The Spring Linen Refresh
The linen refresh is not a shopping trip. It's a rotation — winter linens stored properly, spring and summer linens retrieved, everything washed and aired before it goes back on the bed.
What to Plant in March — A Northern California Grower's Guide
March is the month for planting things that can handle a light frost, while keeping warm-season crops indoors for a few more weeks.
Nettle Tea and Why You Should Be Drinking It
Fresh spring nettle contains significant amounts of iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and K.
Spring Pea Pasta with Mint and Lemon
Fresh peas are the dream here, shelled right before cooking, sweet and barely needing heat.
Starting Seeds Indoors — What, When, and How
The core principle: count backwards from your last frost date. If you don't know your last frost date, look it up — it's the single most important piece of information a gardener can have.
A Proper Hot Toddy for Cold Weeks
The hot toddy is one of those drinks that has been overly rusticated when in fact it is one of the most warming drinks on a cold February night.
Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake
Olive oil cakes have the texture that butter cakes can only aspire to: dense without being heavy, moist without being wet, with a crumb that is simultaneously tender and substantial.
White Bean and Leek Soup with Crusty Bread
White beans and leeks are one of the great, underappreciated pairings in the kitchen. Leeks have a sweetness that onions don't — softer, more aristocratic, less aggressive.
What to Do in the Garden in January — Almost Nothing, and Thats the Point
Prune roses, if you haven't yet. For most climates, late January is appropriate timing — after the hardest frosts have likely passed but before the plant pushes new growth. Cut to just above an outward-facing bud, at a slight angle, and remove any dead or crossing canes entirely. It feels brutal. The roses will thank you in June.