Dutch Potato Soup

We're big on soup, both at home and at my restaurant, Union Street Cafe. I come by my Big Soup Love honestly. My mother kept us fed and healthy on a variety of mostly-vegetarian soups, soups made from cookbooks with names like Diet for a Small Planet and the Vegetarian Epicure. This Dutch Potato Soup was a childhood favourite of mine, a recipe I had memorized by the time I left home. I've made it at home, in a makeshift campsite kitchen on Salt Spring Island and at the Cafe, and it's always hit the spot.

While the ingredients look humble, the flavour is big and comforting. You can even leave out the cheese and it's still very delicious. As always with soup, the key to success is seasoning. Add salt, then taste taste taste, adding a little more if you think it needs it. A crusty loaf of bread and a spinach salad with dried cranberries and chopped apples would be lovely things to serve alongside this on a dreary January evening.

Dutch Potato Soup
adapted from Anna Thomas' Vegetarian Epicure 

5 medium Potatoes, cubed
2 teaspoons Salt
1/3 cup Butter
2 large onions, diced
2 teaspoons Dill Seed, lightly crushed (or Cumin) 
2 Bay Leaves
3 tablespoons Flour 
2 cups Milk
6 oz. Gouda, grated (about 2 cups, try the Fox Hill Cheese House )
1 tablespoon Paprika
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
Freshly ground Pepper

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan with the salt and just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until potatoes are just tender, 10-15 minutes depending on size. Leave the potatoes and their water in the pot, but turn off the heat. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat and add the onions. Stir and cook until onions are clear and tender, about 5 minutes, then add the dill seed and bay leaves. Sprinkle in the flour, and stirring constantly with a whisk or a wooden spoon, slowly add the milk. When the mixture is smooth and thickened, scrape it all into the soup pot with the potatoes. Turn the heat back on to medium low under the soup pot and combine everything. Sprinkle in the cheese, stirring until it melts, then add the paprika and Worcestershire. Taste for salt and add a few grinds of pepper before serving to your delighted family.

East Indian Split Pea Soup

A good split pea soup is one of winter's greatest pleasures.   My mom made it often when I was growing up and she still reigns as the Pea Soup (or Sea Poup, thanks Dad) Queen.  Hers used to be made with a meaty ham bone, but is now most often vegetarian, thick with sweet potato, celery, onions and carrot and spiced up with toasted cumin. At the Cafe, we've spiked our version with everything from pulled pork to maple sausage, always to good reviews.

Last week I was making shrimp curry for our buffet and wanted a soup to complement it.  Usually I make dhal, an East Indian dish often made with red lentils.  We had no lentils, but we did have lots of green split peas, and so this recipe was born.

This time last year: Cream of Valley Mushroom Soup

East Indian Split Pea Soup

You can serve this soup as is, or have fun topping it: I suggest a dollop of plain yogurt, a spoonful of mango chutney, some chopped cilantro, a few toasted cashews...


1 lb. Split Peas (Mom says yellow, I say green)
12 C. Water
1 T. Oil
1 T. Mustard Seeds
1 large Onion, diced
1 T. freshly grated Ginger
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 t. Turmeric
2 t. ground Cumin
1 T. Salt
1 medium Sweet Potato, diced
1 large Potato, diced
2 large Carrots, diced
1 large handful Spinach, chopped (optional)
1 T. Garam Masala (a blend of sweet spices, EOS and Superstore have it)

In a large pot, bring the peas and water to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for about an hour, until the peas are mostly tender.  Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over medium high heat and pour in the oil.  Add the mustard seeds.  They will toast and begin popping after a minute or so.  Reduce the heat to medium, then stir in the onion and cook until beginning to soften, about five minutes.  Add the ginger, garlic, turmeric, cumin and salt, and cook for a minute before adding the sweet potato, potato, and carrot.  Cook, stirring often, for five minutes, then shut off the heat.  When the split peas are almost tender, add the spice and vegetable mix to the pot.  Simmer for a half hour (the peas should mostly have fallen apart at this point), then check for salt and stir in the spinach and garam masala.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

