Kitchen

Dealing with bugs around your homestead is just a fact of life. Outside is one thing, inside is another, and inside the kitchen and on your food is something else entirely! Insects are creepy enough all on their own without infesting the things we eat. Sadly, one of the grossest food pests is also one … Read more

There’s nothing better than a perfectly ripe, tangy, and sweet orange. They really are one of life’s great pleasures. But did you know that oranges are good for so much more than snacking or enjoying at the breakfast table? It’s true! These famous fruits have many practical uses around your home, in the garage, and … Read more

There’s hardly anything on Earth that is more delicious, delectable, satisfying, and indulgent than smoked meat. It takes what would otherwise be an ordinary, or even extraordinary, cut and elevates it to something that is truly transcendent. It’s always worth it, but if there is one downside it is that smoking tends to be the … Read more

I don’t know about you, but I go through tons and tons of garlic in the kitchen, all year long. The stuff is just indispensable for cooking. After I got sick of getting rinsed at the grocery store, paying for bland, subpar bulbs in the produce department, I decided to start growing my own, and … Read more

If you didn’t know better, you might think that those perfectly plump, ripe, and appealing strawberries you brought home from the grocery store are clean and ready to eat. Spoiler warning: they most certainly are not. Commercial strawberries are one of the biggest offenders when it comes to retaining pesticide chemicals and other nasty things, … Read more

Nothing beats perfectly ripe fruit, and if I had to pick my favorites out of all of them, I would have to say that berries beat them all… Raspberries especially are terrific when at peak ripeness, but whether you’ve grown them yourself or are hauling them home from the local farmers market, you’ve got to … Read more

Chances are pretty good that if you have chickens, you got them for the same reason that I and everyone else did: you want those incomparably delicious, farm-fresh eggs! If you’ve never had them, I’m here to tell you once and for all that the hype is real. The color, taste, and texture of eggs … Read more

Have you ever been in the middle of dinner when a thunderstorm knocked out power? Isn’t it crazy how it throws the entire day into chaos out of all proportion, when such a commonplace occurrence? It’s annoying, sure, but can also be costly. You might lose all of the food you’re trying to prepare, and … Read more

Every gardener and farmer I know works ceaselessly to bring in a good harvest, whatever it is they are growing. And for those of us who grow peppers, much of the time we feel the bitter sting of failure when some of them just fail to come in. It’s just the way it is, as … Read more

Beans are one of the most versatile staples eaten around the world. Packed with protein and minerals, there are dozens of varieties out there, each with a different flavor profile and texture. They make a wonderful addition to nearly any meal, and are used in countless recipes, but dried beans can also be an important … Read more

If you’re going to pick a single component, a single fixture, and the average home that would be the beating heart of the house, what would you say it is? I would make a case that it is the refrigerator. My reasoning is simple enough: the kitchen is the nerve center of the home in … Read more

There’s hardly anything more delicious and more wholesome than honey. Incredibly sweet, smooth, and supremely versatile in all sorts of recipes, and as a topping, honey is just the best. It also lasts a very long time, making it a great pantry staple. However, give it a long enough timetable honey will crystallize, turning chunky, … Read more

Most of us know by now that honey is one of the longest-lasting natural foods we can get. The stuff will keep basically forever if it’s stored properly, but even when we do our part sometimes honey will crystallize. You’ve probably seen this before: your honey starts to look a little less clear and a … Read more

Did you know your Clif bars can last at least 1-2 years past their expiration date… but only if you store them properly? It’s true, and I’ll explain why and how these nutrient-dense energy bars can last this long in what follows. If you are like me, you always have a few energy and meal … Read more

Usually, when we think of milk, we think of supermarkets, plastic bottles, or cardboard cartons. We also typically think of pasteurized milk, not the raw, unpasteurized milk that comes straight from the cow. This begs the question: is it good for you? No, raw milk is not good for you. While it does have a … Read more

Although they were once rare commodities in most parts of the United States, white pumpkins are seeing a huge surge in popularity. They are fun to decorate with, lending your home a festive fall feel that works well with any style of decorating. So that leads to the question of white pumpkins: are they edible? … Read more