Perfectly Mashed Potatoes

How much thought does anyone really put into this dinnertime basic? It may be simple but made with a little more thought they can be perfect. This technique eliminates the chance of ending up with pasty, glue-like mashed potatoes and rewards the extra effort with light and fluffy results.

Pickled Beets with Caraway

Fresh beets, earthy and sweet, are best roasted or steamed and, when there’s an abundance, pickled! Serve as a side dish, a relish or as an accompaniment to a cheese board with a creamy cheese, like goat cheese or brie, and chunks of pumpernickel bread.

Roasted Sweet Potato Mash with Cider and Ginger

This cider-spiked, velvety mash shouldn’t be reserved for the holidays although you should save or store some of these tasty tubers for the occasion.

Berry Shrub

“Shrubs” have been around since colonial times but attention to local and seasonal fruits has revived their popularity. They begin with a gently cooked syrup of seasonal fruit, sugar and vinegar that’s mixed with club soda or used in a cocktail. Properly blended, it has a flavor that is both tart and sweet to quench a summer thirst and stimulate the appetite.

Grilled Corn Custard

While you can make this recipe with steamed corn, grilling the ears adds a rich, smoky flavor. Here’s a method for grilling corn.

Stone Fruit & Berry Compote

Chefs who use fresh, local, seasonal ingredients on their menu will admit that they are not hard to work with because the flavor is at its best when it arrives in their kitchens. Dress them up with this lemon ginger simple syrup for a special touch.

Heirloom Apple Salad with Prosciutto & Poppy Seed

Apples from Rittman Orchards and all across Ohio begin coming on from mid-summer through late fall presenting many opportunities to make this salad. Be sure to mix the flavors, textures and colors of the apples to balance the look and taste.

Grilled Corn

There’s more than one way to cook fresh, Ohio sweet corn but the first rule is cook it the day it’s picked when it is at its best in terms of flavor and texture. Steaming, boiling or microwaving are easy ways to finish tender ears to perfection, but if the grill is heated up, consider tossing the ears on the fire and enjoying the smoky flavor that this method delivers. Make a few ears or a bunch for a crowd.