This time last year: Kale and Swiss Chard with Caramelized Onions and Chicken Penne with Greens and Raspberries

When do we become confident soup makers?  When do we become confident cooks for that matter, counting on regular success in the kitchen and perhaps even believing that cooking is something we should do for a living?   For something so basic to our survival, it is astonishing how much practice it takes to become a really good cook.  Take soup.  I know that if I start with some chopped onions, some garlic, and a few basic ingredients that I can make something delicious.  But it wasn't always that way.

I had already mastered a few basics when I left home: macaroni and cheese, pancakes, stirfry.  But far away on the other side of the country, I missed my mother's chicken soup.  And she couldn't really tell me how to make it, because she Just Made It.  Also, I was vegetarian at the time, so I couldn't admit it. 

I was working at my first real cooking job, at a bowling alley on Saltspring Island, British Columbia.  I didn't have a phone, or a house for that matter, but I had a job.  I'd wake up each morning in my tent, shower at the marina down the road, and head in.  If I was late, my boss would call the woman who owned the land I was camping on, and she would holler at me from her house up the hill.  Kings Lane Recreation was a combination bowling alley/pool hall/arcade/restaurant beloved by Ganges locals.  The food was great.  Turkeys were continuously roasted, halibut filleted by hand for fish and chips, dough for butter tarts rolled out and filled.  And big pots of soup were made from scratch.

After working for the owner,  Ruth,  for a while, I progressed from counter girl to gravy maker to full time cook.  Following recipes that had been used for years, I slowly gained confidence in soup-making and most other kitchen duties.  I also learned a great deal about being a boss and business owner. Ruth was generous, kind, crazy, and bursting with love for her family and community.  She could flirt like nobody's business and always kept tubes of lipstick by the sink for applying when the rush of hardworking men would come in for lunch.  I think of her whenever I choose the heel of the bread for my sandwich at work (it'd go to waste otherwise) or hire someone with no experience just because I like them.  That's how Ruth would do it.

When I moved back home to NS, Ruth and I kept in touch.  She was the last person I regularly corresponded with by mail and I looked forward to her letters filled with news about her amazing children, travels with her husband, and Saltspring gossip.  Now it's only every few years that we check up on each other, but I'll always remember her taking a chance on me and giving me a start in the right direction.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Choose a lovely bunch of local broccoli for this soup.  That's the secret to its success!

1 large bunch Broccoli
3 C. Water or Stock
1 1/2 t. Salt
3 T. Butter
1 medium Onion, diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 C. Flour
2 C. Milk (I use 1 or 2%)
Optional: 1/2 to 1 C. grated Cheddar

Cut the broccoli from the main stem and peel the stem.  Cut all the broccoli into 1/4" pieces.  Put them in a pot along with the water or stock and the salt.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove from the heat and set aside for now.  Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat and add the onions.  Stir and cook for about ten minutes, until the onions are tender and golden, then add the garlic and the flour.  Let cook for a minute, then whisk in the milk.   Stir or whisk continuously as it thickens and begins to bubble.  Add the broccoli and its cooking water and stir to combine.  Let the soup simmer for at least a few minutes, adding the optional cheese and lots of black pepper.  Enjoy in the company of good people.

Longing for Spring Soup

Around these parts, spring doesn't feel too spring-y.  Although I've bundled up to dig around in my garden and all signs point to longer and warmer days, I'm still making roaring fires and pots of hearty soup.  This is one of my very favourite recipes, both at home and at the Cafe.  It has a very comforting, rustic, yet somehow exotic taste, as if the recipe had been passed down by my Italian grandmother (I don't have an Italian grandmother, but I like to pretend).  Obviously, this is a soup that wants the company of some crusty bread and a good grating of Parmesan cheese. 

