Bon Appetit – Just Plain Good Food
Munching through the Woods
Published June 18th, 2015
by Tammera J. Karr, PhD
Like many we spend our spring and summer weekends stomping around in the woods of Southern Oregon. This spring I was introduced to the flavorful wild green locally known as Miner Lettuce. As my husband came up to me hunched over a clump of green vegetation, he saw me pluck [...]
The Dreaded Dandelion
Published June 1st, 2015
by Tammera J. Karr, PhD
It is spring, and along with all the gardening and grass mowing, comes weeding. Americans spend millions on weed killers to eradicate dandelions from yards and ball fields every year. The health challenges of all the chemicals being placed on soils, and eventually into water systems is [...]
Buckwheat – a pioneer food
Published May 31st, 2015
by Tammera J. Karr, PhD
Buckwheat is not related to wheat, nor grass even a type of grain. Instead, buckwheat is related to sorrel, knotweed, and rhubarb. Because its seeds are eaten, it is referred to as a pseudo-cereal.
Common buckwheat was domesticated and first cultivated in inland Southeast Asia, possibly around 6000 BC, and [...]
Show a Little Leg
Published May 12th, 2015
by Tammera J. Karr, PhD
Lamb is a staple food throughout the world including Turkey, Greece, New Zealand, Australia, Africa, and countries of the Middle East. In the U.S., per capita consumption of lamb is much lower than in the rest of the world. Half of all lamb consumed in the U.S. is imported, and [...]
Tasty Fermented Foods
Published December 29th, 2014
by Tammera J. Karr, PhD
On weekends when my dad was home, he always made breakfast, and most of the time it was the same thing; Pancakes made with beer instead of buttermilk or water. Now this has nothing to do with my dislike of most breakfast foods – but when you’re a kid it [...]
Christmas Eve and Traditional Meals
Published December 23rd, 2014
by Tammera J. Karr, PhD
Tis the season to be jolly, and eat and eat and drink ourselves Merry. Many of us consider mountains of cheese, crackers, summer sausage, cookies, pies, bread and candy – holiday foods, along with ham, turkey, roast beef, potatoes….. but is it really traditional?
The idea of what do others [...]
The Amazing Cranberry – an all American food
Published December 20th, 2014
by Tammera J. Karr, PhD
With thanksgiving behind us it is far from the end of the preparation and enjoyment of cranberries. The bright red color and vitamin C rich tang has added a pizazz to poultry, pork and fish throughout American history.
The cranberry, along with the blueberry and Concord grape, is one of [...]
Barbecue –lip smacking good
Published September 8th, 2014
by Tammera J. Karr, PhD
When I think of barbeque, it generally involves a sticky sweet, sometimes spicy sauce smeared on ribs or hamburgers. As I do not have a sweet tooth or care for sweet sauces, and the cuts of meat it is most commonly used on, I haven’t spent much time exploring the [...]
Unexpected Surprises & Salt
Published August 11th, 2014
By Tammera Karr, PhD
My life does not transport me into the Metropolitan world much, however every once in a while I journey to the hustle and bustle of a city. I was recently in Portland Oregon, my states largest metropolitan area, and for a change I had time to explore; a large gap in [...]
The Food of a Nation – may not be what you think..
Published April 4th, 2014
Many of us owe much to those brave souls who traveled to America – the promise of a new land with nothing more than the cloths on their backs, what they could carry in a wooden chest, trunk, or satchel.
Not only did these individuals travel to the unknown, they also carried with them the [...]