Veggie pizza

Given that we’re veggie farmers, it’s been on my mind to develop a greater appreciation for eating vegetables.  After all, who trusts a banker who doesn’t have a savings …
Kim's Kitchen
 I always joke that I’m the cake artist who can’t eat cake.  Why?  Because I have an allergy to gluten.  And to rice, potatoes, oats and barley too, as …
Catskill Brewery has medaled in two categories at the 2023 New York State Craft Beer Competition.

Catskill Brewery wins gold and bronze at state craft beer competition

Friday, May 12
ALBANY, NY — Catskill Brewery has medaled in two categories at the 2023 New York State Craft Beer Competition. The competition …

Help us create a food section that you love!

Wednesday, April 26
The River Reporter is always looking for ways to improve our newspaper. That's why we're asking you to take a short survey about your …
Peanut butter chocolate morsels

Make these peanut butter chocolate cake morsels

Wednesday, April 26
“How did you get on TV?” It’s a question I’m asked a lot. The fact is, I was tapped to be on my first competitive Food …
“More cheese? As you wish.”  - Boba Fettuccine, probably.

In a kitchen far far away

Wednesday, April 26
I try very hard not to burn anything when I’m cooking, unless it’s a rare circumstance where that is actually desired for some …
Asian chicken wings, garnished with sesame seeds and cilantro

The glory of garnishing

Wednesday, April 26
To a large degree, it is true we eat with our eyes. The visual appeal of what is placed before us at a meal has a major impact on our …

We’ve been trapped in a house of sick kids and a spouse for the last few weeks, and there were a few functions that we would have otherwise been all too thrilled to attend.  Despite our …

Recharge for Summer Fun with a Sweet Superfood

(Family Features) These Sweetpotato Summer Rolls offer a flavorful way to recharge after some time in the sun. Made with peanut butter, celery sticks and North Carolina Sweetpotatoes, they're ideal for serving your family following a day of fun.
Make this candy surprise bunny  Anybody who knows me knows that I love animals.  True, a few of them don’t love me—I have really bad allergies to most dogs. And …
I have a singular memory from many years ago: one morning, I left my apartment near Washington Square Park, and headed toward Bleecker Street to get some crusty, freshly baked bread at the …
“Pizza is not a dinner food,” my father, Jack I. Simons, decreed. “Pizza is a snack!” As anyone who knew my father can tell you, he was an honorable man—and one of …
I like corn. It’s about as American a staple as I can think of when it comes to U.S.-produced food. With as much sweet corn as we go through each summer, it’s something we always have an …
When the raw food movement gained popularity a couple of decades ago, I was not sold. Who finds comfort in the midst of a bitter-cold winter eating uncooked kale? We had a friend who plunged …
I’m often asked how I got into making cakes and competing on TV. The short answer is that, back in about 2010, I was watching a cake show and thought, “I can do that!” I abused …
Birthday beef

I’ve had meatloaf for many of my birthdays over the years. When I was a kid, it was one of the best things my mom made me, thus it was requested several times. When I got older and got hitched …

A smattering of tips, hints and truths

Over the years, I have picked up and adhere to some worthwhile cooking tips. I’ve already admonished those who refrigerate tomatoes, which strips them of flavor and makes the texture mealy, so …

My mother was born on Christmas Day, which is why her name is Carol. But to hear her tell it, that wasn’t necessarily a great thing—at least for her. She was the youngest of four in a …
Nothing pleases all crowds, young and old, quite so much as a good old-fashioned hot chocolate. However, not every cup of hot chocolate need be old-fashioned. When my wife first mentioned hot …
I met Cindy at a bar in the Village. We soon discovered we had more in common than enjoying a cocktail or two in the evenings. We both lived in small, cluttered apartments a few blocks from …
REGION — It can be difficult to shop for the perfect holiday gift. This year, why not lift your loved ones’ spirits with, well, spirits? Our region offers a plethora of places to pick …
Begging for burgers at Begg’s

My earliest recollection of accompanying my mother while she shopped is of going to a woman’s clothing store on the south shore of Long Island. It was called Begg’s. I must’ve been …

Baking with garden herbs

HAWLEY, PA — Did you know that the taste of an herb is different, depending on the geographical location from which it was harvested? What about the consumer’s own genes? Would they have …

Make these delicious honey cupcakes

The great thing about growing up in my neighborhood in Liberty, NY, was that there were always other kids around—a lot of other kids. Let’s just say that we never had to worry about …

Honey bee festival on September 24

NARROWSBURG, NY — At 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 24, join this small town and its bee enthusiasts to celebrate the honey bee. National Honey Bee Day in August boosts awareness of honey …
The food out here

Honey wheat bread, perfect for any spread

When it comes to food in our household, my wife is the better chef, and I am the better baker. We share in both duties, but we bow to each other’s strengths. As my regular readers will …
Jude's culinary journey

The nectar of the gods

A jar of Golden Blossom honey, with its green and gold label, was always in a cupboard in the kitchen of my childhood. We didn’t reach for it often. In winter, I would drizzle it over a bowl of …

Popeyes to open in Monticello

MONTICELLO, NY — Join the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce at a ribbon-cutting and grand opening for Popeyes, on Monday, August 29 at 10 a.m. Popeyes is located at  4058 Rte. 42 …

Peach-ure perfect muffins

It’s amazing how fast the seasons slip by, in general, but especially this year. I’ve been hearing on the news how there have been unnaturally shorter days or something this year, but for …

I’ve always loved birds. When I was a child, my grandmother on my mother’s side—Evelyn, a bird lover herself—taught me about them. I learned a lot from her about the different …

Returning from a trip to the city, my sister Janet and I decided to have lunch at an exceptional Greek seafood restaurant—Varka, in Ramsey, NJ. It was a warm, sunny and cloudless day and we …
Back-to-school time is slowly creeping up on us—I know, I know—and I am mentally preparing for the afterschool “hangry” situations. You know the ones I speak of, where the …

When I was a teenager in the mid-’60s, my bedroom windowsills were lined with plants (two of which were pot—full disclosure). I grew wandering Jew, spider, jade and cacti, among others.

Summer means picnics to me, and not just any picnics. It means gigantic picnics hosted by the Volunteer Fire Department Ontario Hose Co. #3, out of Liberty, NY—my hometown.
If you are as busy as my wife and I have been, simple is a much-needed element to any part of the day. 

MONTICELLO, NY — Do you love bagels?  Really  love bagels? Now’s your chance to show how original you are and what those rings of fabulousness mean to you. The …

I’ve cooked over wood maybe a dozen times. Each of these experiences took place when I was around eight or nine years old, spending the summer—along with my sister, Janet—at …
My father absolutely loved this country. His name was Jack Simons. He was born in 1932 in Scranton, PA, but ended up graduating from Liberty High School in upstate New York—a village in the …