Blink and you’ll miss them. Sour cherries are a fleeting pleasure; their season lasts but a week or two, and then they disappear, leaving only the haunting memory of fragrant, sweet-sour pies. I am late to this party. I... (read more)

I'm a newlywed. My husband Pete and I got hitched in October and then dashed off to a honeymoon in Europe. Our first and longest stop was Seville, in southern Spain's Andalucia region, for some much-needed de-stressing and relaxing. Of course, the food and the wine there only encouraged those activities. (read more)

What food says "cool" better than that metaphorical cucumber? The cucumber, a close relative of that other summer staple, the watermelon, has made a several-thousand-year journey from its native India to join us in the summertime treat. (read more)

In one new and notable entrant into the pantheon of foodie film, "The Chicken, The Fish and the King Crab," we are treated to an image we won't soon forget: chickens, in all of their feathered glory, sprinting aimlessly across an open field to an orchestral score. (read more)

I have been wondering for some time about dessert carts -- the wheeled display cases waiters swing by your table after the main course has been cleared away, ostensibly to tempt you to order something you hadn't wanted only moments ago. (read more)

Last night I hosted a gluten-free dinner party. For some people, this might conjure thoughts of deprivation or images of terrible food -- perhaps a plate with a few leaves of lettuce and not much else to snack on. Others may have never even heard of gluten, let alone the term "gluten-free." (read more)

One day the warm sun was shining like a beacon on our back deck. The next day, it cooled and went back to gray and rainy. But I have faith the sun will return. We'll have cookouts on our deck and outdoor parties on patios, in urban concrete backyards and on spacious green lawns. (read more)

Cork & Knife Editor Chip Griffin tastes five different pates from the Patchwork Traditional Food Company, a new entrant to the U.S. marketplace after a quarter of a century in the U.K. (read more)

There I was in Seattle, in the famous Pike Place Market, wandering the stalls of local and exotic fare. And then, among the fish guys throwing huge carcasses around for the adoring crowd snapping pictures, I smelled a most heavenly smell. Donuts. (read more)

Many might consider it a bit strange to sit down, pour olive oil into a glass, and drink it straight up. But that's just what Cork & Knife editor Chip Griffin did to report to you on three premium extra virgin olive oils, with entries from Italy, France, and Spain. (read more)

As the earth reawakens, so does my sweet tooth. I can think of no better symbol of the sweetness of this time of year then a rhubarb stem, dipped in sugar, with the astringent sourness and sharp sweetness rousing the mouth for vibrant tastes to come. (read more)

It's been a long, grueling winter. The parks have been abandoned for months, and the dogs are half-crazed with being locked indoors. People's faces wear the same expressionless gray as the sky. On the other hand, these have been great months for dessert. (read more)

This week, when the Dupont Market in Washington, DC reverted back to its summer operating hours in what can only be described as great optimism, there were some signs of spring. New vendors have recently joined the sparse stalls of winter, where only the heartiest of farmers dared to play through the rain and snow. (read more)

There is one sure sign of the seasonal moment we're in, and that is the green garlic. Have you seen it yet? It looks like an overgrown clove of garlic: a big white bud with a pale green shoot climbing out of it. The farmer told me this was a milder, sweeter form of garlic, perfect for a soup or a stir fry, and to go ahead and use the whole thing, stems and bulb, when cooking with it. (read more)

Dessert supreme, indulgence, candy bag stashed in the bottom of a purse, birthday treat, solace after a bad date, balm for the brokenhearted - there is no occasion chocolate cannot command. Even funeral homes leave dishes of chocolate mints next to the door to expunge the bitter taste of death from mourners' mouths. So what's it like for a teetotalerer in this land lapped by cacao? Incredibly, there are people who don't like chocolate. (read more)

Let's talk about meat. Meat can make people squirm -- even meat-eaters. It's talking about it, thinking through that the meat was once alive, that can make even the most stoic meat eaters a bit uncomfortable. It's an important topic to think about as moral and ethical eaters -- one that is too easy to ignore when the meat comes cut and wrapped politely in cellophane in the refrigerator case at the supermarket. (read more)

Let's talk about meat. Meat can make people squirm -- even meat-eaters. It's talking about it, thinking through that the meat was once alive, that can make even the most stoic meat eaters a bit uncomfortable. It's an important topic to think about as moral and ethical eaters -- one that is too easy to ignore when the meat comes cut and wrapped politely in cellophane in the refrigerator case at the supermarket. (read more)

The cold, along with the lack of caffeine, helps to explain how I came back with the most disparate and random bag of ingredients: a block of feta, some bacon, some pork sausage, a quart of broccoli, a pound of salad greens, a head of cabbage and a small bottle of blackberry vinegar.
 Now, what kind of meal is a girl supposed to cobble together from all that? (read more)

Pink carrots! How beautiful! Upon further inspection, they turned out to be long, pink, carrot-looking radishes. Italian radishes, the man at the farm stand explained. Well, how could I say no? As he was bagging a bunch for me,... (read more)

Ordering dessert didn’t used to be like this: The server arrives bearing a tiny pie, a plate with nothing more than three donut holes, and a shot glass full of ice cream. According to a 2007 survey of chefs,... (read more)

The venue was Kitchen Stadium. The event: Battle Leek. Ok, so it wasn’t so much a stadium as a nook, and less a battle then a friendly, collaborative luncheon. But there certainly were plenty of leeks. My friend Sarah... (read more)

"Parsnips?" I thought to myself, looking over the crates of winter roots and squash. "With blue cheese..." answered the mischievous voice in my brain that spurs me to do truly stupid things, like karaoke. Apparently, this voice had not gone to bed the night before. (read more)

