Summer Eats: Fried Okra with Sriracha Aioli

Deep into the August harvest, I pretty much have okra coming out of my ears. The hearty, green and tubular seeded pods have received a nasty rap in our eastern neck of the woods. Every person I talk to about okra is dumfounded as to what to even do with this stuff and has some horror story to offer of it being slimy and inedible nuisance. However I am here to spread the gospel that okra is not only flavorful and healthy (3.2 g of fiber per 100g!) but delicious! In this recipe I call on a favorite southern method of dealing with okra, frying, that is sure to change any disbeliever into a life long follower. Though, lets be frank, anything breaded and fried is palatable, but I find that okra's sweet and unique flavor still shines through the grease.

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Canning: Winter Citrus Preserves

I am a huge fan of canning. For me, the act is almost like perserving a moment in time, or rather a moment in food. Citrus is in season and you'll want to keep that citrus frozen in time! The kitchen I work in has been canding citrus for awhile and uses them from everything from salads to desserts. My pastry friend gave me a few tips on the process and I came up with this recipe. My boyfriend had been messing around with some sort of lemongrass and ginger drink while I was making the simple syrup for this recipe and we mixed the two and came up with this delcious colaberation.

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