Simple Soft Hamburger Buns

One of the things I enjoy doing in my kitchen the most is making bread. I do it several times a week. Bread baking was what got me started as a professional baker, and later as a cooking instructor. I enjoy it a lot more than pastry work or pretty much any other kind of … Continue reading »

Landreth Seed of the Day – Nantes Carrot

The Nantes Carrot The carrot is the second most popular vegetable in the world. Only the potato enjoys greater popularity. The vegetable probably originated in the area now occupied by Iran and Afghanistan, but quickly spread to southern Europe. In the wild, carrots come in many colors including white, yellow, red and maroon. Carrots, like … Continue reading »

Landreth Seed of the Day – Cilantro (Corriander)

The Herb, Cilantro/Coriander This herb has one of the most curious stories of any plant we know. Coriander was named after a bedbug because the plant and its seeds emit the same unpleasant fragrance that a bedbug emits when it is squished. Cilantro usually refers to the fresh herb. Coriander usually refers to the seed … Continue reading »

Landreth Seed of the Day – Violet Queen Zinnia

The Violet Queen Zinnia For Americans, if there were to be a “Girl Next Door” flower, it would be the zinnia. This flower, which is native to Mexico and parts of Central America, was first offered for sale as seed in 1798 by The D. Landreth Seed Company. These first zinnias were tall, rangy plants … Continue reading »

Landreth Seed of the Day – Cimmaron Lettuce

The Romaine Lettuce, Cimmaron I have to confess to extreme bias with this SEED OF THE DAY review because I LOVE this lettuce. I think of it as the perfect lettuce. Cimmaron, AKA Little Leprechaun, Rouge d’Hiver, Red Winter and Deep Red, has been grown in American gardens since the 1840s. Romaine lettuce is so … Continue reading »

Landreth Seed of the Day – Dwarf Gray Sugar Pea

Candy on a Vine – The Dwarf Grey Sugar Pea If you won’t let your children pick and eat these pea pods right off the vine without washing the pods, then don’t grow this plant. At maturity, these pea pods are so sweet they are truly like candy. The Dwarf Grey Sugar Pea is a … Continue reading »

The Perfect Pancake

I love pancakes. Whether they are being served up hot from the griddle for breakfast or are featuring in some fiendish layered dessert, I love pancakes. And I am picky about how they should be made and what kind of texture they should have. A pancake should be soft and pillowy on the inside and … Continue reading »

Landreth Seed of the Day – Mary Washington Asparagus

The Mary Washington Asparagus  Landreth actually sells asparagus seed, but we recommend that you start with two year old roots instead, which we also sell. It takes 5-7 years to get an asparagus crop from seed. It takes 2-3 years when you start with roots. Asparagus is native to Eastern Europe, Russia and the Caucasus. … Continue reading »

Landreth Seed of the Day – Thai Basil

Thai Basil (Siam Queen Variety) Basil has been a part of the American diet since the first colonists, but it was the sweet basils, Italian and Genovese, that were known to Americans. Thai Basil is a 20th century introduction to the American diet and it is often confused with its close cousin, Cinnamon Basil, because … Continue reading »