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This is our third year with Growing Washington.

We've been very happy with them, although there are literally dozens of CSAs in the Seattle area and sometimes, I'm actually sorry that we haven't tried another CSA as there are so many excellent ones. But we've been extremely happy with Growing Washington so why change.

And we still do shop the farmers markets every week for eggs, milk, cream, meat, and fruit.

For those who are worried about using an entire CSA box, we've found that scrambles and stir fry are the best ways to use lots of vegetables quickly and easily. I can get rid of a bunch of kale, half a bunch of beets, and a couple rutebagas in two scrambles for weekend lunches. I just saute with some oil, a few spices, and maybe some hot sauce for extra kick.

Other than Calzones, I was never a fan of savory pies at all. But then my husband made me a salmon pie and now that's my favorite savory pie.

I recently wrote a post on this trying to figure out my essential kitchen equipment. I'd go for the following (for the following reasons).

1. KitchenAid. It makes so many cooking projects so much faster so if you're busy or work long hours, it can help you make cooking a lot faster. Plus, the attachments allow you to do just about anything else you'd want to do. You can get the mixer for the wedding and then ask for attachments for anniversaries, holidays, birthdays, etc.

2. Two good cast iron pans. Get a big one that you can make cornbread in, cook bacon in, and basically do everything with. When you clean it, don't ever use soap. If you get crusty stuff on it, use salt to clean it.

3. Two good knives. All knives are useful, but a paring knife and a chef's knife are really all you need to do just about everything. All knives are different, so go to a knife store that will let you handle them to find the right balance.

4. A good sized soup pot, a small fry pan for eggs, and one other pot for those times when you need to make pasta and pasta sauce at the same time. Sure, other pans might be helpful, but those three will get you through a lot of your first few years together.

5. A Dutch Oven. Essential for braises and can go from stove to oven to table.

Other miscellaneous items depending on your cooking style and budget.

1. Food Saver. If you cook ahead at all, or want to save summer's bounty for winter, a food saver is a great investment. If you ever buy cheese in bulk, it's absolutely a lifesaver.

2. An immersion blender. You can make so many soups with this it's not even funny. Plus, it's small and inexpensive. Don't expect most of them to last more than 2 years though. You can make whipped cream in about 1 minute and it is so much better than what comes in the can.

And for Aunt Mary who has millions in the bank, register for a Vitamix. That blender is so powerful that you can even make soup in it because the blades actually HEAT UP THE SOUP.

Just an FYI... I know this article is old, but with it being refreshed on National Sandwich Day 2009, I should point out that Zagi's has closed and is no more. Seattle mourns their loss.

Yes, actually I do. The recipe isn't even anything all that complicated. In fact, just telling you the name is probably almost enough for you to replicate it. I will never publicize a recipe for my Dad's fried [redacted].

Dad's 100% Italian and he cooks a lot by feel. Luckily I have inherited his knack. So there's no distinct recipe to actually share, but more the technique that is private.

I have a very hard time picking a favorite Farmers Market vendor. We spend our non-work lives cooking local and do 99% of our shopping at the farmers markets. If only we could find olive oil there...

I'd probably have to say my current favorite vendor in Seattle is Sea Breeze Farm. They do pastured pork, chicken, lamb, and beef as well as raw milk, cream, buttermilk, and cheeses. I love them because they are so responsive to customers and do amazing things like pancetta and guanciale and fresh mozzarella.

Our most recent success (which might even be one of the best successes ever) was cedar planking some asparagus with blue cheese and bacon. Such a simple dish, but the presentation was phenomenal (we'll post a Photograzing picture soon) and the flavor was perfect. We cooked the asparagus on our Big Green Egg.

Drying nettles is also a great option. You can make a nettle "tea" that is tasty and good for you. Just dry the nettles (this also kills the sting), dump a bunch into a Sun Tea jar, and fill with hot water. The tea gets more potent the longer you let it sit, so let it steep a good 24 hours. Strain and keep in the fridge for a cool summer drink.

I usually like sweetened teas and I can drink the tea with no sugar added.

They also go great in place of spinach, like in a frittata or quiche.

They do have just a tad bit of texture, but when I made soup with them, I actually found the body they gave to the soup very pleasant. It's hard to describe, gritty without being sandy. It's much like a tapioca type feel, but thinner.

If you cook them, you only have to boil them for about 2-3 minutes to get rid of the sting. Just keep a good set of kitchen gloves or tongs on hand to get them out of the bag.

Hi Leslie,

I really like MBTs for lots of standing/walking. They are expensive, but they are the only shoes I can wear if I'm standing for long periods of time.

Their New Moon cheese is also fantastic. Makes awesome pizza. It's very mozzarella-like with just the right amount of salt. They did a taste-test a few weeks ago of some infused New Moon as well and I can't wait to see what flavors they start selling soon.

My favorite food/travel story is when a large group of us traveled to Italy. We had no clue where to eat, and only had very broken Italian. My husband wandered down an alley in Sorrento and came up with the most fabulous restaurant! We ate there twice during our stay and loved it both times. But it was just this random wandering that led us to a most fantastic place we never would have found in a guidebook.

I am becoming more and more convinced that liking (or not liking) beets is a genetic thing. Much like cilantro. To the people who have the "beet liking" gene, they taste fine. To those of us who don't, they will always taste like dirt.

I eat beets now. I have numerous recipes for beets on my blog. But that doesn't mean I really LIKE them. I eat them because I'm a locavore and some months, they are the majority of what's available and seasoned well enough, I tolerate them (and I know they are good for me). But if the President of the United States doesn't want to eat beets, then he shouldn't eat beets. I think if you get to be President, you've earned the right not to eat something you just don't like. Well, unless it is at some sort of head of state dinner where he'd offend a visiting dignitary by not trying their country's signature dish or something.

Really, I'm just so happy that Michelle Obama is willing to take on the cause of local, healthy, and organic eating that even if all she plants is carrots, I'm still thrilled.