Jacob's Cattle Bean and Vegetable Soup

You can substitute just about any dried bean for the Jacob's Cattle beans in this recipe.  

2 C. Dried Beans (we use Webster's Jacob's Cattle Beans)
16 C. Water
3 T. Olive Oil
1 large Onion, diced
3 stalks Celery, diced
2 medium Carrots, diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 small Cabbage, shredded or diced
2 t. Salt
1 t. freshly ground Pepper
1/2 bunch Parsley, minced

Optional: 1-2 C. chopped cooked Ham, Sausage or Smoked Tofu


Bring beans and water to a boil in a large pot. Reduce heat to simmer and
cook for two hours, until beans are tender and falling apart. Add the
cabbage to the pot with the beans and continue to simmer until tender, about
20 minutes longer. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute
the onions, carrot, celery and garlic until softened and beginning to brown.
Add the sautéed vegetables to the beans, along with the salt, pepper, parsley and
optional meat or tofu. Taste for seasoning, and let simmer another 20 minutes
before serving.

Chicken Pickin'

This winter, I couldn't get enough Christmas dinner, so we've been re-enacting it every couple of weeks. Roasted chicken is my absolute don't-mess-with tradition for this meal, and I need leftovers. In this land of plenty, free range chickens are available from many farmers, and my favourite is Maple and Ewe. Their chickens are large, like at least 6 pounds. This makes them a bit of an investment, but you can make at least three meals of one (and enjoy each immensely!) They take a couple hours to cook, and they are so flavourful that I just add salt and pepper, throw it in the oven, and back off. I roast mine at low temperature, about 300°, until it reaches about 175° in the thickest part of the breast. Then I cook a mini array of vegetables, make some gravy, and we're feasting like the Kings and Queens of Winter.

It is really worth searching out a decent bird for your family. Not only will you be supporting the local economy, you will be rewarded with unparalleled flavour for practically no effort. A larger chicken yields more meat per pound, so go ahead! Leftover cooked chicken can be made into chicken soup, added to salads and sandwiches, or incorporated into a new dish over the coming days. Maple and Ewe free-range chickens are available at Meadowbrook Meat Market and the Wolfville Farmer's Market.

Christmas Anytime Roasted Chicken

1 Free Range Chicken

Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 300°. Put the chicken in a metal roasting pan and rub with salt and pepper-I use lots. Roast in the middle of the oven until the thickest part of the breast reaches 175°. Let the chicken rest while you prepare vegetables or whatever. Leaving the juices behind in the pan, carefully lift the chicken onto a serving platter. I remember it being a big deal to carve the holiday bird, but we don't need this kind of fuss. Just remove the leg/thigh after the bird cools a bit (resting will make the meat juicier anyway). Then cut them in half (there is a natural divide, so this is easy). Gently pull the breast meat off and cut it into several chunky pieces.

For the gravy, take the pan the chicken cooked in and set it over a burner. It won't fit, don't worry. Turn the burner to medium and scrape the pan with a fork. Sprinkle in a few tablespoons of flour and work it into the juices and fat. Add about two cups of water and stir it up like crazy (you might switch to a whisk at this point), getting into the corners of the pan so all of the liquid gets a turn directly over the heat. Add salt to taste, and maybe a little rosemary or thyme. Continue to stir and cook while the gravy bubbles and thickens. If it's too thick, thin with a bit more water. Serve the chicken and gravy with lots of veggies. Refrigerate the leftover chicken and gravy.

Later, or the next day, completely strip the chicken carcass of meat. Put all the bones and bits of skin into a large pot and cover with water. Set over medium-low heat and cook for several hours, then strain. This is now the base of a delicious chicken vegetable soup.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

Maybe you don't need a recipe for this. Maybe you do. In any case, feel free to add any vegetables you like, including whatever leftover cooked vegetables are in your fridge. I also like to add a handful of uncooked red lentils, quinoa, barley or rice just before stirring in the stock. Make sure your grain is cooked completely before removing the soup from the heat.

