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Dried peas from the garden become seeds for the next season's plantings. Photo by Amy Robb. The pinkeye purple hull peas in my garden were in their last stages of production, and only a couple of pods remained on each plant. While it was hard to resist picking the delicious peas, it was with an eye to next year’s garden that those pods were left to dry on the plants. It was time to save the seeds. As we become more attuned to the importance of our local food system, we need t

Learn the keys to success and abundant fruit will follow. Illustration by Kiara Sanchez. There are as many tips to grow tomatoes as there are varieties to choose from. Perhaps it's because this delectable fruit can be temperamental, confounding and downright frustrating if not grown with care. When done right, though, they're absolute bliss. I've been growing them for about twenty years, and when I stick to these simple steps, I get plenty to eat and share during our short bu

Year-round gardening is possible in Northeast Florida, even during the chilly days of winter and early spring. Illustration by Sara Lear Walker. Winter’s a fantastic time to grow food in Northeast Florida. What can you add to your garden this season? Root vegetables like beets, carrots, potatoes and turnips; the luscious leaves of kale, lettuce and mustards; and brassicas such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Sugar snap peas thrive in the cooler air as do herbs

Many recipes for jam recommend adding pectin to some of the sugar prior to adding to the fruit. This whole fruit jam uses less sugar than conventional jelly, so you can add pectin directly into the cooked fruit. Photo by Stefanie Keeler. Makes 3 half-pints Ingredients 1-½ pounds strawberries, washed and trimmed 1 cup basil (20 grams) Remove leaves from stems and chop. Reserve stems. 1-½ pounds (680 grams) organic sugar 1 tablespoon plus 1¾ teaspoons (17 grams) rapid set citru

By using Florida-Friendly Landscaping principles, you will have a better rate of gardening success. Strawberries are perennial plants, which means you could enjoy fresh picked berries for many years. Illustration by Em Spitler. Did you know that Florida is recognized worldwide for its major role in strawberry production? In fact, Florida is the second largest producer of strawberries in the U.S., with approximately 8,000 acres of strawberries grown in the state. Centered in t

A recent Supper Club evening in St. Augustine. Photo by Melissa Marcarelli. The Supper Club Series is a new dining experience that takes  Edible Northeast Florida  off the pages and into real life. Each Supper Club gathering is inspired by the stories, people and places featured in the magazine: the local farmers, chefs, artisans and seasonal ingredients that define our region. The result is an intimate, thoughtfully curated evening where food becomes a form of storytelling.

As part of the dragon dance performed for Lunar New Year, Chef Dennis Chan offers a return of blessings for the dancer for doing the performance. The red envelope has money inside, which is a traditional gift elders give the young, or anyone in an elderly position gives someone to wish them financial luck and success in the coming year. Photo by Brandi Hill. Americans tend to think of the holiday season as the months of November and December, but cultures around the world hav

Coconut milk balances the bite of Thai chili peppers in this dinner entrée. Photo by Stefanie Keeler. Serves 4-6 Ingredients 1 large onion Oil for stir frying 3 tablespoons red curry paste 2 (13.5-ounce) cans coconut milk 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch strips 10 sprigs Thai basil 4 Thai chilies, halved 1/4 cup fish sauce 10 kaffir lime leaves 3 cups mixed vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, zucchini or bell pepper, cut into small pieces Co

Originally from the Poon Yu village in Guangdong, China, my grandmother, Ngan Hoi Lee, and the Chinese side of my family later moved to Hong Kong. When I was a child, my grandma used to make these potstickers for our family, and when she lived with us, we would sit around the table and fill potstickers, freezing large batches to cook up later. (Our family would tease each other about who made the prettiest potstickers.) At every visit to my grandmother's home after I was grow

We like to eat shrimp during Lunar New Year because of its symbolic meaning of happiness, laughter and good fortune. The word shrimp in Chinese is “xia,” which sounds similar to the word for laughter, “xiao.” Eating seafood is an important part of Lunar New Year celebrations because seafood symbolizes abundance, prosperity and renewal. Photo by Melissa Marcarelli. Makes 15 Ingredients 1 packet spring roll wrappers ½ pound shrimp, deveined, cleaned ⅛ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon s

