Category Archives: Garden

Red, White and Grape: From Jumping Genes to Wrapping Leaves for Dolma

Posted on February 20, 2016 by madamescientist

Red or White? Even King Tutankhamun (1332-1322 B.C.) prudently stashed away amphorae of both red and white wines to enjoy in the afterlife. Biochemically, a single class of pigments found in grape skin, the anthocyanins, separates the red from white. White … Continue reading →

Posted in FOOD, Garden, Middle Eastern, science, Spices, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Springing into Green: Collards and Chard

Posted on May 25, 2013 by madamescientist

There is a brief window in spring when my Maryland garden is lushly verdant. When the so-called lawn springs joyously forth, requiring Benny and his boys to mow maniacally over it every five days. When the bunnies boldly brave the … Continue reading →

Posted in FOOD, Garden, Indian food, Spices, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Test Driving a Tagine

Posted on April 27, 2013 by madamescientist

Tagine. The very word conjured up a magical mirage of Marrakesh and Casablanca, dashing Berbers and belly dancers, hookahs and saffron-laced spicy stews.  I gazed at the overpriced albeit charming hand painted glazed clay artifact in the Williams Sonoma store, … Continue reading →

Posted in FOOD, Garden, Moroccan cooking, Spices, Vegetarian | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Of birches, blisters and backyard bounties

Posted on July 18, 2011 by madamescientist

Mother Nature has been less than kind to me this year. She began in stealth one silent snowy night, wreaking havoc on the beautiful river birch in my backyard, breaking two of three trunks and a good chunk of my … Continue reading →

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Lovely Luffa are really Ridge Gourds!

Posted on February 13, 2011 by madamescientist

I had a chance encounter, at the Indian grocery store last night, with a fine specimen of  ridge gourd. Absence had made my heart grow fonder, so I popped it into my basket with more enthusiasm than it should have … Continue reading →

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From frozen green cubes to warm watercress soup

Posted on January 24, 2011 by madamescientist

“I froze down the watercress”, my husband confessed, with a mixture of sheepishness and pride. Instead of this.. I saw this! Ummm….for the record, he is not crazy (well, only a little). At least, I am partly to blame for … Continue reading →

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Of Curly Kale and Manganese

Posted on June 26, 2010 by madamescientist

Today, I froze some curly Kale. Like most endeavors that are time consuming, economically equivocal and of dubious utility, this was a labor of love. One may well say the same of raising children, but I digress. You see, earlier … Continue reading →

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