Linda Ly's Blog, page 28

Mallow: The Everywhere Edible Weed

Every spring, the first signs of life in my mulch (and everywhere else in my garden and neighborhood) are these ubiquitous weeds. You probably have them too. They invade lawns, landscapes, parkways, parking lots, drainage ditches, and all nooks and crannies when the weather is cool and damp.

Here in Los Angeles where our winters are mild, they start popping up in November or December if we’ve had some early rains. They usually appear in neglected areas and it doesn’t take long for a few plan...

A Grand Giveaway with OXO to Celebrate the Release of The CSA Cookbook!

I’ve been using OXO products ever since I started cooking… actually, before I started cooking. I still remember my first serious stroll through the kitchen section at Macy’s when I was 20 and living away from home. What did I find there that I thought I absolutely needed for my first kitchen in my first apartment? Not a pan, not a knife, not even a spatula… but an apple corer. I couldn’t believe that such a contraption existed! Imagine the countless apples I’d be able to core and slice in on...

Five Things Friday

The five little things that made my week…

1. After four years of waiting and watching them grow verdant in spring only to go dormant in winter, fruitless, our grapevines finally have… itty bitty little grapes!

2. Nasturtiums are one of my favorite flowers, and I love how they grow wild all over our property, like here in a neglected side yard. I started with a single packet of nasturtium seeds five years ago, and somehow the plants have hopped over the house and traveled around the yard, m...

Let’s Talk About Native Bees and Why We Need Them

When we talk about saving the bees, we often think of honeybees, hives, and how we can attract these pollinators to our gardens. We read about neonicotinoids and their devastating effects on honeybees, we petition garden centers to stop selling insecticide-laced “bee-friendly” plants, we see Facebook memes with pictures of half-empty store shelves and captions that warn, “This is what your supermarket will look like in a world without bees.”

And while all of that should definitely influence...

Recap: The CSA Cookbook Release Party

Wow. Just… wow. I was truly on a high this past Saturday, and I can’t even begin to express how thrilled, humbled, and grateful I am for all the people who came out to celebrate the release of The CSA Cookbook, as well as all the people who were there in spirit with us!

As soon as the last hors d’oeuvres were arranged and the first guest arrived (hi Tiana!), this was pretty much how I felt — all day long.

The event happened at the historic Williams’ Bookstore in the downtown art district o...

You’re Invited to The CSA Cookbook Release Party!

Friends, mark your calendars, we are CELEBRATIN’!

I’m geeking out on brand-new Sharpies like it’s my first day of school, and I’m amped to be signing your book at The CSA Cookbook release party!

If you live in Greater Los Angeles or you’re planning to be in the area that Saturday, consider this your invitation to come out and chat me up on all things cooking or gardening (or chicken-keeping or adventuring or whatever else we fancy).

You can bring a book to have signed or you can buy a copy f...

Watch It: The CSA Cookbook Trailer

Yes, it’s a thing… commercials for cookbooks, and I’m so happy to share the official trailer for The CSA Cookbook with you!

This last year has been one of the most exciting, challenging, and rewarding experiences of my life, and it’s so fun to look back on the process. All those hours spent in the kitchen, on the computer, in the dirt, harvesting, cooking, and testing hundreds of pounds of food. (Not to mention eating… I don’t even want to think how many meals made it into my belly in the...

Five Things Friday

The five little things that made my week…

1. It’s here. It’s finally here. After many a delay from port disputes, The CSA Cookbook officially makes its debut on the marketplace today! If you’ve received your copy or made a recipe, please share your creation by tagging #thecsacookbook on Twitter or Instagram!

2. If you’ve been waiting for the e-book version to arrive, The CSA Cookbook is now available as a Kindle, iBooks, Google Play Books, ePUB, and PDF download from your favorite online s...

How Long Do Seeds Really Last? (Plus, a Cheat Sheet on Seed Storage Life)

The beginning of spring usually sees me sprawled in the middle of the living room floor, with all my ammo boxes, laying out rows and rows of seed packets sorted by vegetable, and then by variety. Some are even color-coded… and I suddenly realize I have a rather strange obsession with collecting 12 different types of purple tomatoes (and counting).

Inevitably, a handful of seed packets get tossed in the compost pile as I double-check the dates… peppers from 2012, onions from four years ago. Y...

Chicken-Keeping Tips and Tricks: Collard Wraps

This might fall into the obvious Duhhh, you don’t say camp, but sometimes the simplest things are the smartest. And we all like pictures of cute little chickens, so hear me out for a second.

Oftentimes when I feed my flock their fermented grains, I scoop them into a separate dish before I serve them. I do this because the dish is already in the kitchen and I just want to make a single trip to the coop to release and feed the girls.

But lately, with my garden exploding in greens, I’ve been ta...