Find more recipes using seasonal ingredients at Fresh from Florida . Ingredients Graham Cracker Crust 3 tablespoons Florida sugar 2 cups graham crackers, crushed to fine crumb ½ cup unsalted butter, melted Key Lime Tart Filling ½ cup fresh squeezed or bottled Florida Key lime juice 3 teaspoons fresh citrus zest (lime, orange, grapefruit, tangerine) 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 4 large Florida egg yolks Florida Strawberry Topping 2 cups Florida strawberries, toppe

STAY IN THE KNOW Learn about local events in Edible Northeast Florida's weekly newsletter. Photo by Paige Allsup, St. Augustine Lifestyle and Pips Ink Media. Local food news, seasonal recipes and events, delivered fresh to your inbox Join the Edible Northeast Florida community! Subscribe to our e-newsletter for regular updates on local food issues, original recipes, online-exclusive stories, special issue sneak peeks, events, festivals and other things to do.

Jacksonville has lots of options when it comes to enjoying a meal that feeds your soul. Millers Soul Food Kitchen in Jacksonville features traditional favorites, including turkey necks, black-eyed peas and cornbread. Photos by Cole LoCurto. A typical meal at soul food restaurants includes an entrée (with or without rice), two sides and cornbread. Most restaurants serve the staples: fried chicken, smothered pork chops, oxtails, meatloaf, fried shrimp, collard greens, field pea

On the Farm with Stephen Singleton Stephen Singleton at the potato farm his grandfather started over 60 years ago in East Palatka. Photos by Melissa Marcarelli. According to recent Census of Agriculture data, the average age of farmers in the U.S. is nearly 60 years old. With about one-third of those farmers over the retirement age of 65, it is not always guaranteed that the next generation will take over the family operation. Not so in the case of Singleton & Sons Farms in E

This hearty vegan soup can also be made as a pescatarian dish with the addition of shrimp. Photo by Amanda Rosenblatt. Serves 8-10 Ingredients For spice blend 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon dried crushed thyme leaves 4 bay leaves 5 sprigs fresh thyme 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 2 teaspoons sweet paprika 1 tablespoon dried oregano 2 teaspoons sea salt or to taste ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder For stew ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 3 tablesp

This twist on a classic dessert starts with a crust made with ginger snap cookies instead of the more traditional graham crackers. Photo by Nick Hogan. Ingredients For homemade whipped topping ½ cup cold water 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin 2-¼ cups heavy whipping cream ¼ cup powdered sugar, sifted 3-¼ teaspoons vanilla extract For pie 1-½ cups crushed ginger snaps ¼ cup butter, melted 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1-½ ta

Top this gluten-free appetizer with pomegranate arils, goat cheese and pecans. Photo by Cole LoCurto. Serves 12 Ingredients 2 large, narrow sweet potatoes, peeled (about 3” in diameter) 2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup finely chopped pecans 4 ounces soft goat cheese ¼ cup pomegranate arils 2 tablespoons raw honey Fresh rosemary leaves and flaky sea salt, for garnish Instructions Preheat oven to 425°. Slice sweet potatoes into ¼

A sprinkling of Chili Cheese Fritos on top gives this dish a spicy crunch. Photo by Sara Schober. Serves 6 Ingredients 1 pound pasta 4 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup flour 1 quart half and half 1 pint milk 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning 2 tablespoons onion powder 2 tablespoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper 1 pound white Cheddar cheese, shredded (set aside 1/2 cup) 1/2 (9.75-ounce) bag Chili Cheese Fritos, crushed 1 cup fine bread crumbs 1/2 cup chopped parsley In

A new product with a connection to an important part of America’s past Victor Harvey, founder of Victor George Spirits, stands at the site of Fort Mose in St. Augustine. This National Historic Landmark is the inspiration for the name of his company's bourbon whiskey. Photos courtesy of Victor George Spirits. Victor Harvey, founder of Victor George Spirits, one of the fastest growing Black-owned distilleries in the United States, likes to think of himself as a kind of storytel

Easy to double for a crowd, this is an incredibly versatile dessert that can change according to seasonal fruit. Use blueberries in the summer or apples with cinnamon in the fall. Photo by Wesley Parsons. Serves 6-8 Ingredients For the dough 2-1/2 cups plus 1-1/2 teaspoons bread flour 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1-1/2 teaspoons instant yeast 1/2 cup whole milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, if you’re not using a vanilla bean for the topping)