I tasted fresh mozzarella for the first time when I loved to New York City in the ’80s. Growing up in Tennessee, I’d had only the mozzarella you find in grocery stores; that was considered “gourmet cheese” in our house. As with the first time I tasted fresh herbs, roasted peppers, or asparagus that didn’t [...]

Makes about 1¼ cups 1/3 cup of red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon 2 or 3 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil Sea salt and freshly ground black [...]

Whitney Aichner, one of Foster’s cooks, created this spicy salad, and it has become a favorite in the Market and on our catering menu. It’s delicious as a side dish or piled on whole-grain bread topped with sprouts or baby greens.  Serves 8 to 10 1½ cups sweetened flaked coconut 4 cups shredded cooked chicken [...]

Makes about 2 cups of Dressing 1¼ cups good-quality mayonnaise ½ cup chopped parsley ¼ cup curry powder ¼ cup honey juice of one lemon 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper   Combine the mayonnaise with the parsley, curry powder, honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to mix [...]

Classic California Cobb Salad There’s nothing very unusual about this traditional Cobb Salad–it’s just as good as they get. The combination of blue cheese and avocado is one that people can’t seem to get enough of–then add the bacon and forget about it. Whether we make a Cobb wrap, sandwich, a soft taco, or this [...]

Red Wine Vinaigrette with Chives Makes about 3/4 cup 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Whisk the vinegar and mustard together in a small bowl. Add the olive oil in a slow [...]

Spoon bread is like a cross between grits and cornbread, with a lovely dense, puddinglike texture set off by cornmeal’s fine grain. I don’t need an excuse to bring sweet potatoes into the mix- I’ve been known to add them to just about everything- but in this case they reinforce the silky texture of the [...]

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes 1 tablespoon olive oil sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, plus more if needed 8 ounces mixed fresh mushrooms, such as oysters, chanterelles, shitakes, or hedgehogs, cleaned and thinly sliced (3½ to 4 cups) 2 shallots, minces ¼ [...]

4 Slices thick-cut bacon (about ¼ pound) 1 onion, diced 2 celery stalks, diced 1 garlic clove, smashed and minced 1½ cups long-grain white rice (preferably Carolina Gold) 2 tablespoons fresh thyme ½ teaspoon Colman’s dry mustard ¼ teaspoon hot paprika Pinch of ground cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes Sea salt and freshly [...]

Culinary lavender is available in the spice section of most supermarkets. Photo to the left by Thomas MacDonald. Recipe courtesy of Organic Garden Magazine. MAKES ABOUT 5 (8-OUNCE) JARS 6 cups blackberries Juice of 1 lemon (about 3-4 tablespoons) 2 teaspoons minced culinary lavender ½ teaspoon sea salt 2 cups granulated sugar 5 tablespoons real [...]