E very October I make Concord grape juice, and then seal it away in jars. I hoard these sweet vessels until the following summer, when I mix a chilled beverage called spicy grape juice. I don’t remember my first taste of chocolate, or of bacon, or even mayonnaise, but I’ll never forget my first sip […]
Ari Levaux
Posted inFood & Drink
Kale and Potato Salad
Take it on the go or make it for a BBQ; it’s the ultimate outdoors salad.
Despite all the blooming and greening of spring, it doesn’t offer much to eat. The corn is ankle-high, the peaches leave a lot to the imagination, and many farmers and gardeners have barely planted out their tomatoes. But you can always eat Kale Potato Salad. This salad is so transformative that even teenagers ask for […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Planting Seeds for the Future… or Just Dreaming of Spring
In a time when everything is rooted at home, it’s a good time to start planning your future food forest
My first seed catalog of 2020 arrived in late November. The timing could not have been better. Thanksgiving sticks a fork into the growing season, and ushers in a quiet time of rest, contemplation, hot beverages and reading material. (Editor’s note: Coronavirus panic does that, too.) Gardening is a thoughtful pursuit, and seed catalogs are […]
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Eating Chinese on Christmas
Two recipes inspired by the traditions of non-Christian Americans
The Jewish American tradition of eating Chinese food at Christmas is rooted in pragmatism and loneliness. In the mid-1900s, America’s two largest non-Christian immigrant populations shared the experience of watching the world grind to a standstill each December. Their friends and neighbors vanished into their extended families, leaving behind empty cities where everything was closed—except […]
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Cuckoo for Cocoa Nog
Your trip to holiday chocolate bliss—and a case for doing it fair-trade
When the weather turns cold, we turn to hot cocoa. Like the vanishing sun, that steaming cup is a source of warmth, energy and all-around power, from sled hill to windowsill. Mix hot cocoa with coffee for more working power, with booze for more playing power and with eggnog for more holiday power. With the […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Early Resolve
You could TRY to stick to those New Year’s resolutions—but you can also do better about avoiding temptation now
Year after year, in survey after survey, the most popular New Year’s resolutions relate to diet, exercise and weight loss. It’s probably no coincidence that we make these resolutions after the damage is done, at the end of holidays. Resolving to turn the ship around is a healthy response to the feeling of waking up […]