"Parsnips?" I thought to myself, looking over the crates of winter roots and squash. "With blue cheese..." answered the mischievous voice in my brain that spurs me to do truly stupid things, like karaoke. Apparently, this voice had not gone to bed the night before. (read more)

In which one Washingtonian figures out what the heck to do with local and seasonal ingredients in a kitchen the size of a shoe box. Some of you may be going out to eat this coming Thursday. There’s this little... (read more)

In which one Washingtonian figures out what the heck to do with local and seasonal ingredients in a kitchen the size of a shoe box. Cruising the farmers’ market never fails to inspire me. Even in the middle of winter,... (read more)

If the idea of a "green" restaurant conjures visions of waiters in hemp necklaces, cardboard menus and patchouli incense burning in the corner, think again. (read more)

In which one Washingtonian figures out what the heck to do with local and seasonal ingredients in a kitchen the size of a shoe box. It is rare these days that I come across a fruit I’ve never eaten, cooked... (read more)

I spent only about 15 minutes this Sunday at the market before it got so cold I had to turn back. For $7 I picked out a fine, heavy buttercup squash and headed home through the icy wind with only one thought: soup. (read more)

Here we are in mid-December, and it just doesn't feel as crazy as usual. We don't know your reality, of course; maybe you are having a second cookie-decorating party this weekend, and you're still not totally cleaned up from Saturday... (read more)

After spending the past couple of weeks in survival mode, and then maybe in some form of chill-out mode, it's back to party time. But now, gone is the rigidity of Thanksgiving, with its accompanying fretting and family drama. Now it's about cruising through the holiday shopping, dropping off the bags at home, dressing up and heading out for cocktails. (read more)

Tomorrow is The Big Day. Are you ready? Is that a truly tired question? Hot Plates knows it is. Media people know that events with what's known as "lead time" tend to seem like they have already happened two or three times by the time The Event actually occurs. (read more)

Many Americans might be feeling the country has been in a bit of a rut. But to quote FDR on the topic of apathy, "above all, try something." Don't totally give in to the routine; mix it up this time around with the help of those who are paid to inspire you. (read more)

The newspaper food pages decided to stuff themselves silly today with good stuff for us to eat up. From heritage turkeys to chilled oysters to fried pizza to coconut cake, there is a delightful assortment of food news today. (read more)

Here at Cork & Knife, we see some of the strangest press releases cross our desks each day.  But the one we received from the American Egg Board today made us laugh so hard we knew it qualified as... (read more)

Britt Raybould is the fourth generation of an Idaho potato farming family. While not involved in the day-to-day operation, Britt helps when needed and watches with a certain amount of awe as her family navigates the challenges—long-term droughts, tight markets, and stubborn diseases—of modern-day farming. In spite of the obstacles, she still takes pleasure in her favorite time of year—potato harvest. (read more)

People are funny on Halloween. All people, including adults. Some whimsical souls still dress up no matter their age, and some real goofballs don't care about candy or costumes in the slightest. However, it is always great fun when a... (read more)

Have you ever wanted to create your own cookbook, either with your own recipes or your favorite ones from other sources?  If so, you may find the just-launched TasteBook service to be of interest.  This web site takes the index... (read more)

Interested in baking bread but think that doing so takes too much time and effort?  Enter Breadtopia.com, a new web site devoted to providing text and video instruction on how to make what it claims are tasty, easy loaves of... (read more)

I became intrigued by gourmet coffee after having some home-roasted beans prepared by my older brother at his home during one recent holiday season. To my surprise, the flavors dancing on my palate were simultaneously pleasant and intriguing! If my brother could do this, it must be a piece of cake, right? (read more)

There are no holiday humbugs in the newspaper business; it's simply not allowed. One week from today is Halloween, a day that is less about good food and more about Mr. Goodbar. And as they do each and every year,... (read more)

It's often surprising how much lies at the intersection of food and politics. The newspapers know this, and each week we become a little more educated about the politics of what's on menus across the country. (read more)

If you're having a good time and enjoying tasty food, does that qualify as "fine dining" even if there's no white tablecloth or proper waiter service? Specifically, if you take a pitchfork, spear some meat, and dip it in a bubbling bath of lard, what do you get? It may or may not be fine dining, but it certainly sounds entertaining and tasty! BaconUnwrapped.com's Heather Lauer spent some time with Cork & Knife Radio to tell us about the spectacle. (read more)

The Boston Globe's Sacha Pfeiffer wrote about the passion that Baby Boomers seem to have for spicy foods in last Sunday's paper. She joined Chip Griffin to discuss the trend on the latest edition of Cork & Knife Radio. (read more)

Sometimes, dear readers, opening the food section is a little bit like checking a friend's fridge when you are not sure what you want to eat: Maybe you love everything you see, and maybe there is only a carton of... (read more)

As fall begins to settle in for much of the country, the food pages are awash in autumnal treats including apples, lively red wines, spicy white wines, and -- tongue! Hot Plates takes you on a tour of the country's newspapers for what's hot this week. (read more)

Keith Dickey joked with his wife that he likes to reinvent himself "every ten or fifteen years." In fact, it was his time in Greece and Turkey that taught him to like exotic foods. It would take a decade-long detour to health care investment banking before he would have a chance to put that love for food into action. Today, he runs a successful gourmet food store in downtown Concord, NH, and he agreed to sit down for an interview with Cork & Knife TV. (read more)

Upscale keg parties, pickle chips, jug beer, ethnic street food vendors, and more from this week's food pages of some of the nation's major newspapers. (read more)