1 Onion, diced

4 stalks Celery, diced

3 Carrots, diced

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 lb. Sweet Potato, diced (or Winter Squash or Potato)

½ C. Barley, Quinoa, Rice or Lentils, optional

the Chicken Stock from above

½ bunch Parsley, chopped

½ bunch Spinach, Kale, or Swiss Chard, sliced thinly
2 C. leftover cooked chicken, chopped 

Your stock should have a thin layer of fat on top. Spoon a little of this off carefully and place in a large pot over medium heat (you can use olive oil if necessary). Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic and cook for twenty minutes or so, stirring often and breathing in the amazing aromas as the vegetables caramelize slightly. Add the sweet potato, chicken stock and optional grains and bring to a near boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the sweet potato is tender. Add parsley, chopped greens and chicken and simmer until greens are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Valley Mushrooms

Mushrooms. I used to find them unappealing, gross actually. And now I adore them, crave them, dream about them. This has happened with plenty of foods since I've grown up-eggplant and cilantro among them.

Luckily for me, a mushroom fix is always close by. Julia and Leonard North of Valley Mushrooms grow gorgeous Button, Cremini and Portabello mushrooms just down the road, and we've incorporated them into all kinds of dishes at the Cafe: a fabulous burger topped with Garlic Portabellos and Swiss Cheese, Spinach Salad with Button Mushrooms, Wicked Fries (our version of potato skins, with portabellos, bacon and green onions) and our ever-popular Cream of Mushroom Soup. At Christmastime, I was taken by a sign advertising oyster and shitake mushrooms for sale, an experiment that I hope Leonard repeats regularly! I sauteed them along with portabellos and garlic as part of our Christmas feast..they were amazing.

Mushrooms are a rich source of tasty. Their mouthwatering deliciousness is partly due to the presence of glutamic acid. You've heard of the fifth taste, or umami? This refers to a savouriness, a meatiness, that is present in foods containing glutamic acid, the natural form of monosodium glutamate. Mushrooms have it, so do tomatoes and dulse.

If you live in the Valley, choose Valley Mushrooms. Otherwise, the closest growers are in Ontario, and by the time their mushrooms get here, they are usually old and leggy (mushrooms keep growing in the box, their stems lengthening). You can buy Valley mushrooms at grocery stores, at the Wolfville Farmer's Market at Elena Basevich's Bakery stand (have a Pecan Cinnamon Bun for me, too) or at their retail outlet across from the Michelin plant in Waterville. Go ahead and stock up-mushrooms freeze very well once cooked!

Simple Amazing Mushrooms with Garlic

Use these as a pizza topping, omelet filling, accompaniment for steak or straight out of the pan, with or without garlic bread! 

3 T. Butter

1 Onion, diced,

2 cloves Garlic, minced

3 lb. Mushrooms. sliced (any kind:Portabellos, Button, Shitake, Oyster, King)

½ t. each Salt and freshly ground Pepper

2 T. chopped Parsley (optional)

Melt the butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic and mushrooms. Cook and stir as the mushrooms release their liquid. Continue to cook, stirring often, as the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms brown a little. Add the salt, pepper and parsley and remove from heat.

Cream of Valley Mushroom Soup

1/3 C. Butter

1 lb. Mushrooms, sliced (a mix of white, cremini and portabello mushrooms are nice)

1 Onions, diced

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1/3 C. Flour

5 C. Chicken Stock

3/4 C. Whipping Cream

1 t. Salt

1/4 t. freshly ground Pepper

1/8 t. freshly Grated Nutmeg

2 T. chopped Parsley

Heat the butter in a heavy pot over medium high heat and add the onions and mushrooms. Stir and cook until mushrooms have released their liquid, then add the garlic. Continue to cook, stirring often, until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are beginning to brown. Add the flour and cook another minute, then whisk in half the stock. When the mix is smooth, add the rest of the stock. Whisking fairly frequently to prevent lumps, bring the soup to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the cream, nutmeg, parsley and salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning.

