Chelsea Green Blog
Food & Drink
The Search for A Welsh Leek
How did the modern leek become what it is today? On his quest to save our heritage produce, Adam Alexander (otherwise known as the Indiana Jones of vegetables) unveiled the complex history behind leeks and many other veggies, along with how they made our way to our dinner plates. While on this mission, Adam started…
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Ode to Campari (Plus a Recipe for Vodka Negroni!)
The holiday season is in full swing, and if you haven’t been to a holiday gathering yet, chances are there’s one in your near future. If you find yourself hosting this year, why not spice up the night by offering your guests a cocktail that utilizes Campari? Its herby and fruity flavor is sure to…
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A Warm Winter Meal: Sausage with Potatoes and Cabbage
It’s the darkest time of year here in the north and the short days have us feeling extra lazy. When it’s already dark out by the time we get home, it’s hard to find motivation for anything other than cozying up on the couch with a new book. So, when we found this easy-peasy recipe…
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Best Types of Glasses for Cider: Let’s Raise A Glass!
We’d like to propose a toast…to cider! It’s time to push aside those basic cups in the cabinet and make room for some real glasses for cider. Below are some from Claude Jolicoeur’s very own collection. The following is an excerpt from Cider Planet: Exploring the Producers, Practices, and Unique Traditions of Craft Cider and…
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Seasonal Desserts: Apple Spice Bundt Cake & Pumpkin Pie with Hazelnut Crust
Nothing says “fall” quite like a homemade cake or pie! Add a little twist to your apple or pumpkin-flavored seasonal desserts that will have your guests begging for more. Not only are these treats delicious, but they’re healthy as well. The following is an excerpt from The Grain-Free, Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free Family Cookbook by Leah Webb.…
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Eating Well Made Easy: Practicing Stress-Free Eating
Eating well doesn’t have to be stressful or complicated. We don’t need to go on the latest fad diet, count every single calorie, or exercise for an hour each day to reach optimal health; all we need to do is remain mindful of what we’re putting into our bodies and how we’re consuming these foods.…
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Cheers! A Guide to Making Sparkling Cider
Make some room, Champagne and Prosecco. Sparkling cider is here to stake its claim as the superior bubbly beverage this upcoming holiday season! Crisp and refreshing, this apple-based delicacy serves as the perfect addition to any family dinner or friendly gathering. So raise a glass, and get ready to toast to the wonderful world of…
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How to Make Naturally Fermented Raw Soda
On your way to the store for a soda? Stop right there! Your backyard has plenty of delicious ingredients to make an all-natural soda. Pick and choose your own herbs for a custom, fermented raw soda without all the unhealthy sugars and additives. The following is an excerpt from Wildcrafted Fermentation by Pascal Baudar. It has…
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How to Preserve Olive Fruit Leather in 5 Easy Steps
Autumn olives are quite the berry. No added sugar is required! Give it a try and keep some delicious and nourishing olive fruit leather on hand for whenever you get the craving. The following excerpt is from Wild Flavors: One Chef’s Transformative Year Cooking from Eva’s Farm by Didi Emmons. It has been adapted for the…
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The #1 Health Rule: Eat Real Food
Glyphosate, the world’s most common weedkiller, is everywhere. But there are ways to combat the infiltrator. The best way? Eat well by sticking to the outskirts of the grocery store where items aren’t prepackaged and the list of ingredients is completely pronounceable. The following is an excerpt from Toxic Legacy by Stephanie Seneff. It has…
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Fermenting Apples for Cider
Fermenting apples is a key component of the cider making process. Along with all of the different strategies that go into fermenting apples, there are also traditional and modern methods that makers utilize based on preference and conditions or availability. In Cider Planet, longtime cider maker and author Claude Jolicoeur talks about new and emergent regions…
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How to Build a Wood-Fired Oven at Home
Do you have a love affair with wood-fired pizza? Can’t resist a fresh from the oven loaf of bread? Are always looking for another DIY project? If you said yes, then this one’s for you! Richard Miscovich, bread expert and wood-fired oven builder, offers a few useful tips and general masonry guidelines to help you…
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Lost Nation Cider Pie Recipe
Fall means apples: Walking through orchards picking apples, finding wild apple trees, and best of all…eating apples! We’ve had the privilege of publishing many books with delicious apple recipes over the years but one of our all-time favorites has to be the Lost Nation Cider Pie from Michael Phillips’ The Apple Grower: A Guide for…
