Blog » The Forest Feast

For a year in college I studied art in Italy’s culinary capital, Bologna. I lived with four Italian girls who made endless variations of pasta and always had homemade chili oil...

There were some brussels sprouts scattered in my CSA box this week and it inspired me to come home and make an oldie but goodie: roasted brussels sprouts with golden raisins and turkey kielbasa. Swap out the kielbasa for tofu sausage or onions if...

It's so cold in the woods these days -- cozy up with a warm cup of Chai-Nog! Just mix one part chai tea (loose leaf or from a tea bag) with one part egg nog, then sprinkle with nutmeg. Spike it...

In 2013, I am so excited to be devoting myself to the creation of my first cookbook, which seemed like a pipe dream last year at this time. I am so grateful to everyone who has inspired and supported me creatively...

Wishing you a happy, healthy and peaceful holiday season. Cheers! Erin

Raw brussels sprouts have never tasted so good! If you want to make a lot of this, the slice blade on the Cuisinart or mandoline works really well too. This can easily be made ahead and you can really toss...

I had some left over persimmon after making this salad for Thanksgiving, so I sliced them into wedges and made these little appetizer sandwiches, which people seemed to really like! You could use any kind of cheese, really… but do make...

Using cauliflower instead of potatoes in a gratin is a little lighter and just as delicious. You can use any cheese you have on hand (gruyere, parmesan, sharp white cheddar, jack, etc). To add some color to the dish, add broccoli...

I met Erin Gleeson during our freshman year of college in Santa Barbara. She would walk around campus with colorful wraps on her head, always a smile on her face. She always glowed with a certain magical charm that we all wanted, but could...

Crostini are great for entertaining, and this caper/shallot mixture can be made ahead of time. Burrata just makes everything better, so the combo of these ingredients is absolutely delish! Burrata is like a super soft fresh mozzarella that comes in water...

If you like kale chips, you’ll LOVE sage chips! These little flavor packed crispy bites will disappear in seconds. AND they only take a few seconds to make! Simply drop the (clean, dry) sage leaves into hot olive oil and fry...

We are more than a little excited to announce our first art show with long-time Umami Mart contributor Erin Gleeson. A year ago, Erin started her photo and illustration blog The Forest Feast, after moving to the California woods from...

I loooove onions that are slow cooked with balsamic vinegar. Red or white onions work. Cook them at a medium/low temperature for a long time, at least 20 minutes, until all the liquid is gone...

Forager, alert! Mushrooms are everywhere right now. I was in Santa Cruz recently and met a forager who showed me all the edible mushrooms he’d found on his walk and gave me tips on how...

I know fall is here when my CSA starts to brim with apples and squash. This savory tart is very comforting as the weather starts to cool. I used a pre-made pie crust, but you...

The Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur was last week, which continues the season of the Jewish New Year. To celebrate this annual cycle, challah is often formed into a round (instead of being braided) and harvest...

Zatar (sometimes za’atar) is a Middle Eastern spice made up (usually) of a blend of salt, sumac (a tart red dried fruit powder), sesame seeds and thyme. I roll out some store bought pizza dough (from Trader Joe’s) and drizzle it...

The Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashana starts today which marks the beginning of the New Year on the Jewish calendar. To sweeten the New Year it is traditional to eat apples and honey and round foods which signify the annual cycle. To kick off the High...

In the spring of 2012 I suddenly felt the urge to not spend a depressing summer in Copenhagen. Previous years had been a mixed pleasure of monsoon rain, heavy floods, grey skies and Antarctica beach temperatures. I seriously needed a shot of California. Coincidentally the...