2008-05-14T14:50:11Z Kim O'Donnel's Guide to Eats, Drinks and Recipes All Year Long tag:blog.washingtonpost.com,2008:/mighty-appetite/129 Copyright (c) 2008, WashingtonPost.Newsweek Interactive 2008-05-14T14:50:11Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-14:/mighty-appetite2008/05/can_a_strawberry_be_savory.html

A big shout-out to the strawberry, who's back in town and making Washington area farm markets a little more gorgeous. Strawberry glory. A member of the rose family, the strawberry is unlike her other berry brethren, as she's the only one that keeps her seeds in full view, on the skin. Of all the berry options to come our way this summer, the strawberry is fairly low on my list (I'm much more excited about...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Kim ODonnel 2008-05-13T13:42:50Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-13:/mighty-appetite2008/05/ecovino.html

I'll be honest: Despite the greening of my pantry, I've been slow to embrace organic wine. After a less than tasty experience a few years ago with a bottle of organic red from a California winery that shall remain nameless, I've been swearing off the stuff because it either hasn't been up to snuff or is just too darned expensive. Mendocino Wine Company's Paul Dolan. A recent run-in with a 2007 bottle of "Sustainable White"...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Kim ODonnel 2008-05-09T11:39:35Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-09:/mighty-appetite2008/05/saluting_mom_your_kitchen_stor.html

Just one week ago, I asked for your personal stories about the important women in your life, as part of a Mother's Day tribute. Never in my wildest dreams did I anticipate the rush of excitement and enthusiasm that was bursting open my inbox, and I am truly honored and in awe of the generous, loving spirit that came through in every one of your stories. With so many heart-felt nuggets to choose from,...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Kim ODonnel 2008-05-08T15:42:54Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-08:/mighty-appetite2008/05/celebrating_the_potato.html

A friend reminded me that 2008 is the International Year of the Potato, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The timing is impeccable. With the global cost of wheat 83 percent higher than a year ago and that of rice up by 20 percent since the beginning of this year, the potato is being touted as a low-cost solution to easing the global food crisis. After wheat and rice,...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Kim ODonnel 2008-05-07T14:05:03Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-07:/mighty-appetite2008/05/ecobite_nibbles_from_the_green.html

This week's Green Plate Special is a selection of eco-minded food blogs, which are cropping up like wild mint. Here's what's catching my eye (and whetting my appetite): "Eat your greens" is the mantra of Envirovore, a new addition to the rapidly expanding EcoGeek family. Written by a trio of women in Montana, the blog is a collection of newsy items from around the country, with a politics-policy bent. To wit: yesteday's post is all...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Kim ODonnel 2008-05-06T13:53:43Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-06:/mighty-appetite2008/05/farmer_john_now_on_netflix.html

I've been trying to come up with a way to talk about the 2007 (now 2008) Farm Bill that has been extended yet again to May 16. The nearly $300 billion five-year spending bill is so complicated it will turn your eyes inside out. If it was only about subsidies for wealthy farmers (and non-farmers), that would be one thing. But, as a quick aside and to keep you up to speed, just a few...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Kim ODonnel 2008-05-05T19:48:55Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-05:/mighty-appetite2008/05/a_months_worth_of_ecobites.html

As promised, I've compiled the daily eco-bites that appeared throughout April for handy viewing and reference. Going forward, my goal is to offer a weekly eco-bite that will be posted seperately so it's available on the "Eco-Bites" archive page. Please offer your own or send me green nibbles via e-mail at kim.odonnel@washingtonpost.com Greenery at Pura Vida Spa in Costa Rica. (Kim O'Donnel) * Wanna know what's fresh and in season in your neck of the...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Kim ODonnel 2008-05-05T15:12:12Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-05:/mighty-appetite2008/05/the_whole_enchilada.html

