle mushrooms grow wild in woodsy areas. They’re difficult to cultivate, but they sprout easily from forest floors in the US, Asia, and Europe. They have a firm flavor and texture and stand up to cooking and heavy sauces very well.
    Kathryn Hill
    May 13, 2022
    Web Resource: Supercook
    Supercook Usually when one does a Google search for recipes, then end up with many results, most that require more shopping. Sometimes we want to use what we have in the house, or sometimes we are doing a freezer or cupboard purge. Supercook comes in handy this way; simply enter the ingredients you want to use, and the resulting recipes will contain only those ingredients. This helps cut down on time wasted going through numerous recipes trying to find the right one.
    Kathryn Hill
    May 13, 2022
    A Roundup Of Avocados
    It is avocado season, and we’ve been doing a lot of things with this buttery, delicious fruit. While the Hass avocado is the most widely known variety, there are many varieties of avocados, some you’ve probably never heard of! Bacon avocados are medium-sized oval avocados with green skin that is easy to peel. They have a light taste and are available from late fall to early spring. Fuerte avocados were the original California avocado.
    Kathryn Hill
    May 12, 2022
    Our Small San Francisco Container Garden
    We don’t really have a lot of room to garden at our San Francisco Edwardian row house. Our backyard faces north and doesn’t get enough light to grow vegetables, and our south-facing front stoop had very little real estate. We’re limited to whatever containers we can fit on our sunny front stoop.Last year, we had several container herbs, strawberries, and vegetables growing on the stoop and some sunflowers growing in the sidewalk.
    Kathryn Hill
    May 12, 2022
    Good Idea: Growing Strawberries in Hanging Bags
    We’ve been covering space-saving garden solutions this week, and today we’re sharing another great space-saving idea: the strawberry growing bags.Strawberries grow well in small spaces; they adapt well to containers and strawberry pots. However, growing food in containers doesn’t make maximum use of available space. When you live in a small space, you need to start thinking about the available vertical space. This tall Strawberry Growing Bag can hold ten strawberry plants.
    Kathryn Hill
    May 12, 2022
    Slow Cooker Recipe: Pot au Feu
    Pot au feu, which means “pot on the fire” in French, is a simple, provincial dish made from boiling beef, marrow bone, and vegetables together in a pot. In the old days before homes had modern heating systems, a pot au feu was kept on the fire during the cold winter months.
    Kathryn Hill
    May 12, 2022
    Ingredient Spotlight: Salmon Roe (Ikura)
    I just love getting ikura sushi – those jewel-like, glistening orange balls of salty goodness are the eggs, or roe of salmon. They’re delicious, sustainable, and economical. They also have a wonderful mouthfeel. Where do you buy it and what do you do with it?The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch ranks it as a “Best Choice” in sustainability. Ikura is the fully-ripe ovaries of salmon, and ranges from dark orange to reddish-orange in color.
    Kathryn Hill
    May 12, 2022
    Making the Most of Squash
    It’s winter, which means there’s a lot of squash in the markets right now. Big ones. People have been writing in and asking us what they can do with all these squashes. They can be a little intimidating. They get big. There are squashes in so many shapes, colors, and textures. They have names like Hubbard, Lakota, Hokkaido, and Marina di Chioggia. Some are sweeter and some are nuttier. Well, we’re here to help you with storage tips, preparation, and recipes.
    Kathryn Hill
    May 12, 2022
    Recipe Recommendation: Tarragon Strawberry Jam
    Strawberries have been in the San Francisco farmer’s markets for a month now, and I have been busy buying them up and making jams! I bought enough strawberries for three batches of jam, so after making one batch of plain strawberry jam, I decided I wanted to try a different variation of strawberry jam. I thought that the delicate, fruity herb tarragon would go nicely with strawberries, and turned out really yummy.
    Kathryn Hill
    May 12, 2022
    Cool Recipe: Spicy Tuna Bowl
    I love eating rice bowls. Not only are they easy to make and require minimal cooking, but they’re also so nutritious and delicious. I confess I haven’t been cooking a lot this summer; my appetite has been a bit down and I’ve been too busy to deal with food prep, dishes and clean-up. Spicy tuna bowls have been my go-to meal option lately.DIY Spicy Tuna BowlIngredients:1/2 cup Spicy Tuna – full recipe behind this link.
