Column Alison Steele Archives - Page 3 of 4

Sublime Spring Lemon Meringue Pie

April 20, 2022June 13, 2023 slvpost.com0 comment

By Alison Steele We know that Spring has truly arrived when the elements align and that first warm egg is discovered in the lay box. What a surprise! What a treasure! What a delight! On a small backwoods farm, it would’ve been cradled and admired before being whirled into a pudding or fluffed into a pie for all to share.… Read More

Column Alison Steele Columns Food & Drink

Pot O’Gold Mashed Potatoes

March 9, 2022June 13, 2023 slvpost.com0 comment

By Alison Steele Often linked with Europe, the potato is actually native to the New World. Captured by the Spanish from the Incas, potatoes were shipped back to be grown in royal gardens in order to increase acceptance of this strange new food. Stolen by peasants to try in home plots, it soon became a staple in French, British, and… Read More

Column Alison Steele Columns Food & Drink

Valentine’s Treat: Dark Chocolate Canvases

February 13, 2022June 13, 2023 slvpost.com1 Comment

By Alison Steele When I peek into the pantry, I try to imagine ways to use the stockpiles of dried fruits, jams, chutneys, and other delicacies preserved from summer’s bounty. The dried fruits seem to disappear first as they need no enticing off the pantry shelves. These little works of art require no fork or plate and instantly satiate the… Read More

Column Alison Steele Columns Food & Drink

Winter Sunshine Tea

January 22, 2022June 13, 2023 slvpost.com0 comment

By Alison Steele After a month of rich, sweet and savory holiday cooking, our ovens (and bodies!) may be needing a break. Introducing a daily herbal infusion in place of an afternoon bake is an easy way to bring our bodies back into balance. January is the month when the bright green of most tea herbs are peeking out from… Read More

Column Alison Steele Columns Food & Drink

Quince Simple Syrup and the Boulder Creek Sour

December 31, 2021June 13, 2023 slvpost.com0 comment

Recipes from a Mountain Garden By Alison Steele I adore simple syrups. Strawberry rhubarb, lemon balm, feijoa, and now quince are some of my favorites, adding sweet, tart, and herbal flavor celebrations to the palate in the form of food or drink! Easy and versatile, use them to sweeten lemonade and iced tea in the summer, hot herbal teas in… Read More

Column Alison Steele Columns Food & Drink

Heirloom Fig Bread Pudding

November 26, 2021June 13, 2023 slvpost.com0 comment

By Alison Steele Baking season has officially arrived, along with the first ripe figs in the garden. I have resisted most temptation to buy figs at the farmers market knowing that these two heirloom trees produce enough fruit for vinegars, jams, cakes, salads, teas, puddings, pizzas, and brandy for the coming winter. Not only are they loaded with minerals and… Read More

Column Alison Steele Columns Food & Drink

Autumn Okra Stew

October 10, 2021June 13, 2023 slvpost.com0 comment

By Alison Steele Moving into fall with afternoon warmth still lingering, the magic of Okra Stew is captured entirely on the stovetop. Layering the flavors of the garden in one pot along with poultry or pork, and ladling it over a steaming bowl of rice is what I think of as comfort food. I’ve chosen to celebrate the vegetables in… Read More

Column Alison Steele Columns Food & Drink

Peach & Blackberry Bourbon Corn Cake

September 25, 2021June 13, 2023 slvpost.com0 comment

By Alison Steele Returning to our mountain garden after two months away is quite magical. Pumpkins hang from the vine, towering sunflowers guard entranceways, ripe tomatoes and peppers peek out from under the weeds. There are, however, always a few casualties. Our peach tree had split straight down the middle despite my efforts to twist off what seemed like a… Read More

Column Alison Steele Columns Food & Drink

Egg Custard Pie

August 21, 2021June 13, 2023 slvpost.comFood, recipes0 comment

By Alison Steele Every year for my birthday I bake egg custard pies. It’s one of my mama’s favorites and seems to tickle fond childhood memories. Treats like spoon bread, egg custard, bread pudding, and cream pie were readily made on their small backwoods farm from fresh eggs, freshly skimmed cream, raw milk, and day-old bread. Becoming harder and harder… Read More

Column Alison Steele Columns Food & Drink

Elderflower Soda

July 11, 2021June 13, 2023 slvpost.comFood, recipes0 comment

By Alison Steele The elderberry tree (Sambucus nigra) is native and to both Virginia and California. It waves its abundant white flowers in processions along mountain roads and stands watch in the corners of cultivated gardens in early to mid summer. My mother’s Mennonite Community cookbook, from 1950, offers recipes for pies, jams, jellies, vinegars, cordials, and wine including this… Read More