Sister Witches in the Kitchen:Melissa

My friend Melissa has excellent taste. When she calls to say “You have got to try this, it's going to change your life” I pay attention. Over the years I have known her, her recommendations have included Poulet Yassa (an African lemon chicken dish), seriously addictive Curried Popcorn and a Mexican Chicken and Bean dish that stews tantalizingly in a slow cooker. You wouldn't know it to look at her, but she has an appetite almost as big as mine. She loves wine and foods from places where she has lived and travelled: Bangladesh, Thailand, Africa, Vietnam. She doles out her love in recipes, home baked treats, and excellent advice. If you need to rant about the unfairness of life, she will patiently listen until you're done. If you need a recipe for butter chicken, or the best vegan power bar on the planet, she has it.

Even Mike Holmes is jealous of her biceps!

Melissa and I met at college when we were 17 and 18. Our dormitory had two beds to a room and as we shyly (well, I was shy, she was not) introduced ourselves to each other, we both thought, what the hell is this going to be like, sharing a room with a total stranger? I eyed her Gone with the Wind poster and music collection and fancy computer and straight-from-India decorations with trepidation. Was this girl way cooler than me? It took a while, but we found some common ground while jumping on our beds dancing to Courtney Love's screeching, and playing guitar (we even got up at open mic nights a few times) and sharing a birthday, almost (they are one day apart). One night after a few drinks, she spit in her hand and I spit in mine and we shook on everlasting friendship. It worked.

We lived together again in Halifax years later, and that's when we started cooking together. We worked late nights at bars and wanted to eat well, so every couple of weeks we would go on a big shopping adventure, then get to work in the kitchen. We froze burritos, Pad Thai, Shepherd's Pie, anything we thought would survive reheating in the microwave. We had big dinner parties and ate at fancy restaurants. We fought once and made up right away.

She's one of those people you could hate because she's funnier than you, more fit than you, and does everything she puts her mind to with irritating excellence. She gets away with all that because she truly is one of the kindest and most generous people I know. We're closer than ever because our lives have paralleled each others'. She was a bridesmaid at my wedding, then got married herself three weeks later on the grounds of my house (I got to make the food). We had babies at the same time, my second and her first. We've started businesses and read the same books and run in races. We now live about 100 kilometers apart and see each other only a few times a year, but I know if I need anything, anything at all, that she's there for me.

This Thai Corn Soup recipe is the latest of the must-tries. Although I've tinkered with it considerably (no lemongrass or coconut milk could be found in Berwick) I hope it tastes close to the original. Melissa suggests you invite your girlfriends over and make them this.

Thai Corn Chowder

1 C. Shredded Coconut (preferably unsweetened)

1 Lemon

1 Lime

6 Cobs of Corn

4 C. Diced Potatoes

2 t. Salt

2 T. Canola Oil

2 Onions, chopped

3 Cloves Garlic, minced

2 T. Grated Ginger

1 T. Toasted Coriander Seed, Ground

2 T. Cornstarch

1 C. Milk, Cream, or Water

2 T. Fish Sauce

Fresh Cilantro and Basil

Soak the coconut in boiling water to cover for ten minutes. Grind for 3 minutes in a blender and set aside. Zest the lemon and the lime, then squeeze the juice into a cup. Set both aside separately. Stand each corn cob on end on your cutting board, then cut the corn from the cob. Scrape the cob clean with the edge of the knife. Put all the bits of corn in a small bowl (save the cobs). Place the potatoes and corn cobs in a large pot and add 1 tablespoon salt and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are just tender.

\ Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the onion and saute for five minutes, until beginning to soften. Add the ginger and garlic. Saute for another five minutes, then add the coriander and lemon and lime zests and turn off the heat. When the potatoes are ready, remove the corn cobs and dump the potatoes and their water in with the sauteed onion mixture. Add the corn and coconut-water blend and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium high heat. Whisk together the cornstarch and milk, water or cream. Stir this into the soup along with the fish sauce. Let the soup simmer until it bubbles a little. Taste for seasoning and serve with chopped cilantro and basil on top.

Autumn Soups

To everything there is a season. A time for beet greens, a time for peas. A time for strawberries, a time for peaches. And a time for squash, potatoes, apples, brussels sprouts, turnips and pumpkins. That time seemed to come early this year, right on the heels of the most glorious summer I can remember. Was it the time off I took thanks to my ever-so-competent gals in the kitchen, Alexis and Annette? Was it the fact that nearly every weekend, the weather was perfect? The new garden and the chicks in the laundry room that grew up to be the chickens running around the backyard? Living the summer in food and sharing it with you? Writing this has given me the opportunity to really reflect on the abundance and variety grown in our magnificent Valley (and Mountains!)

Sure, I haven't touched on all the things we can do with broccoli, and I missed peppers and eggplant completely. That's ok, because we're going to be together for a long time, right?

Nothing says autumn to me like soup. Summer can be hell in a restaurant kitchen, but when the temperature drops fifteen degrees and there's an avalanche of squash and apples at your delivery door, there's nothing like cozying up to the beastly stove and cooking up some love-in-a-bowl.

That's my boy, harvesting Sunflower seeds!

Butternut Squash Soup with Curry Spices

2 T. Butter

2 Onions, diced

6 cloves Garlic, peeled and chopped coarsely
2 t. Mild Curry Powder
1 t. Garam Masala (or substitute cinnamon)
1 Butternut Squash (about 2-3 lbs), peeled and cut in 2" chunks 
1 T. Salt
2 T. Maple Syrup (or more, to taste) 
2 C. Milk, Cream or plain Soymilk
Cashews, Yogurt and Chopped Cilantro for serving (optional)

Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook for about ten minutes, stirring often, until fully softened and beginning to caramelize.  Add the garlic and cook another minute, then add the curry powder and garam masala.  Stir and cook for about thirty seconds to release the delicious toasty flavours of the curry spices, then add the squash and enough water to just cover.  Add the salt and crank the heat to high.  Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to medium high and simmer about twenty minutes, until the squash has fully softened and is falling apart.  Use an immersion blender to puree the soup, or let it cool a little before blending it (in small batches, with a towel covering the lid and being super-duper careful) in a blender.  Add the maple syrup and milk and whisk to combine.  Taste for salt and add some pepper if you like.  Serve steaming in bowls with the optional garnishes if you like.  Extra yum credit: add a small dollop of mango chutney-we sell a good handmade one at the Berwick Farmer's Market!

Apple Cheddar Porter Soup

2 T. Butter

1 Onion, diced

3 Apples, cut into chunks (no need to peel) Boates is a good source in the Valley

1/4 C. Flour

2 t. Salt

6 C. Chicken or Vegetable Stock

12 oz Porter or your favourite ale (Propeller Brewery is my all-time favourite)

1 C. Grated Cheddar

1/2 C. Cream or Milk

1/2 t. Pepper

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and saute for about five minutes, until starting to soften.  Add the apples and stir and cook for another five minutes.  Sprinkle in the flour and salt and cook for a minute, then whisk in the stock and porter. Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.  Simmer until the apples have softened and are falling apart.  Remove the pot from the heat and blend the soup until smooth with an immersion blender (regular blender=yikes, unless you let the soup cool first).  Place the pot back over low heat and add the cream and the cheese.  Whisk until the cheese has melted, then add the pepper and taste, adding a little more salt if necessary.

Corn (and Tomato) Time!

