For the many disappointments of the recent climate talks in Copenhagen, there was at least one clear positive outcome, and that was the progress made on a program called Reducing Emissions From Deforestation and Forest Degradation. Under this program, key elements of which were agreed on at Copenhagen, developing countries would be compensated for preserving forests, peat soils, swamps and fields......read more
I became entranced with the mountains as a child and I often find myself venturing into the forest for the heaviest part of any season. It’s there that I always find the densest, purest form of nature. Trees and whole mountainsides showcase the cold stillness of winter collectively in a deafening silence. In a world that moves so fast, slow down to the speed of the season if only for a......read more
The artisanal geniuses at Blue Hill Farm in New York's Pocantico Hills have created what may just be the world's best pickle. That sounds lofty, but if you've ever bitten into one of these, you'd be obliged to agree. The flavors are so subtle, so intricate, that it's hard to believe that the list of ingredients is so simple: Kirby cukes (from Cherry Lane Farms in Bridgeton, NJ), white wine......read more
There may be no better way to eat than with the seasons. That's the time when food is at its peak in both freshness and flavor. The time when foods can be grown locally. When you can avoid eating fruits and vegetables shipped from halfway around the globe, which have ripened on their journey to your grocery store. Not only will seasonal food taste better, you will be causing less impact on the......read more
Last week you learned a little bit about asparagus. So what’s next on the list for seasonal eats? Rhubarb!Another vegetable (or is it a fruit?) that pops up in early spring in many locations around the globe. Before writing this piece, I will admit I had never cooked with or tasted rhubarb ever before. I knew that it looked like a mix between celery and red chard but that it’s......read more
To most of us, the sustainable food movement is a relatively recent phenomenon. But to chef/author/food activist Alice Waters, it began four decades ago, before "sustainability" was even a word. That's when she opened Chez Panisse, the Berkeley eatery that helped pioneer the now-popular concept of serving local, organic, seasonal food. Over the last forty years, Waters and Chez Panisse have......read more
Believe it or not, there was a time not too long ago when the only root vegetables anyone ate were carrots and potatoes. Thankfully, as Mark Bittman points out at NYT Mag, that's changed, "in part because it was all wrong; in part because if you’re going to eat seasonal and local, you are going to eat roots in winter, even if you live in California; and in part because roasted root......read more
Today, Alice Waters is the queen bee of sustainable food movement. But it was flavor, not sustainability, that led the owner of Chez Panisse to local, organic food. Since founding the Berkeley eatery 40 years ago, Alice has helped inspire nothing short of a culinary revolution. These days, you won't find her in the restaurant's kitchen because she is too busy heading up the Chez Panisse......read more
As fall fades into winter, people in northern climates are hunkering down for the cold, silent season ahead. But there's a happy trade-off for high latitude folks; the transition between seasons delivers times of unparalleled natural beauty, with dazzling shifts in color and light. Swedish cinematographer Bart van der Gaag knows all about it. In "Changes," he deftly captures the passing of the......read more
With brisk temperatures and minimal crowds, winter can be a great time of year to hit the road and experience new places. But the key for any cool weather road trip is coming prepared - when braving the elements of the season, it's more important than ever to bring the right gear along. With SHFT's collection of Road Trip Essentials, we have you covered for your wintry travels ahead....read more