Lavender is in abundance here in the Hudson Valley July thru September and I have always snipped several flower heavy branches worth for recipes, and scenting my home naturally with the relaxing scent of lavender. This simple syrup is lightly infused (lavender can quickly become soapy) I used the floral sparingly; the result is a…
Spruce tips have distinct resinous pine with slight lemon flavor, that pairs beautifully with the earthy sweetness of honey in this spruce tip honey loaf cake. Fresh, deeply fragrant spruce tips are infused into a honey laced batter and baked to a deep, golden brown. If you’ve harvested spruce tips and are wondering “what to…
Foraged fiddleheads are one of springs delicacies. The tightly curled fronds can be sauteed, steamed, boiled or grilled. When thinking up recipes for what to make with fresh fiddlehead ferns, I tend to lean towards appetizers. Fiddlehead fern appetizers are a real conversation starter when served to a crowd. I make this recipe using bright…
keep this recipe handy for this week, ramp season is winding down and this browned compound butter is one of the best ways to use it.
Ramp season here in the Hudson Valley is an eagerly awaited event occurring for a few short weeks. This year I plucked a few ramp leaves from my foraging spot in the woods, wrapping the leaves and keeping them cool until ready to use. I created roasted ramp infused flaky sea salt recipe to extend…
This violet panna cotta is brimming with freshly licked violets and topped with a crown of sugared violets as a garnish.
This floral cold brew white tea with fresh violets is the lightest of my botanical cold brew series. White tea is naturally lite, calm and has an almost honeyed sweetness. This tea combines beautifully with the light, floral (and very distinctive) flavor of foraged violets. No need for heat here; all of the flavor intensifies…
Wild violet season is a fleeting moment, occurring thru late April thru early May, this preservation technique crystallizes the flowers in a sugary coating, saving them for just a bit longer. Sugar coating is another classic preparation of freshly picked wild violet flowers. This technique takes time to dry, so if you are making these…
Violets bloom in late April thru early May and are not only one of the first signs of spring, but also one of the first foraged ingredients I gather here in the Hudson Valley. This violet simple syrup captures the floral essence of violet flowers distinct flavor. I use this in everything from violet lemonade…
Bake this while the knotweed is in season. Forage your own Japanese knotweed and bake with strawberries and spices into a hot bubbling crisp.
Some recipes earn their place not because they are complicated or clever but because they are deeply, quietly satisfying to make. Violet jelly is one of those. A handful of freshly picked flowers steeped in hot water until the liquid turns an impossible shade of indigo, then cooked down with sugar into something sweet and…
Spring is moving fast and the foraging window is short. I just published a complete spring foraging guide covering everything I reach for this time of year in the Hudson Valley — ramps, morel mushrooms, fiddlehead ferns, wild violets, pea shoots and Japanese knotweed. For each one you’ll find what it tastes like, when to find it and links to all the recipes I’ve developed around it over the years. Bookmark it now before the season gets away from you.
Read the Spring Foraging Guide.
Morel season is one of the shortest and most anticipated of the year. These honeycomb-capped mushrooms appear in spring for just a few weeks, and when they do, the best thing you can do is keep it simple. This creamy morel mushroom toast does exactly that – butter, shallots, thyme and cream, simmered together into…
Pea shoots are one of those ingredients that arrive quietly and disappear before you’ve made enough of them. The tender young tips of the pea plant, they have a fresh, lightly sweet flavor that tastes unmistakably of spring – grassy and bright with that underlying note of garden fresh peas that makes them completely their…
These chamomile madeleines are light, tender, and softly floral, sweetened with honey for a warm, rounded finish. Chamomile flowers are infused into the batter, giving the cakes a gentle aroma rather than a strong herbal flavor. They’re simple, unfussy, and meant to be enjoyed slowly – ideally with tea, in the afternoon, or as a…
My significant other recently brought home a pint of fresh squash blossoms from the YMCA farm stand (Kingston, NY). Dinner was already planned but with a short shelf life and ideas flowing I created this dessert recipe with slightly sweetened mascarpone cheese and a crisp fried rice flour coating to bring out the sweet, melony…
A summertime indulgence, filled with fresh fruit and flavors of fragrant vanilla and calming chamomile, this clafoutis dessert is a French country classic! Bake this up tonight for a simple and sweet ending to a summer meal. Click thru to try this inspired dessert tonight….
Wild violets burst open in early spring and exhibit varying shades of white to deep purple. I have always eagerly awaited this moment, I love using wild violets in recipes in my kitchen! Violets are edible picked right from the stem and have a musky, floral taste with a sweet kick at the end. Some…
This is the fiddlehead recipe to pull out when you’re feeding a crowd. Fiddleheads get tossed in a garlic parmesan breadcrumb mixture, laid out on a sheet pan, and baked until crispy – all the crunch of a deep-fried appetizer without any of the fuss. A quick lemon black pepper mayo dipping sauce comes together…
This is a 20-minute weeknight dinner built around one of spring’s most fleeting ingredients. Fiddlehead ferns get blanched, then tossed into a hot pan with garlic, ginger, and shrimp, and served over quick-cooking rice noodles with sesame oil and a scatter of red pepper flakes. It’s fast, savory, and completely seasonal. Fiddlehead season is short…