    Kathryn Hill
    May 11, 2022
    Look! Food Flags For The Sydney International Food Festival
    The advertising agency WHYBIN hired for the Sydney International Food Festival is so clever – they’ve come up with a really neat concept to promote the festival by creating food flags for the various countries represented. Each food flag contains a food that is generally identified with that country, and as a bonus, the color of the food corresponds with the color of the flag!
    Kathryn Hill
    May 11, 2022
    A Roundup Of Edible Flowers
    Not just for decoration, flowers are also for eating. And probably more flowers have shown up in your food than you realized. Edible flowers are available in specialty food stores, at farmer’s markets, and right in your own garden. Be sure to pick flowers that you know for certain have not been sprayed with pesticides, and only flowers you can positively identify, as some are poisonous. Keep reading to see a helpful chart of some common edible flowers and their uses.
    Kathryn Hill
    May 11, 2022
    Celebrate Spring With A Hanami Picnic
    In Japanese, the word “hanami” means “flower viewing,” whether the flowers are cherry (“sakura,”) plum (“ume,”) or some other fruit tree in bloom. Probably the most popular hanami event centers around the blooming of the cherry trees between the end of March and the beginning of April. During hanami time in Japan, people attend and/or host outdoor picnics and parties under the blooms, either during the day or at night.
    Kathryn Hill
    May 11, 2022
    How to Baste a Turkey or Chicken
    Basting is an easy way to add flavor and moisture — here's how to do it!
    Kathryn Hill
    Nov 12, 2021
    How to Get Rid of Cockroaches Using Diatomaceous Earth
    Cleaning Tips from The Kitchn
    If you're looking for a way to get rid of cockroaches without using toxic chemicals, we can help.
    Kathryn Hill
    May 13, 2021
    Easy, Hearty Split Pea Soup Is Exactly What You Need Tonight
    It's the perfect cure for cold, snowy days.
    Kathryn Hill
    Feb 18, 2021
    No, Prawns Are Not Just Really Big Shrimp — Here’s the Difference
    All your questions, answered.
    Kathryn Hill
    Jul 9, 2020
    Word of Mouth: Brandade
    Brandade noun: Originating from the south-central French regions of Languedoc and Provence, brandade is a simple, yet hearty spread made of salt cod, olive oil, and milk. Sometimes garlic or potatoes are added. It’s served warm on slices of crusty, rustic bread with a green salad.There are similar versions of brandade in the other Mediterranean countries where salt cod is a staple, such as Spain and Italy.BrandadeIngredients1/2 lb (8 oz.
    Kathryn Hill
    Feb 3, 2020
    Recipe: Hot and Sour Soup
    One of my favorite soups is hot and sour soup, and I was flabbergasted to discover that it’s really quite easy — and cheap! — to make. Who woulda thunk it? Called suan la t’ang in Chinese, it gets its tang from the addition of white vinegar. Let me share a secret with you — not only did this recipe mark the first time I made hot and sour soup, but it also marked the first time I tasted it. Trust me, no one is more surprised than me.
    Kathryn Hill
    Feb 3, 2020
    Summer Cocktail: The Cuke
    When the air heats up and we’re trying to stay cool as a cucumber (pun intended!) we love this cocktail. It combines cucumbers, limes, mint, and one of our favorite gins, Hendrick’s.Called The Cuke, it was developed by Adam Frank as part of a New York Times summer drink contest in 2006. It’s light and fresh, and the perfect drink for sipping after working in the garden.
    Kathryn Hill
    Jun 5, 2019
    Ingredient Spotlight: Sichuan Peppercorns
    Sichuan peppercorns are a key ingredient in Chinese cooking. They have an unique, tangy taste and aroma. They are not pungent like black peppers, but have a lemony taste. They are spicy and can bring a numbing feel to the mouth and lips. Generally, they are added last when used in cooking. Only the husks are used, and are often toasted beforehand.They can be found at Asian markets or ordered online at places like Penzey’s or Import Food.
    Kathryn Hill
    May 3, 2019