Beyond the Recipe | Edible Paradise

Welcome to Beyond the Recipe

Rediscovering the knowledge that helps us eat well, live well, and become more connected to our food.

Great food is about more than what happens in the kitchen. Beyond the Recipe explores the connections between the food we eat, the people who grow it, and the choices that shape our health and communities. From seasonal recipes and nutrition insights to homemade yogurt, sourdough, canning, and other traditional kitchen skills, this is a place to learn, explore, and reconnect with food in a more meaningful way. Our goal is simple: to help preserve the knowledge, skills, and traditions that make healthy eating more accessible, sustainable, and rewarding.

A delicious traditional Thanksgiving dinner table

The Classic Farmers Market Thanksgiving: Favorite Traditions, Fresh from the Harvest

An abundant holiday table filled with time-honored recipes, beautiful seasonal produce, and the comforting flavors we love most. There’s something magical about Thanksgiving morning. The fragrance of roasting turkey and fresh herbs fills the house, the kitchen counters are crowded with bowls of vegetables and baking dishes, and favorite family recipes make their annual appearance....

{ Continue Reading }

Classic Creamy Mashed Potatoes — A Master Recipe with Five Delicious Variations

Few dishes inspire as much affection—or as many opinions—as mashed potatoes. Some people love them light and fluffy, with plenty of butter and just enough warm milk. Others prefer a rich, silky purée made with cream. And then there are those who wouldn’t dream of making mashed potatoes without a generous spoonful of sour cream...

{ Continue Reading }

A Little Thanksgiving: The Quiet Luxury of a Beautiful Holiday Dinner for Two, Three, or Four

An intimate Thanksgiving celebration with favorite traditions, a beautiful table, and the pleasure of an unhurried meal. There’s something wonderfully comforting about Thanksgiving—the fragrance of roasting poultry, the scent of sage and thyme drifting through the kitchen, a favorite stuffing bubbling in the oven, and the anticipation of sharing a delicious meal. But not every...

{ Continue Reading }

The Vegetarian Harvest Table: A Thanksgiving Feast Without the Turkey

An elegant, seasonal Thanksgiving menu with a spectacular vegetarian centerpiece, beautiful vegetable dishes, and all the comforting flavors of the holiday. Who says Thanksgiving needs a turkey to feel like a feast? Some of the most wonderful flavors of Thanksgiving come from the side dishes—the roasted vegetables, buttery potatoes, savory dressings, rich gravies, and fragrant...

{ Continue Reading }

Display of cherry and lemon guavas at Borba Family Farms.

Cherry and Lemon Guavas: Small Fruits with Big Tropical Flavor

Every so often, something unexpected appears at the farmers market that makes us stop and take a closer look. This season, it’s the beautiful little cherry and lemon guavas from Borba Family Farms. These petite, colorful fruits may look like miniature apples or oversized cherries, but their flavor tells a different story. Fragrant, sweet-tart, and...

{ Continue Reading }

Schoch Family Farmstead beef tallow and cheese display at the farmers market.

The Return of Beef Tallow: An Old-Fashioned Kitchen Staple Finds New Life

From golden roasted potatoes to flaky pie crusts and traditional Christmas puddings, the cooking fats our grandparents knew so well are finding their way back into modern kitchens. There was a time when a good cook kept more than butter and cooking oil in the kitchen. A jar of bacon drippings might sit in the...

{ Continue Reading }

Dried Beans: A Fall Pantry Essential

As the days grow shorter and the evenings turn cooler, few pantry staples feel more useful than a bag of dried beans. Inexpensive, nourishing, and endlessly versatile, beans are the starting point for some of fall’s most satisfying meals—from steaming bowls of soup and chili to rustic braises, warm salads, creamy purées, and simple pots...

{ Continue Reading }

Homemade Pumpkin Purée: From Farmers Market to Fall Baking

Which kind of pumpkin is best for baking? Smaller is better – large field pumpkins, which are specially bred for Halloween jack-o-lanterns, are generally too tough and stringy for baking. Choose “pie” or "sugar" pumpkins or other flavorful varieties, such as Sugar Baby. Small and sweet, with dark orange-colored flesh, they're perfect for pies, muffins,...

{ Continue Reading }

Choosing the best pumpkins for making pie

The Best Pumpkins for Pie—and the Winter Squash That Bake Beautifully

A beautiful pumpkin pie begins long before the cinnamon comes out of the cupboard. It starts with choosing the right pumpkin—and that isn’t usually the big orange one the children have picked for carving. Those Halloween pumpkins have an important job, but making a rich, silky pie filling generally isn’t their specialty. For baking, you...

{ Continue Reading }