Bryn Mooth writes about food at writes4food

Listen to interview.

I just loved chatting with Cincinnatian Bryn Mooth. She’s an avid home cook, gardener, wine lover, cocktail fan and farmer’s market fanatic. She comes from a line of accomplished cooks and she shares these passions on her blog, writes4food.

Focused on the Midwest, writes4food is all about a simple, seasonal, local approach to cooking and eating, knowing where your food comes from, working with real ingredients and preparing them without fuss. It’s about eating fresh, having fun, enjoying your time in the kitchen. And it’s about tasty wines, beers and cocktails that can enhance your enjoyment of food and life.

Bryn shared these tips:

Freeze parmesan rinds to use in soups or sauces at a later date.

Freeze fresh ginger since we usually only use a small amount in each recipe.

How to preserve summer tomatoes (no canning required):
1) blanch whole tomatoes in boiling water to peel, place on a parchment-lined tray, cover loosely with plastic wrap and freeze until firm. Store in a plastic freezer bag and use as you would canned tomatoes.
2) cut ripe tomatoes in half lengthwise; place on a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt + pepper, then leave overnight in the oven on its lowest setting.

Preserving lemons (this has become one of Bryn’s favorite all-purpose ingredients):
Wash a couple of Meyer lemons; quarter them lengthwise without cutting all the way through the bottom (they’ll open like a flower). Rub coarse salt over the cut surfaces, close the lemons up and place in a lidded glass jar (smash them down to fit). Cover with a layer of coarse salt, add a lemon juice to cover if needed; screw the lid on the jar. Stash the jar on the kitchen counter for 3 to 4 weeks, shaking gently every day. Once they’re “pickled,” keep the jar in the fridge.