Strawberries are in season so Jackson and I headed to the local berry farm to pick enough for shortcake and a good stash of popsicles. This three-year-old loves strawberries and has already helped plant a large pot of them in the backyard. He’s also been known to sneak warm, sun-ripened berries from his school garden during playtime. (If he’s not actually caught in the act, the juice dripping down his chin is a dead giveaway.)

Armed with small white baskets, we got down on the ground amid rows of fruit-laden plants that seemed to go on forever. I lifted up the leaves and exposed the red treasures that Jackson sought. We talked about the small white flowers and how they become baby berries that grow in to the big juicy ones that he loves. Along the way he explored the insect population and found a pill bug. “Here, you hold him while I eat.” The kid is lucky that I’m not squeamish. With our full baskets plus an extra pre-picked flat, we were ready to head home and tackle our projects.

The strawberries filled the kitchen with an intoxicating fragrance that screamed summer. I prepped the berries and started the macerating process with sugar and water. A few hours later, Jackson joined me for the fun part of making strawberry popsicles—squishing the fruit into tiny pieces. We giggled and had great fun reducing the berries to just the right consistency. Part of the joy of cooking with kids is watching them work. Jackson concentrated intently with his tongue hanging out of his mouth as he carefully filled each popsicle mold. The joy of accomplishment was all over his face—along with quite a bit of sticky red juice—once all the molds were filled.

The next morning Jackson woke up early and headed to the freezer for breakfast. This is the ultimate reward for a job well done. Our day was joyful and Jackson learned a bit about plants, harvesting berries and the satisfaction that comes from making your own food—especially this sweet treat.

A recent trip to the local farmers market left me with a hankering for simple stuffed eggs made with the freshest eggs, homemade mayonnaise and a sprinkling of chopped, just-picked herbs like chives, tarragon and Italian parsley. Their clean eggy flavor and luxuriously creamy texture is unlike traditional “deviled eggs” made with supermarket eggs, bottled mayonnaise and spices that are often overwhelming.

Have you ever eaten a farm-fresh egg? If not, you’re in for a treat as they are very different from their supermarket counterparts. Crack one open and you’ll see that the yolks are much brighter and deeper in color. They range from brilliant yellow to orange and sometimes red—all determined by what the hens eat. The yolks are round, surrounded by cloudy whites that fit tightly in the shell with minimum air—a sign of freshness. And the flavor is extraordinary; clean, rich and perfectly wholesome. In other words, just what you’d expect from happy chickens that feast on bugs, an occasional snail and good things from the earth.

Unlike mass-produced eggs, farm eggs are typically collected daily and sold very quickly. Supermarket eggs are harvested from hens pumped up with antibiotics and crammed in cages at large production facilities. They are often held in cold storage for weeks before shipping out to the markets for sale. (The U.S. Department of Agriculture allows a full 30 days between when grocery eggs are packed and their last date of sale.)  Mass-produced eggs do not have the same taste as farm eggs; their yolks are flatter and the whites are runny and translucent.

Back in the kitchen, it’s time to hard-cook my eggs so that they are creamy and not overdone with evil green halos around their yolks. It’s easy! Just place the eggs in a saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Turn on the heat and bring the water to a boil. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid and let sit for 11–12 minutes. Drain the eggs and plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process. Peel them when cooled.

Stuffing the eggs is quick and easy—and the mayonnaise can be made in under a minute.

Ingredients:
18 medium farm eggs, hard-cooked, peeled and halved
5–6 tablespoons homemade mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
~   chopped fresh herbs such as Italian parsley, tarragon, or chervil (optional)

Instructions:
1. Scoop the yolks from the halved eggs and place the yolks in a food processor or electric mixer.

2. Add 5–6 tablespoons of homemade mayonnaise and the salt and pepper. Process until smooth.

3. Spoon or pipe the filling in to the halved eggs.

4. Sprinkle with herbs, if desired.

5. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.

Print the Simple Stuffed Eggs recipe and an illustrated,
step-by-step How To Hard Cook Eggs for easy reference.

In a world filled with superstars, Mario Batali shines bright. He’s the real deal; top chef, television star, restaurateur and author. Best of all, he’s human; always warm and engaging with his fans. Mario was in town this week promoting his latest cookbook, Italian Grill. I joined 220 self-proclaimed “foodies” and fans at the Book Passage Cooks with Books luncheon at the Il Fornaio restaurant in San Francisco. Many had taken the day off to see their star up close and personal.

Excited guests got their first glimpse of Mario as he signed books in a small private dining area. There is always a bit of nervous anticipation as one approaches a celebrity chef, but Mario set everyone at ease, chatting animatedly and posing for photos. It seemed like everyone brought a camera to record their moment. One lady giggled when she saw that he was dressed in his trademark orange croc shoes, shorts, button-down shirt and zippered vest. “He’s so cool! I just love him.”

With signed books in hand, we headed to our assigned tables and I noticed that the entire wait staff was wearing bright orange crocs with their black and white uniforms—arranged for by Mario and the CWB team. I felt lucky to be a part of the fun as an excited buzz filled the restaurant. This was turning in to a party!

