How to Cut Salad Greens From Your Own Garden

How to Cut Salad Greens From Your Own Garden

Shari Sweeney
Food & Beverage, How Tos, Mindful Living

My favorite hobby to do every year is to set up my annual herb and vegetable garden! During this interesting time we are living in, many people have started growing their own gardens. From what I hear, it’s been a wonderful experience in more ways than they could have ever imagined! However, for garden newbies, there’s a common issue that arises. You’ve grown all of this delicious fresh food and then you realize that you don't know how to harvest it. This is especially true for harvesting salad and I’m here to help because today I’m going to guide you on how to cut fresh salad greens from your own garden!


Sesame Honey Miso Dip

Sesame Honey Miso Dip

Shari Sweeney
Food & Beverage, Recipes, #ACAInJapan

We’re back at it with another recipe in the #ACAinJapan series! Recently, I shared a blog post about the Japanese mortar and pestle called suribachi and surikogi. It’s such a beautiful and well-designed kitchen tool. I’ll be honest when I say that it would be a good idea to have one of these in your kitchen arsenal. The suribachi and surikogi serve as a vital tool in making today’s recipe, which is a Sesame Honey Miso Dip!

Suribachi & Surikogi (Japanese Mortar & Pestle)

Suribachi & Surikogi (Japanese Mortar & Pestle)

Shari Sweeney
Food & Beverage, Cooking Tools, #ACAInJapan

Before moving to Japan I enjoyed perusing global Asian markets with my best friend Jessi, especially the largest one in Raleigh, North Carolina called Grand Asia Market. This market provided an in-depth spotlight of food, cooking supplies, and more from various Asian countries such as China, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, and more. In my earlier visits, I remember seeing a unique bowl with ridges on the inside and it was paired with a wooden stick. I was so intrigued that I decided to go ahead and buy it. I must say it was one of the best purchases I ever made from that market as well as in general when it came to my arsenal of cooking tools. After doing some research I found out that it was a Japanese mortar and pestle called suribachi and surikogi, respectively!

Spiced Citrus Sun Tea with Mint (A Homage to Juneteenth)

Spiced Citrus Sun Tea with Mint (A Homage to Juneteenth)

Shari Sweeney
Food & Beverage, Recipes

Happy Juneteenth!!! It’s been a wild ride this month filled with incredible protests, activism, personal sacrifices, thorough discussions, courage, strength, and so much more to shed light on the important fact that black lives matter. This month the act of celebrating Juneteenth is more powerful than ever before and I’m excited to take part in it this year all the way in Japan! I’m a proud black southern woman and I grew up enjoying delicious southern sweet tea on hot summer days. I remember adding lots of ice and even a little bit of water to dilute the sweet tea because at times our folks could be a bit heavy-handed with the sugar. Meaning that it can become pancake syrup in a glass lol! Today’s recipe is a Spiced Citrus Sun Tea with Mint and it is my loving homage to Juneteenth and the south!

Robust Black Tea

Robust Black Tea

Shari Sweeney
Food & Beverage, Culinary Education, Ingredients

Let’s discuss an ingredient that when brewed becomes one of the most consumed beverages in the world, and that ingredient is black tea! This is quintessential to breakfast because it’s served alongside another popular beverage which is coffee. Black tea is served in many ways and used in daily rituals worldwide. It can be served as a simple cup with cream, sugar, and snacks for afternoon tea, steeped with spices to make a chai tea as well as brewed on the stovetop and served in a large pitcher with lots of sugar, ice and a slice of lemon on the side to make southern sweet tea.

Summer Herb Compound Butter with Garlic & Lemon Zest

Summer Herb Compound Butter with Garlic & Lemon Zest

Shari Sweeney
Food & Beverage, Recipes

There’s something so special about butter. It’s perfect on toast, adds a richness to sauces, browns baked chicken beautifully and so much more! Butter already seems perfect as is, however when you add herbs, spices, and other types of flavorful ingredients, it transforms into something amazing called a compound butter. Since we recently learned about delicious summer herbs, today’s recipe is a Summer Herb Compound Butter with Garlic and Lemon Zest!

My Favorite Summer Herbs

My Favorite Summer Herbs

Shari Sweeney
Food & Beverage, Culinary Education, Herbs

Based on previous posts or if you already know me pretty well then you know that I have a deep love for herbs! They are my favorite plants to grow from seed when I prepare my annual patio garden. Herbs are a staple in my everyday cooking due to their aromatic and deeply flavorful accents. There’s nothing like going outside in your own garden to snip some fresh rosemary or parsley to enhance your dinner!

Today I want to share with you five herbs that I love to grow and use in the summertime which are Rosemary, Parsley, Thyme, Bay Laurel, and Sage. These herbs are versatile and can be used in a wide array of culinary dishes and medicinal remedies.

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