Civil Eats

Few things in life give me as much pleasure as clearing out the refrigerator and finding tasty dishes to make using just what I have on hand. I love the challenge of creating a resourceful meal and often stumble upon new flavor combinations because of my fierce determination to use up all of the perishables before they are relegated to the compost bin.  Sometimes, though, the great fridge sweep leads me back to classic dishes that are both simple and delicious. With some leftover chicken, summer’s preserved tomatoes, wilting spinach and a bag of masa (a pantry staple) I conveniently have all the fixings for enchiladas—a dish that is not only easy but feeds hungry friends on the fly as well. Read More

As we look to incorporate ways, as individuals, to live the change that many of us voted for, let’s start by thinking about Thanksgiving. Lately, I can’t stop obsessing about three timeless holiday classics which will surely be under consideration during this year’s meal: leftovers, the economy, and cranberry sauce. Read More

Food waste is everywhere you look (and it’s still there if you choose not to). Farmers decide to leave entire fields unharvested when the prices are unfavorable. Supermarkets toss produce that’s the wrong shape or slightly bruised. Diners leave behind half-eaten entrees. There’s probably wasted food lurking somewhere in your fridge. Read More

Rio Thomas is leading a small squad of volunteers through the damp, early morning fields of Alm Hill Farm at the outskirts of Bellingham, Washington. Their voices hushed by the gray sky overhead and limbs still stiff from sleep, this silent band treads carefully across rows of lettuce and strawberry beds before reaching their target – precisely lined-out rows of snap and snow peas with pods dangling loose and sassy like earrings from a gypsy’s ears. Thomas issues instructions to pick only the ripe pods, leave the young ones, and fill their harvest buckets at will. Read More