kefir Columns Columns: Tom Andersen Food & Drink 

From Ancient Origins to Your Kitchen: The Fascinating History of Kefir and a Simple Recipe to Make Your Own

By Tom Andersen Kefir is an ancient fermented tangy dairy drink. Evidence of kefir cultures have been found that were 4000 years old. It is said to have been a gift from the prophet Mohammad himself; can’t go wrong with that. There is an area at the bottom of Russia above the country of Georgia called the Caucasus where Turkey… Read More
Cherokee Trail of Tears bean soup Column Alison Steele Columns Food & Drink 

Cherokee Trail of Tears Bean Soup with Scarlet Kale & Winter Herbs

By Alison Steele I throw on a sweater and stroll along the garden path for a fresh start to the day. My former convention garden layout of rectangles and rows is transforming. Winter time is prime for garden rearranging, bed resting, thinking, and reconfiguration. Meandering paths of fruit trees and winter greens tucked amongst the purple pincushions are becoming my… Read More
Elderflower soda Alison Steele Column Alison Steele Columns Food & Drink 

Elderflower Soda

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
Roasted Artichokes with Sage Blossoms and Lemon Balm Column Alison Steele Columns Food & Drink 

Roasted Artichokes with Sage Blossoms and Lemon Balm

By Alison Steele If you’ve been following along, you’ll notice that I love harvesting edible flowers to flavor our food. Reeling us in with color, then aroma, and capturing our taste buds with the melding of essential oils, flowering herbs are a complex flavor addition to any meal. Continuing the edible flower theme, this week’s recipe is nothing short of… Read More
Chocolate Beetroot Cake Alison Steele Column Alison Steele Columns Food & Drink 

Recipes from a Mountain Garden: Wild Blackberry and Beetroot Skillet Cake

By Alison Steele When February comes to an end, I start dreaming of the garden. The collards, kales, lettuces, and herbs are thriving, but the thought of round plump fruits and vegetables keep me pulling my seedbox down and fingering the envelopes of home-saved seeds of summer last. I start to notice the new spring crops in Wild Roots Market…… Read More
Alison Steele Recipes from a Mountain Garden Column Alison Steele Columns Food & Drink 

Alison Steele: Recipes from a Mountain Garden

New columnist alert! Alison Steele is on deck bringing us delicious home cooking inspired by her Boulder Creek organic garden. A Virginia transplant from 2003, Alison lives with her husband, two children, and cat in downtown Boulder Creek where she raises quail, chickens, fruit trees, vegetables and herbs. On the weekends she teaches reskilling workshops in her garden including knitting,… Read More