Allen: Now, I know you all use traditional European recipes for your breads. The rosemary bread that you create, I like very much. How much rosemary do you put in a loaf? Chef Alessio Giannuzzi, Il Fornaio Restaurant, Carmel, CA:... continue reading

Since ancient times oils have been regarded as a precious commodity, the ultimate gift. Today the range of olive oils available to us is greater than ever before. To help us understand some differences in these olive oils I asked Tom McArthur, owner of continue reading

Chateau Julien is a beautifully landscaped winery nestled in the rolling hills of central California's Carmel Valley. Wine maker Bill Anderson of Chateau Julien shared with me some of his thoughts on wine selection. Allen: So Bill, what is the deal with red wines and... continue reading

Interest in medicinal herbs is on the rise. Dr. Varro E. Tyler is a professor, author and noted expert in the field of pharmacognosy which is the study of the theraputic value of drugs made from plants. Dr. Tyler shared his thoughts with me about several plants found to have proven medical... continue reading

There's a lot more in a clove of garlic than seasoning for your favorite Italian dish. Recently, it's been discovered that garlic has some very impressive health benefits I asked an expert in the field, Dr. Varro E. Tyler if garlic really works? continue reading

Help for fighting the common cold is as close as your garden, or your health food store. It comes from echinacea, or purple coneflower, a native wildflower with some very impressive medicinal qualities. Purple coneflower is a well-known product in pharmacies as a natural way to... continue reading

 Herbs are making the news these days as alternative treatments to many ailments. And many of these herbs are growing just outside in our gardens or wild along roadsides. An excellent example is feverfew. It's actually a member of the chrysanthemum family. In addition to the beauty... continue reading

Visit a health store and you'll find there's an herb for every ailment. Now, most are taken in pill form, but others are consumed as teas. Herbal teas have been used for thousands of years. Okay, so let's say I have an upset stomach. What does the doctor recommend? Here's what Dr. Varro... continue reading

Aside from its obvious beauty, ginkgo is being used in the field of medicine. According to experts, such as Dr. Varro E. Tyler, research has uncovered some of its health benefits. Believe it or not, the ginkgo tree is a living fossil. This is one of the oldest living species of trees in... continue reading

If you're looking for an alternative beyond the standard beans and potatoes, you might check out something a little different. Like some of the Oriental vegetables. Every region and culture has its own favorite fruits and vegetables, as well as ways of preparing them in their cooking.... continue reading

Gary Ibsen has taken his love of heritage tomatoes a step further than most and started an annual event, the Carmel TomatoFest. continue reading

And, as eternal youth is mine, you also shall be always green, and your leaf know no decay. from Ovid's Metamorphoses, Book I, Daphne One of my favorite herbs to grow is bay laurel, Laurus nobilis. Roman poet Ovid made this plant famous in his poem... continue reading

Anyone who has ever tasted a Vidalia onion knows what a great flavor it has. I am always happy when I see them in the produce aisle at the grocery store in spring. Vidalias come from an area in Georgia where the climate and soil work together to produce this super sweet onion. I love raw... continue reading

Once you've tasted a really good apple, it is easy to see why Eve was tempted by this fruit. My favorite varieties are crisp, sweet and juicy such as Cox Orange Pippin, which is an heirloom variety. Heritage apples are garnering more and more attention these days and I'm glad of it... continue reading

It's hard for me to understand why eggplant isn't a more popular vegetable. Perhaps it is the image that the name evokes, or bad memories of overcooked... continue reading

Sweet potatoes come in two varieties - orange or yellow fleshed. The orange fleshed are more common and sweeter than the starchy yellow fleshed type. Many people refer to orange fleshed sweet potatoes as yams, but yams are actually a much larger vegetable grown in Africa and Asia. A true yam... continue reading

One of the greatest joys of summer is the abundance of locally grown fresh produce available for us to eat, like blackberries. And if you are looking for a variety of blackberry that produces super large fruit you need to investigate a series developed by the University of Arkansas. Varieties in... continue reading

It is best to store unripe pears in a bowl or bag at room temperature. You can test a pear for ripeness by gently pressing near the stem. If it gives a little to the pressure, it is ready to eat. They actually ripen from the inside out, so if you try this test on the middle of the pear and it... continue reading

Of all the squashes I have grown in my garden, I believe that butternut is one of my favorites, although pumpkins are certainly at the top of the list as well. Squash can be divided into three categories – continue reading

Honeydew melons always remind me of summer mornings in my grandparents’ kitchen. It is their smell more than the taste that brings up the memory. My... continue reading

I'm crazy for ornamental grasses. They are one of the best plants for creating texture and movement in the garden. And when you can find one that is fragrant and flavorful, well, what more could you ask for? That's just what you get when you plant the herb lemongrass, Cymbopogon... continue reading

When it comes to handy kitchen appliances one device that stands out from the rest is the slow cooker. It's hard to beat something you can load up with ingredients, walk away then return at the end of the day to a prepared meal. And with so many slow cooker recipes these days, we are no... continue reading

I'm a sucker for Mountain Valley Sparkling Water. I like to drink it infused with seasonal fruits or use it to add a little bubbly to lemonade. Would you mind sharing a drink recipe with us that incorporates Mountain Valley Sparkling Water? Combine fresh fruit... continue reading