There’s no denying that fall has arrived.  The afternoons may still get warm but the mornings are so nippy that I need to pull on a fleece before I walk the dogs.

Soon our local fruit choices will shrink to little more than apples and pears.  Right now, though, there’s a great selection of plums in the markets as some of the last gifts of summer. Continue reading Plum perfect clafoutis →

My friend Ned is heading for Spain next month and I couldn’t be more envious.

Not only will he be taking in all the glorious sights, he’ll be eating tapas at every turn.   If only I could stow away in his luggage.

Someday, I hope to travel to Spain, too.  In the meantime, I’ll just have to make my own tapas. This tortilla with chorizo, potatoes and peas is a good start. Continue reading A taste of Spain →

After Labor Day, summer just slips away.  Kids are in school, store windows are filled with sweaters, and the annual flood of Christmas catalogs begins.

I usually start thinking about soups and stews and roasted root vegetables right about now. But summer is far from gone in the Northwest.  The mercury is hovering in the 80’s and the corn is at its peak.

With all the best summer produce just now flooding the farmers markets, the soups and stews can wait.  Salads are what I want to eat right now. Continue reading Late summer’s culinary pleasures →