I'm P.C., and I have studied food and cooking around the world, mostly by eating, but also through serious study. Coursework at Le Cordon Bleu London and intensive courses in Morocco, Thailand and France have broadened my culinary skill and palate. But my kitchen of choice is at home, cooking like most people, experimenting with unique but practical ideas.

I live, mostly in my kitchen, in my hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.

Strawberry Mint Vinaigrette

Strawberry Mint VInaigrette

It’s always nice to whip up a simple, homemade dressing for a salad, and this one is really special.  A little sweet from the berries with the nice summery hit of mint.  And it’s a great way to use up some berries lingering in the fridge.  I love it on a salad of fresh [...]

Hot Milk Cake and Strawberry Caramel Sauce

Hot Milk Cake and Strawberry Caramel Sauce

Leaf through the pages of any old Southern community cookbook, and you are likely to come across a version of this cake.  And it might not draw your eye, being so plain and simple.  I am sure I flipped past many times before I actually stopped to read one.  But once I get intrigued, [...]

Creamy Fennel Gratin

Creamy Fennel Gratin

Fennel is a new addition to my local farmers market.  That’s the great thing about the rise of these local markets.  Customers ask, farmers grow.  Last year, it was a few experimental bulbs, this year it’s big bins of them.  When I saw them last year, I was quick to pick up as many [...]

Flamiche (Belgian Leek, Goat Cheese and Bacon Tart)

Flamiche (Belgian Leek, Goat Cheese and Bacon Tart)

The first spring weekend of farmers market season is exciting.  I am ready for all that fresh produce with a new treat arriving each week and little surprises on every visit.  I know that I am closer to juicy strawberries, my first tomato in months, bright, sweet corn and so many things.  I know [...]

Rosemary Pear Butter

As autumn approaches, I start to feel a little panicky about the end of farmers market season.  I spend a huge amount of time in the summer preserving the bounty, through canning and freezing my favorite produce.  But when I start to realize that my source for all that fresh, local goodness is going [...]

Mustard Bacon Potato Salad

There is perhaps no better accompaniment to a summer barbecue or picnic than a good potato salad.  But there are a lot of bad potato salads out there.  And I have never been a huge fan of mayonnaise-only potato salads.  To me, they tend to be heavy and gloopy and no one wants to eat one [...]

Fresh Fig Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

A friend recently posted on Facebook that she had some figs lying around and was looking for suggestions on how to use them.  Almost all the comments involved wrapping them with bacon, drizzling them with honey, or slicing them on a pizza.  All of which are delicious suggestions, but a little one-note.  But it [...]

Zucchini Lemon Muffin Gems

Classic zucchini bread is a summer staple for anyone who has a garden or frequents the farmers market.  I always seem to have one extra zucchini lying around.  But I find the typical spiced zucchini bread recipe, though delicious, a little heavy in summer, so I adapted a classic English lemon drizzle bread recipe [...]

Fresh Corn Grits

I was standing in my kitchen, on a Saturday after my farmers market run, putting everything in its proper place while I made my plan of attack for the day.  Stacked up on the counter were a dozen ears of corn, destined to be blanched, stripped and frozen in little baggies.  Next to that [...]

Baked Zucchini and Tomatoes

It’s no secret that I love the farmers market.  My Saturday morning trips followed by a day of canning or putting things by, are the highlight of my week.  I am so inspired by all the produce and the people who love food.  And I have found it is an amazing source of advice [...]