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Becoming A True Seed Detective: Mastering the Mission
Did you ever wonder how peas, kale, asparagus, beans, squash, and corn have ended up on our plates? Well, so did Adam Alexander, otherwise known as The Seed Detective. The following is an excerpt from the The Seed Detective by Adam Alexander. It has been adapted for the web. My Seed-Detective Mission Crammed into two…
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The Key to Building A Long-Lasting, Healthy Diet
In reality, a healthy diet isn’t actually a strict one. Having a healthy diet means listening to what our body tells us and implementing a few small lifestyle changes. In his upcoming book The Virus and the Host, Dr. Chris Chlebowski outlines the tools we need to achieve better health and fight against infectious viral…
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The Best Types of Apples for Cider in North America
If you’re a fan of cider, you know that the type of apple used can make or break the flavor. And with all the different brands of cider out there, many kinds of apples from across the world are being utilized to create it. In his new book Cider Planet, author and renowned cider maker…
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7 Mantras of Cider Making
To make the very best cider—whether for yourself, your family, and friends or for market—you first need a deep understanding of the processes involved, and the art and science behind them. Fortunately, The New Cider Maker’s Handbook is here to help. Within the handbook, award-winning cider maker Claude Jolicoeur provides today’s makers with all the tools…
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Styles of Cider: The 4 Main Categories
Looking for the best cider to sip on a crisp fall evening or cold winter night? In the excerpt below, author and fermented beverage expert Claude Jolicoeur describes the four main styles of cider and how to tell the difference between them. The following is an excerpt from the Introduction of Cider Planet by Claude Jolicoeur. It has…
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9 “Berry” Delightful Ways to Enjoy Berries!
Summer is a great time to enjoy sweet treats, and what’s sweeter than freshly picked berries? We’ve put together some of our ‘berry’ best articles on nature’s sweet summertime treats. RECIPE: Gooseberry Pie Have you ever tasted a gooseberry? These unique, tangy fruits are related to currants, but have a flavor all their own. Though…
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RECIPE: Gooseberry Pie
Have you ever tasted a gooseberry? These unique, tangy fruits are related to currants but have a flavor all their own. Though gooseberries aren’t a common ingredient in pie, they’ll take your dessert to the next level. The following is an excerpt from This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader by Joan Dye Gussow.…
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4 Dried Tomato Recipes to Enjoy the Harvest Year Round
Have an overabundance of tomatoes? No problem. Preserve your summer harvest and enjoy the taste of the season all year long with these dried tomato recipes! For more recipes using traditional preserving techniques like salt, oil, drying, cold storage, vinegar, and fermentation, read Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning. Tomatoes Dried Naturally Tomatoes Almond oil (or another…
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10 Fascinating Fig Facts
Chances are you’ve heard of fig trees before. Beyond producing fruit, you can find fig trees woven into several different cultures, pieces of art, and works of literature. Given their prominence, you might be wondering what exactly makes these trees so special. Lucky for you, we have the inside scoop on everything fig-related. The following…
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4 Ways to Preserve Your Green Bean Bounty
Harvest season is finally here! If you’re anything like us, you’ve got green beans up the wazoo around this time of year. If you’re looking for a new way to preserve your green bean bounty for the fall and winter months, these four salt-based techniques should help. Here’s to months of delicious green beans ahead!…
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The Promise of Purslane & Salt-Pickled Recipe
Are you quick to grab a shovel at the mere mention of purslane for fear it will overrun your garden? If you nodded your head “yes,” might we suggest taking a second to rethink your attack? This semi-succulent annual not only boasts the highest-yet-measured levels of omega-3 fatty acids (hello, health benefits!) in a plant;…
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Homemade Kvass: Ancient Fermentation
Looking to add another recipe to your fermenting repertoire? Try your hand at Kvass. Bonus: it is the perfect entry-level project. Kvass is an ancient and beloved beverage from Slavic Eastern Europe. While it is basically a low-alcohol beer, it is enjoyed as a soft drink, even by small children. This nourishing beverage calls for…
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