Oh Corn. You are so tasty when good, yet so bad when not. I think it best to avoid any early corn offerings at your local market, and get really tired of broccoli and zucchini and early summer vegetables while you wait for Perfect Corn. Then, right about mid August, when the price drops and the ears fatten, get yourself a dozen and have at 'er. This morning I had the pleasure of helping myself to beautiful corn for only $3 a dozen, at the same honour system stand that had provided me with most of the strawberries I ate this summer. Then I took the corn to the restaurant, shucked it, cut off all the kernels and made a beautiful and simple Corn Chowder, which I served at lunch. Courtney, my trusted salad gal, made Peach, Fresh Tomato and Corn Salad. For a couple of food geeks, this is what it's all about.
Steaming is the easiest and fastest method of cooking corn, requiring only an inch of water. Shuck and de-silk the corn, pile into a large pot with an inch of water at the bottom and set it over high heat. When steam starts billowing out, set the timer for two minutes, no more. Today's sweet corn really only needs to be heated through, then it's ready to eat. Try combining equal parts of butter and maple syrup with a pinch of cayenne or maybe a small spoonful of sriracha sauce, then brushing this on the corn after it's cooked.
The Corn Fritters have been part of my family's cooking repertoire since I can remember. They are almost as simple as corn on the cob and really delicious. The flour has gradually been reduced over the years, now just barely holding the sweet kernels together. Together with the emergence of Fried Green Tomatoes on the table, they are a sure sign that it is the end of August.

Peach, Fresh Tomato and Corn Salad

2 ears of Corn, shucked and kernels cut off
1 T. Olive Oil
2 ripe Peaches, cut in 1” chunks
enough assorted Tomatoes, cut in 1”chunks, to measure 3-4 cups
1 T. Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 T. Fresh Basil, cut into ribbons

Heat a small frying pan over medium high heat. Swirl in the oil, then add the corn kernels. Cook briefly, a minute at most, until heated through. Scrape into a bowl, making sure to include the oil. Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently.

Corn Fritters

I've been cooking half the batter plain for the kids and then adding the cumin and green onion to the bowl to cook for the grownups! These fritters are lovely as is, but you can't go wrong with a little maple syrup and even a pat of butter on the plain ones.

3 ears Corn (about 3 Cups)
2 Eggs
½ t. Salt
¼ t. Pepper
2 T. Flour
Canola Oil for frying
¼ C. Sliced Green Onion (optional)
½ t. Ground toasted Cumin (optional)

Stand the cob on end on your cutting board, then cut the corn from the cob. Scrape the cob clean with the edge of the knife. Put all the bits of corn in a large bowl and add the eggs, salt, pepper, flour and optional green onion and cumin. Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat and add 1-2 tablespoons of oil. Use a soup spoon to dole out the batter, spacing them for easy turning. Fry on one side for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown, then flip and cook a minute on the other side. Serve right away or keep the fritters warm in a low oven. They are also great at room temperature!

Fresh off the Cob Corn Chowder

6 fresh ears of Corn

2 large Onions, diced
1/4 C. Butter
 8 C. cubed Potatoes
1/2 C. Flour
2 C. Milk or Cream
2 T. Parsley
1 T. Salt

Stand the cob on end on your cutting board, then cut the corn from the cob. Scrape the cob clean with the edge of the knife into a bowl.  Place the scraped cobs in a pot and add 16 cups of water.  Bring to a boil while you get on with the recipe.  Heat the butter in a pan over medium heat and add the onion.  Stir and cook for ten minutes or so, until the onion is softened and starting to brown.  Add the flour to the onions and butter and cook another minute, then whisk in the cream or milk.  Continue cooking, stirring the whole time, until the mixture bubbles and thickens.  Turn off the heat. 
After the cobs have boiled for 20 minutes or so, add the cubed potatoes.  Cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.  Reduce the heat to low.  Pull the cobs out with a pair of tongs and discard, then stir in the onion and milk mixture.  Add the corn and parsley to the pot and simmer for another ten minutes, then serve!