Maria Zizka
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Maria Zizka is a Berkeley-born food writer and cook. She writes recipes and stories from a little cottage near Santa Monica Beach.
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I jump for joy when shelling beans -- the just-picked pods that hold tender, sweet, fresh beans -- arrive in farmers' markets at the end of summer.
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A delicious way to appreciate eggplant for its taste, not just its beauty.
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This time of year, leave tomatoes relatively unadorned.
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Hass avocados and wild salmon overlap this time of year. Plus, we've got the story on Hass avocados' Pasadena heritage.
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Did you know green beans actually come in a variety of colors?
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I like to pick out a collection of peppers -- some that I know and others that I've never seen before -- then blend them into a spicy harissa sauce, seasoned with toasted cumin and caraway seeds.
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Amaranth seeds are healthy, but the greens are tastier.
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Today, nearly all of the American-grown nectarines come from a fifty-mile-wide belt of land in California that stretches from Fresno to Visalia. And they're especially delicious in this simple dessert.
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To make plum jam, you will need only three ingredients: plums, sugar, and lemon juice.
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When June Gloom sets in, covering Southern California in a blanket of gray sky, my culinary hankerings turn to cured meats, silky eggs, and cheese.
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Nutritionists champion purslane's stems and fleshy leaves, which contain more omega-3 fatty acids than any other green plant.
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Blueberries are native to North America -- we think the saying should be "as American as blueberry crumble."
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Garlic, black olives, and fresh rosemary are all excellent partners that can stand up to lavender's oomph.
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Spring onions differ from green onions in looks, botanical classification, and, perhaps most importantly, in taste.
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These traditional Czech dumplings can be made with a variety of fruit -- though they don't answer the mystery of where apricots come from.
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"Many centuries, mutations, and hybridizations later, Dutch horticulturists developed carrot plants that had enlarged, sweet, orange-colored roots. The modern carrot was born."
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Fresh fava beans are a bit tricky to prepare, but well worth the effort.
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Contrary to what the year-round egg supply at supermarkets might lead us to believe, eggs do have a season.
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The glorious but brief cherry-picking season lasts for little more than one month.
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Depending on the variety of cherimoya, the creamy interior can smell like any combination of banana, pineapple, mango, papaya, peach, and raspberry.
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The ubiquitous dandelion is usually thought to be just a pesky weed, but the plant is edible, highly nutritious, and downright tasty.
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The strawberries we know we created by spontaneous hybridization in France. And here's the best thing to do with said strawberries.
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You can find green garlic at the farmers' markets for a few weeks this time of year. Here's what to do with it.
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Have no fear! Arm yourself with these tips this spring as you embark upon homegrown tomatoes.
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An Armored Thistle with a Tender Heart -- how our recipe writer came to love artichokes, and her favorite recipe for them.
Recent Actions from Maria Zizka
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I jump for joy when shelling beans -- the just-picked pods that hold tender, sweet, fresh beans -- arrive in farmers' markets at the end of summer.
-
A delicious way to appreciate eggplant for its taste, not just its beauty.
-
This time of year, leave tomatoes relatively unadorned.
-
Hass avocados and wild salmon overlap this time of year. Plus, we've got the story on Hass avocados' Pasadena heritage.
-
Did you know green beans actually come in a variety of colors?
-
I like to pick out a collection of peppers -- some that I know and others that I've never seen before -- then blend them into a spicy harissa sauce, seasoned with toasted cumin and caraway seeds.
-
Amaranth seeds are healthy, but the greens are tastier.
-
Today, nearly all of the American-grown nectarines come from a fifty-mile-wide belt of land in California that stretches from Fresno to Visalia. And they're especially delicious in this simple dessert.
-
To make plum jam, you will need only three ingredients: plums, sugar, and lemon juice.
-
When June Gloom sets in, covering Southern California in a blanket of gray sky, my culinary hankerings turn to cured meats, silky eggs, and cheese.