Traditionally the Cooks with Books menu is taken entirely from the author’s cookbook and prepared by the restaurant. Because of Mario’s tight schedule (three signings and three restaurant stops on this day!) the Il Fornaio chefs prepared their own main course of grilled chicken breasts, as well as their own sinfully delicious chocolate mousse dessert.

Mario provided the stuzzichino course with a salumi assortment and charcuterie. The delicacies came compliments of Salumi Artisan Cured Meats, the Seattle-based store owned by his father. Our table dispensed with formalities, sampling the meats with our fingers. I enjoyed their diverse yet balanced flavors so much that I went online and ordered a selection for my family and friends. We also savored a delicious appetizer of grilled portabella mushroom with arugula and Parmesan Reggiano cheese—a recipe from the Italian Grill cookbook.

Mario spoke to the crowd between courses and took numerous questions from the lively group. Fans wanted to know the behind-the-scenes details of his wildly successful Food Network shows, Molto Mario and Iron Chef America. Someone asked if he hung out with any other celebrity chefs, and we learned that Anthony Bourdain is a good friend.

Questions came rapid-fire, with topics bouncing back and forth between juicy tidbits and practical tips. I learned that San Francisco chef Jeremiah Towers of Stars fame is a constant inspiration to Mario when creating and running his many restaurants. One person yelled out “hey, Mario, how do I cook restaurant-style pasta at home?” Mario told him “remove the pasta from its cooking water a minute-and-a half early and finish it in the cooking sauce.” Who knew? We were all having the time of our lives.

It’s not difficult to see why Mario Batali is a success. Not only is he talented, intelligent and hard-working, but he is also passionate about life and his work. Above all, he displays a warmth and generous spirit that inspires both colleagues and fans.

A friend of mine attended his last book signing of the day at the Book Passage flagship store in Marin. After his long, grueling day, she described Mario as “energetic, real, and generous,” with plenty of time and energy to answer her questions about favorite local restaurants. He’d recommended Pico’s, so naturally she and her friend headed there for dinner, only to find Batali dining with friends on the patio. They sent him a glass of wine, thrilled, as I am, to have shared a moment with him. 

Mushrooms were never on our family table when I grew up. My mother didn’t understand them and fretted that we might ingest poison fungi and “drop like a dying elephant.” How, she reasoned, would we know what was safe—and could merchants be trusted to know what they were selling?

It wasn’t until I grew up and moved away that I sampled my first supermarket white button mushrooms. It was instant love and I put them in everything: soups, stews, on meats, and in sandwiches and salads. Friends thought that my cooking was exotic and “gourmet” and came back for second helpings. Portabellas and baby browns soon followed.

And then, decades later, came Charmoon. Life in my kitchen will never be the same. Charmoon Richardson joined our Beyond Wonderful team of culinary experts last fall writing about golden chanterelles and black trumpets. A mushroom master, Charmoon has spent the last 30 years collecting and studying wild mushrooms in northern California and writing about his foraging and cooking adventures. I was instantly inspired and set-out in search of these treasures, becoming an urban forager. I found that many upscale supermarkets and specialty grocery stores sold the golden chanterelles and black trumpets for premium prices, but they often appeared tired and were broken in to glandular looking pieces. A bit of research located the West Fungi store in San Francisco. This small, family-run shop has a knowledgeable staff that always helps me select the freshest mushrooms at prices equal to or lower than supermarkets.

Morel mushrooms star in Charmoon’s column this month. They are a bit of heaven on earth and their amazing depth of flavor must be experienced first-hand. In addition to wonderful stories and information, Charmoon teaches you how to clean and cook morels, and then presents three easy recipes that are packed with flavor.

This week in the kitchen, I prepared his recipes for our photo shoot. I brushed away all of the grit and grime and started cooking. My personal favorite was the Morel Mushrooms Stuffed with Crab and Gruyere. This sounds complicated but it came together quickly. I bought cooked Dungeness crab meat from my fish monger, tossed it in a bowl and mixed in the gruyere cheese, bread crumbs and a sprinkling of salt. My one recommendation here is that you buy medium to large morels, as the small ones will be impossible to fill. Once stuffed the morels are dipped in pungent garlic butter, then grilled over wood smoke until crisp. All of mine burst open exposing their succulent crab filling—but this only heightened their appeal.

Photographer Windsor Andersen styled all of the dishes, then speared one of the crab-stuffed mushrooms with a fork for the last shot. As soon as she finished, the crispy morsel disappeared in to her mouth and she uttered “Sooo good! I’ve never tasted anything like this.” The rest of the team circled like hungry dogs and instantly consumed everything in sight.
 
Having conquered the urban landscape, I’m feeling ready to strap on my hiking boots and join Charmoon for one of his organized foraging trips in to the wilds. Knowledge and experience is power, so I’m confident there won’t be any “dropping elephants” any time soon. Stay tuned for details!   

Get a printable Morel Mushrooms Stuffed with Crab and Gruyere Cheese recipe.

Read more about Charmoon Richardson.

Contact Charmoon Richardson for guided mushroom hunts, classes on mushroom identification, cooking and cultivation. Learn more at his Wild About Mushrooms company website, or call 707-829-2063.