Fennel in the Mediterranean Food Climate Fennel is one of the quintessential scents, flavors, and foods characteristic of California’s Mediterranean climate. While it is a frequent ingredient favored by Italian, Mediterranean, and modern California cuisine, it is often overlooked by Americans even though the vegetable can often be seen growing wild on along roadsides, or [...]
Fig season in California starts mid-May and runs through October. Delicate, delicious, and extremely perishable, fresh figs are best eaten within a few days of procurement, but can be stored in the refrigerator on a plate under paper towels for two to three days. According to The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, figs [...]
Carrots are harvested nearly all year long in Southern California. I often accumulate an abundance of them from my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) box and run out of ideas for what to do with them. As a member of the parsley family, the carrot tops have cleansing benefits along with being a rich source of [...]
In Southern California, we are fortunate to enjoy celery all year, but its season peaks in the cooler months of November through February. Given its omnipresence, it’s easy to take this powerful health food for granted. According to Michael Murray’s Encyclopedia of Healing Foods, with only 20 calories per rib, celery is an excellent source [...]
Community Supported Agriculture By Red Jen Ford Before managing a farmer’s market, I was a member of a CSA – Community Supported Agriculture. At the time, the only CSAs available were of the traditional model: pay a flat fee directly to the farmer or coalition of farmers at the start of each season and reap [...]