Especially If you strictly adhere to a Vegan diet. Many years ago I followed a Vegan diet. I recall learning that figs are not suitable for vegans, but my recollection was fuzzy regarding WHY. I thought it was because the wasps that pollinate the trees were laying their eggs in the figs. So, when eating the fig you were eating wasp eggs. This topic came up when I was reading a blog post for WHCP titled Garden Bounty. I offered up a New York Times recipe of roasted chicken a

In this particular situation most of you will cringe in disbelief that the process was, indeed trusted. In fact those of you that have children will understand we clearly went against sane and solid parental advice. We are adults so we can make our own irrational decisions! I have to give us some credit, we did follow the “safety in numbers” rule. Three of us embarked on this unique adventure together. The adventure was the 15-Ton Sound Bath that made its way to DC from

Recently Colleen commented about how concerned she was that we weren’t seeing a lot of pollinators in the garden at Out of the Fire. She is a keen observer of nature since she spends a lot of time in observation with her husband, Jim Brighton who founded the Maryland Biodiversity Project along with Bill Hubick. I became concerned as well until the bumble bees were spotted buzzing around in the purple flowers of the cardoons. It is as if she conjured them up to pay us a visit.

If you have visited the restaurant recently it is hard not to notice the other worldly and prehistoric presence of the cardoons in the garden. They stood a foot tall when they were planted last year. They survived the icy and cold winter and emerged this spring with intensity. They beckon you to look at them as you approach the entrance of the restaurant showing off the glory of their grandeur. I have had many conversations about these cardoons. Some people think they are

I have taken to distracting myself, not with news, but with the beauty and bounty of nature. Luckily I don’t have far to go since the garden at the restaurant is brimming with spring life. One of my favorite garden surprises, (thanks to one of my plant fairies, Kaitlyn) is the Foxglove that was placed in the planters that flank the stairs that lead to the side entrance. They emerged from the soil with such provenance that it was difficult not to take note of their presence

Ramp season is upon us. For those of you who are unfamiliar with ramps please allow me to introduce you to these wonders. A ramp is also referred to as a wild leek. They taste like a cross between a pungent garlic, scallions and sweet onion. They are peppery, earthy and delicious. Not only are they a delicacy they are highly nutritious. They contain high concentrations of vitamin A, C and K. They also contain high amounts of the minerals selenium and chromium. They no

It wasn’t until a few years ago, when on a hut to hut cross country ski trip in Maine that I learned the make up of lichen and its complexity. I was with my friends Mary Beth Durkin, Meg Moran and Tom Durkin. Tom is a self taught naturalist and keen observer of the world around him. He was our personal guide and wrangler. Tom would point out wildlife footprints, tell us about the importance of the subnivian layer and take us on an owl prowl. This trip was magical for me! I l

The unusual and cruel weather that descended upon us in January/February took its toll. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE cold weather. I would literally rather be in Western Mongolia than on the Eastern Shore of Maryland during the hot and humid summers that we endure. This winter brought the gift of a beautiful snow, but the beauty was crusted with a thick coating of ice. It would have been tolerable, but polar vortexes prevented it from melting. It was two weeks of reclusion. Pe

I grew up playing both team and individual sports. How we behaved, whether we won or lost, was part of our umvelt. Character and conduct mattered. I was taught, by both my parents and coaches, to accept a loss as graciously as a win. I was consistently told to shake my opponents hand with a firm grip, look them in the eye and declare “GOOD GAME!” I was taught not to clap at someone else’s mistake. That was labeled unsportsmanlike conduct. I had a doubles partner when I wa

I often will remark that I am a jack of all trades and a master at nothing but, procrastination. I can’t figure out a hack around tricking myself into not procrastinating. Perhaps it is a genetic trait that has been passed on to me like an unwanted regift. I honestly don’t know why I do it because it feels so good to check things off my list. I feel like a hero when I complete a task that I have placed on the back burner. It doesn’t deliberately go on the back burner, it fa

I actively seek out pockets of my day where I can find the comfort of complete isolation. I crave being by myself, drink in the silence, quiet my mind. It is deeply gratifying when I have the opportunity to find a sparse and unpopulated open space. Those pure moments of isolation only happen when I travel away from the Eastern Shore to places like Utah, Arizona, New Mexico or Western Mongolia! Since I don’t have access to those spaces on a frequent basis I create moment

My book club has a holiday book exchange every year. It is a fun evening that we all look forward to every year. We have a nice meal, good laughs and great conversation. The topic of dog training came up. A few of us have new, young, energetic dogs. The prevailing attitude was that a dog doesn’t respect you if it doesn’t listen to you. I piped up with an aggressive disagreement on this topic. One of my friends said, “This really triggered you!” My response was, “I don’t like

The true definition of philanthropy is to give without expecting something in return. However, if we do subscribe purely to that definition we do get something in return. We receive a dopamine hit for doing a good deed. Doing something kind and generous for another literally improves brain health. Neuroscientists have coined the term “helpers high” to describe the reaction in our brain when we engage in selfless acts of kindness. A kind act literally creates a cocktail of d

One of the dominant forces behind writing this blog was to create a deeper understanding and forge a more meaningful relationship with those of you who choose to grace us with your presence. After all, we do enter into a relationship with you the minute you step across the threshold of our door. Yes, I did use the word relationship. We are in the presence of each other, we are communicating and we are taking care of you, and in turn you are taking care of us by treating us w

Since I never had the courage to have children I don’t know if Show and Tell still exists in Elementary School. If it does I feel pretty confident that some semblance of oversight is in place unlike the good old days! It was during one of our family trips that I found, on the plane, hiding behind the airline evacuation emergency instructions, a comic book! It was a Japanese comic book! I showed my parents the treasure I had found. My father explained to me that in Japanese,

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