A Collection of Culinary Favorites From A to Z

A is for Artichokes 

A is for Artichokes

Growing up in northern California, we were spoiled by an abundant supply of artichokes. Castroville, in Monterey County, is the undisputed artichoke center of the world and supplies most of the crop for the entire country. Indeed, the popular Castrov...

B is for Beets 

B is for Beets

Grown primarily for livestock food and sugar processing, only a small percentage of beets make it to the dinner table. Nevertheless, beets are enjoying a comeback! Easy to grow, they're completely edible from top to bottom, and packed with nutri...

C is for Cucumbers 

C is for Cucumbers

Cucumbers originated in India and have been cultivated for more than 3,000 years, making them perhaps one of our oldest crops. The cucumber was even mentioned in the Bible! Today they are grown all over the world for pickling and the fresh produce ma...

D is for Dates 

D is for Dates

In some parts of the world date palms are so highly valued that the trees are passed down from generation to generation, sometimes in the form of a bride's dowry. Under the proper climate conditions, a tree is capable of prod...

E is for Eggplant 

E is for Eggplant

Eggplants are part of the nightshade family, which includes potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers. Most people think eggplant is a vegetable, but it's actually a fruit and classified botanically as a berry. Colors vary from white (which is how the eggplant...

F is for Figs 

F is for Figs

Fig trees thrive in California, where the first trees were planted at the San Diego Mission in 1759. The Spanish missionary fathers planted fig trees throughout the state as other missions were built. This is how the Mission Fig, the most popular bla...

G is for Grapes 

G is for Grapes

Californians have been cultivating grapes for more than 200 years, and provide an astounding 99 percent of the country's commercially grown grapes. The first vines were planted in 1769 when the Spanish friars established missions in the state and int...

H is for Hot Peppers 

H is for Hot Peppers

Hot peppers, or chili peppers, were first cultivated by the people of Central and South America as far back as 3000BC. Christopher Columbus is largely credited for introducing pepper seeds to Europe in 1493. Since that time, the popularity of hot pep...

I is for Ice 

I is for Ice

My freezer is full of ice. I make cubes from freshly squeezed lemons, coffee, and even leftover wine! The cubes last for several months in ziploc bags and are ready for use in soups, sauces, and beverages even months after the last lemon has been pic...

J is for Juice 

J is for Juice

Fresh fruit and vegetable juices are nearly impossible to purchase in supermarkets now, due to the widespread use of pasteurization to control bacteria. The problem is, once the juice is pasteurized, most nutrients and all beneficial enzymes are dest...

K is for Kitty Litter Cake 

K is for Kitty Litter Cake

I have two Squidoo lenses on real kitty litter boxes, so it only seemed fitting to choose the infamous kitty litter cake for the 'K' entry in my Squidoo food lensography, Culinary Favorites From A to Z. One of my aunts emailed this recipe to me last...

Another A to Z Food & Cooking Series on Squidoo 

Created by NanLT

A to Z of Herbs and Spices

A tall claim, but true. It was because of spices that our world is what it is today. Lands were explored, currencies developed, trade between cultures established all in the name of spices. Today, spices are readily available all over the world. Wh...

Culinary Favorites from A to Z on Squidoo 

Inspired by Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone Series

Culinary Favorites From A to Z Headquarters, A Food & Recipe Collection

Welcome to Culinary Favorites, a collection of the most amazing food and recipe pages that are devoted to SPECIFIC INGREDIENTS.  On this page, you will find pages dedicated to specific ingredients like asparagus, carrots and ham plus you wi...

Author Sue Grafton, A is for Alibi

A bitter divorce and custody battle led Sue Grafton to fantasize about ways to eliminate her former husband. Thankfully, she found a way to constructively express her feelings through writing. A is for Alibi was released in 1982, introducing a chrono...