Maybe you're looking for a last-minute Cinco de Mayo supper idea, or maybe, like me, you've always been curious about making your own enchiladas but were afraid to ask. I had longed steered clear of the enchilada (the past participle of the Spanish word enchilar, which means to season with chiles) because I had it in my head they'd be cumbersome to prepare and disappointing compared to anything I'd encounter in a Mexican restaurant. It...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Kim ODonnel 2008-05-02T16:37:53Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-02:/mighty-appetite2008/05/feteing_mom_your_stories_wante.html

Mother's Day is next Sunday, May 11. As part of the celebration next week, I'm working on a piece about the force that is Mom. Have you got a kitchen or food-related story to share about your mother, grandmother or maternal figures in your life? Send'em my way at kim.odonnel@washingtonpost.com no later than Wednesday, May 7. In the subject line of your e-mail, type "MOM" and in your note, please include your age, city and...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Kim ODonnel 2008-05-02T12:33:09Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-02:/mighty-appetite2008/05/derby_day_beer_cheese.html

Louisville, Ky. is the place to be this weekend, when the 134th Kentucky Derby gets underway Saturday night. Having never watched the Derby nor ever stepped foot in "Loooolville," I asked Mister MA, a Kentucky boy, for advice on Derby party vittles. Beer cheese and crackers. (Kim O'Donnel) Anything with bourbon was the short answer, and he coughed up Derby classics such as Benedictine, the cucumber-cream cheese spread, chocolate pecan pie and a Hot Brown,...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Kim ODonnel 2008-05-01T15:25:14Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-01:/mighty-appetite2008/05/mixing_drinks_and_cooking_from.html

How would you like your digital, downloadable margarita -- straight up or on the rocks? That's the gist of a cocktail recipe book now accessible on your iPod. Originally published as a 128-page hard-cover book in 2006, "101 Margaritas," by drink minx Kim Haasarud, is the latest addition to Raybooks, a line of digital, iPod-able books offered by Durham, N.C.-based Modality, Inc. A photo from the iPod version of "101 Margaritas." (Kim O'Donnel) It brings...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Kim ODonnel 2008-04-30T14:31:55Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-04-30:/mighty-appetite2008/04/kims_six_goto_kitchen_favorite.html

Alexandria, Va.: Over baked ziti last night my husband commented that he is impressed with the wide variety of dishes that I cook for us (we're newlyweds). He said his mom only had about seven recipes that she made over and over again. I told him I agreed -- my mom had about 10 recipes that were recycled, but those 10 recipes were the most delicious food I will ever taste. (Nothing's better than a...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Kim ODonnel 2008-04-29T15:42:37Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-04-29:/mighty-appetite2008/04/mixed_diet_relationships_can_t.html

Love has no rhyme or reason or even a calendar, but there's something magical about falling in love during spring. In his 1928 composition "Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love," Cole Porter argues that falling in love is all part of Mother Nature's plan. When the little bluebird Who has never said a word Starts to sing Spring When the little bluebell At the bottom of the dell Starts to ring Ding dong Ding...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Kim ODonnel 2008-05-14T00:25:48Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-04-28:/mighty-appetite2008/04/eating_la.html

The first order of business is a big platter of thanks to those of you who shared your favorite things about Los Angeles. It was gratifying to read all of your suggestions while I was out there, and as a gesture of gratitude, I've scribbled the following report. Local dried fruit and nuts at the Santa Monica Farmers Market. (Kim O'Donnel) As I mentioned last week, it had been at least eight years since my...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Kim ODonnel 2008-05-14T00:25:48Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-04-24:/mighty-appetite2008/04/a_call_for_la_faves.html

Good morning from Los Angeles! The sun is just peeking over the hills as I type, my first cup of coffee in hand. I arrived here late yesterday afternoon, tagging along with Mister MA, who's attending a seminar thing. It's been eight, maybe nine years since my last trip here, so in some ways I feel like I'm starting all over with where to go and what to eat. Anticipating that Mister MA would be...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Kim ODonnel