Author Archives: diary of a tomato

12.17.12 Snow, dried beans, and chicory

Posted on December 17, 2012 by diary of a tomato

“It was evening all afternoon. It was snowing 
And it was going to snow.” — Wallace Stevens, “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” The garden snug under its covers and an extra blanket of newly fallen snow. Indoors, we … Continue reading →

Posted in garden, preserving | Tagged , , , , , | 20 Comments

Savory Sausage and Kale Tart

Posted on December 14, 2012 by diary of a tomato

It’s hard to follow a recipe exactly. I once did a stint testing recipes as it sounded like fun, I wanted exposure to a new range of recipes, and, mostly, I was curious to see if they would work using … Continue reading →

Posted in cooking | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Local Hero: Russell Libby

Posted on December 12, 2012 by diary of a tomato

“We have to challenge the idea that contamination is just the price of living in the modern world. Our bodies don’t have systems to process plastics or flame retardants or pesticides. If contamination is the price of modern society, modern … Continue reading →

Posted in interlude | 6 Comments

12.10.12 Season extension greens, composting

Posted on December 10, 2012 by diary of a tomato

The greens under cover are holding on — this week’s harvest includes puntarelle, fun jen, pan di zucchero chicory, and salad greens. A few of the puntarelle were left in the ground to see how long they’ll survive the cold. … Continue reading →

Posted in garden | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

Spaghetti with Guanciale and Kale

Posted on December 7, 2012 by diary of a tomato

This riff on Spaghetti alla Gricia sprang from seasonal necessity. This seemingly spartan yet voluptuous pasta dish from Rome is a reliable standard in our house. We usually finish it with a garnish of parsley but have yet to set up … Continue reading →

Posted in cooking | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

12.3.12 Early December Harvest: Celeriac, leeks, carrots, and greens

Posted on December 4, 2012 by diary of a tomato

The garden trug sits by the back door, mostly unused as of late. With an inch of snowfall this past week-end, we considered bringing it in and retiring it for the season. Monday, though, brought a bounce in the weather, … Continue reading →

Posted in garden | Tagged , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Smoky Tomato and Bacon Chowder

Posted on November 30, 2012 by diary of a tomato

“All chowders were born of necessity. They were invented by humble working people, who made them with local, inexpensive ingredients from the sea or the land.” — Jasper White, “50 Chowders” Most think of clams or fish when it comes … Continue reading →

Posted in cooking, tomatoes / pomodorini | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments