Summer in Pennsylvania, for me, means swimming in my parents' pond. Or at least hanging out on the dock with the adults and drinking iced tea while the kids swim. A few of my friends' and relatives' kids have waded into the pond sporting inflatable "swimmies" on their arms. Remember those things? The way they pinched your biceps? Do you remember the first time you swam without them? I probably...

Last summer, I visited a grocery store in Chicago that was selling boatloads of peaches labeled "southern peaches." They were tiny, mealy, flavorless little waifs. Lack of local produce at supermarkets frustrates me in general, but I found the lack of local peaches especially odd considering that Paul Friday (of "Flamin' Fury" fame) lived close enough to Chicago that he drove to a downtown farmers market for many years. Orchards and farms surround Chicago....

Did you know?  Just a few generations ago, ALL produce was organic!  Farms were smaller and more numerous, and more people worked in agriculture.  More folks had home gardens.  Weeds, diseases, pests, and soil health were concerns then as now, but methods were simpler and less intrusive (though more labor-intensive.) As quick-fix tools like pesticides and chemical fertilizers became mainstream in the mid-20th century, and as more and more people...

If you're gardening this summer, your garden is probably keeping you busy! Take a break from weeding, watering and preserving your harvest and have some fun testing your garden know-how with this quiz fresh-picked from our growing collection of blog articles! True or False: "Hens and Chicks" is the name of a plant that requires constant maintenance. Some plants are more fragrant at night. Plants do not ever need water on their leaves. Compost's primary purpose...

With the first day of summer starting this week, it's the season of succulents. Nan Reinert's background in operating Chubby Pickle Farm in Robeson Township, Berks County, means she is plenty versed in succulents. Through the farm, which is her backyard, she raises 85% of the food she eats, growing everything within a small space, and using a variety of plants and planting methods. "A succulent is a plant with...

These vegetarian “meatballs” are packed with greens—any greens you like! Use one kind only or mix and match. They work with traditional spaghetti and sauce, or try them simmered in a curry sauce over rice. Or just pop them in your mouth as a healthy snack!          

This was adapted from a Mark Bittman recipe to make use of our fresh spring snap peas and Wolff’s Own sliced ham!  

When the night sky shines bright light down into your backyard, it's a wordless hint that a moon garden just might be a good fit for the space. Holly Cusumano of Phoenixville is the chairman of the Philadelphia Unit of the Herb Society of America and has designed moon gardens at both her old home in Coventryville and where she lives now. "A moon garden is a study of textures and shades of white...

Lisa McWaters, our Grocery Manager, brought this bean salsa family recipe in for us to try, and we all went crazy for it! Try it at your next cookout for a refreshingly sweet-tangy side!  

Last summer, I was reminded about how long potato salad can sit out at picnics. I was co-teaching a cooking class at Weaver's Orchard, one of the orchards that supplies apples and other fruit to Wolff's, and the co-teacher shared a recipe for a picnic-safe potato salad. He pointed out how long food can sometimes sit out during picnics, and after a while, you start to wonder... "Should I really...

Use LeBus Challah bread for the ULTIMATE bread pudding! Bits of rhubarb throughout offer delicious little gems of tartness. This recipe is great served with whipped cream and sliced strawberries.  

Despite chilly, rainy days in the recent weeks of early spring, May will soon be showing us the brighter and warmer days which are perfect for planting garden greens. When it comes to cultivating different kinds of leafy greens to join into your meals, Robyn Jasko of Kutztown has the perfect background to give great recommendations. Jasko is the co-founder of the organic community garden in Kutztown, which is on...

This recipe is super easy, refreshing, delicious and it does not involve many ingredients. It accompanies many dishes quite well. It’s not necessary, but it is helpful to use a mandolin to slice the cucumbers uniformly very thin.    

We all know it's important to rotate our garden crops, but sometimes it just seems like it's easier to plant the same crops in the same locations every year. After all, you probably chose the most perfect sunny spot for your tomatoes and took the borderline-shady spot for your cool weather crops, right? That's where garden mapping comes in. With proper garden mapping, you can be on your way to...

Spinach Lasagna Adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe, this vegetarian lasagna uses a creamy béchamel sauce, three cheeses, and a combination of spinach and zucchini to replace the traditional meat. Use our fresh, local spinach and it’s just heavenly!  

Last September, my sister challenged me to look at beloved Wolff’s Apple House items next to similar items at my local big box grocery store and explore the quality and nutrition of each.  Trying to find any product that even resembled those Wolff’s carries proved difficult in some cases. And when I did find comparable foods.... bleh! The two worst offenders were those you might least expect. A popular brand of Italian Wedding...

This is a very basic way of cooking fresh spinach. The garlic adds some interest (not to mention MORE health benefits!) and the salt just helps to bring out the flavors. Serve as a side dish, or over pasta or rice with your favorite cheese for a vegetarian main course!      

It’s that time of year again to start thinking about your vegetable garden. Last year, I had the pleasure of gardening in my neighbor’s side yard. It was about a quarter acre, and I had the goal of growing as many veggies as I could in the season. Here are a few tips and tricks for maximizing garden space, gleaned from my garden last year. Maximize surface area with mounded...

This is a great way to prepare asparagus, and it’s vegan to boot!    

Planning a taco night? Add a surprising element of spicy-sweet to ANY taco with this chili-roasted butternut squash! This recipe works best with butternut, because its shape makes it easy to cut into uniform cubes. Other squash varieties will work as well, with a bit more effort. Squash prepared this way makes a great addition to tacos or burritos!    

Ah, the smell of spring. That earthy, sweet smell of ground that has thawed enough to till. The smell of blossoms on the breeze. The smell of the first cold-hardy herbs and vegetables plucked from garden. I am eager to pay attention to the smells of springtime. And because of this, I found it completely appropriate that while I was putting together a breakfast that would "capture spring," my husband...

What is the "prim" in primrose? Is it prim as in "prim and proper"? That is what I first thought, and I always imagined primroses as old fashioned women in flouncy gowns, sipping tea from delicate tea cups, with their pinky fingers crooked.                         But these perky flowers are not named for their propriety. They are more like the child who goes racing outdoors...

This fruit salsa comes to us courtesy of customer Jennifer Graham Day! It's so easy and delicious.      

It is cold today, much colder than it has been these past two months. So chilly, it seems strange to think that soon we will be traveling that quarter-turn into spring. Yet there are more birds now. They flutter and race across the pallid green lawn, scurrying to find what they will. Knocking about desperately in search of what might sustain them. Their colorful plumage is a welcome sight in...

We don't know why this is called Wacky Cake... Maybe just that it's totally WACKY that such a delicious chocolate cake can be made without eggs, butter, or dairy!  (The whipped cream on top is an optional indulgence.)  Enjoy this awesome cake from the kitchen of Cathy Smith- our chef's mom!    

With Christmas and New Year's Eve festivities just around the corner, here are some recipes for party foods that are known to be devoured in no time. An empty dish versus food that sits around and gets cold is a good sign! (Remember to check our winter and holiday hours before you head out to hunt for recipe ingredients.) For Lisa Kiedeisch, who lives in Boyertown, Berks County, taco salad...

Although most pomegranates are and have been cultivated throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and the Indian subcontinent for centuries, today the fruit can be found growing in California and Arizona. Besides being a wellspring of minerals, raw pomegranate seeds provide a whopping 12 percent of the daily value for vitamin C, and are an excellent source of dietary fiber. Nutrition aside, pomegranate seeds pack a uniquely tart, flavorful punch and can...

“I recommend this salad quite highly. I prefer fresh cherries to the dried, but both are delicious. Be careful not to add too much warmed dressing to the spinach leaves; you want them just wilted, not soaked.” –Andi Wolff                      

Holidays are a time of feasting. But that doesn't have to mean we forget about vegetables for the whole month of December. With other holiday meals, there's much more leeway than with Thanksgiving meals, which, let's face it, just wouldn't be complete without the buttery rolls, stuffing, and pie. As you're planning your holiday menu, here are some simple, delicious ways to fill up on veggies. What to Nosh As guests arrive, make...

In my last post, I mentioned that I suffer from lactose intolerance. And when I write suffer, I mean suffer. Giving up ice cream has been one of the most difficult and challenging things I've ever had to do. But as delicious as ice cream may be, the onslaught of abdominal pain and discomfort which resulted from eating the stuff provided more than enough motivation to change my habits. It's been three years and...

Warm up with this great version of escarole soup! Excellent with our organic, local, free-range chicken from Canter Hill Farm!         SaveSave

If you have a bunch of beets you don't quite know what to do with, this salad will be just the thing! It balances flavors perfectly: sweet walnuts, earthy beets, tender greens and creamy cheese.  

This recipe is a Wolff’s favorite! Tip: Freeze leftover soup for an easy weeknight meal later on.  

Make the most of locally grown cold-hardy produce with this delicious twist on a roasted vegetable recipe!  

Fall brings us a bunch of different choices! Butternut, Acorn, Delicata, Red Kuri, and Carnival are ALL delicious, and this recipe puts them to good use.

Combine these simple ingredients for an easy, delightful winter meal or side!      

In high school I volunteered at the Hay Creek Valley Fall Festival in Berks County, dressing up in smoky-smelling Colonial garb and tending apple fritters over an open fire. It was early fall, just into apple season, and yet I distinctly remember talking about the coming winter with a friend who was also working in the Colonial reenactment. How were we planning to prepare ourselves for it, emotionally? "I just get so...

It's difficult to describe the rambutan...It helps to be familiar with the texture and flavor of Lychee fruit, and the strange, otherworldliness of sea urchins. According to Wikipedia, the rambutan (a name which refers to the tree and the fruit) is native to tropical regions of Southeast Asia and is related to the lychee, longan, and mamoncillo. The fruit is a round, ovular, single-seeded berry. Its skin (which is totally inedible) is red or red-orange and covered with...

Earlier this month, Fair Food Philly's blog featured a detailed preparation timeline to help hosts spare themselves the last-minute scrambling. In the article, Peggy Paul Casella advised hosts  to plan out the menu two to three weeks ahead of time. "Oh sure, two to three weeks ahead of time. No problem," I thought to myself. Then I realized that today, Thursday November 12, we are just two weeks away from Thanksgiving! That means it's...

Use a gallon of Weaver’s Apple Cider and whip up a crowd-pleasing batch of our Hot Mulled Apple Cider.  It’s a Wolff’s family recipe, and the same one we serve in the store.  Great on a crisp fall evening!  

This recipe cooks for only 10 minutes...then the rest of the work is just waiting till it cools and thickens!   

Never cooked a fresh turkey before? Never fear! Here's our advice.  

How about a super-healthy, super-yummy breakfast idea for busy mornings?  Better yet: one you can prepare in advance!  

Our guacamole fresca is a chunky guac that uses tons of fresh ingredients. If you're short on time, you can opt for our regular guacamole recipe. You can make it in the food processor. It's also great if you don't have a jalapeño handy!  

I've been told that men tend to gain a lot of weight in their thirties. I keep hoping that will happen to me. I could stand to gain a pound or two. But all I've gotten so far is lactose intolerance, and a gluten allergy. I reluctantly confess this. It was only recently that I was a full-blown skeptic. I'm not even sure I know what gluten is. Gluten, as defined by...

Pasta salad is always best when loaded with veggies! We know you'll love this version, created by Ashley Wolff! "This is a quick & easy pasta salad recipe! It’s versatile, meaning you can substitute ingredients if you don’t have everything…or just to suit your tastes. Think of this as a jumping off point! I stumbled upon this creation one day when we were preparing for a cook-out and I needed a...

Grilled corn is amazing! You'll love it in this fresh, flavorful salad. Best news: You can "grill" the corn on your stovetop!       SaveSave

This stew is delicious!  It's smoky, hearty and flavorful and it has just the right amount of heat. Plus, this recipe is packed with plant-based proteins and fresh produce. Try it with smoked sausage from Canter Hill!      

This fresh, zingy salad is perfect for winter, when the BEST citrus is available at Wolff's!    

As a Wolff's Apple House customer, you take care to make healthy, conscientious choices. You know where your food comes from, and that it usually comes from within 50 miles of our store. You know that if you ask, someone at Wolff's will be able to tell you about the farmer. But as you think about the sad day coming soon when you will pack away your summer clothes, have you...

From Wolff's own chef, Chuck Smith!

How to cook the perfect winter squash, such as acorn, butternut, carnival, dumpling, delicata, spaghetti, hubbard or crookneck squash.  

Many years ago, when I was dating Sean, who is now my husband, we sat down to dinner at a friend's house and he started to do something very strange. He pointed to his salad that had fresh greens, tomatoes and radishes in it and began to say, "Rad? Ish!" I stared at him, confused. He tried again. "Rad? Ish!" "Uh... yup," I finally said. "That's a radish!" Eventually we realized...

Has it ever happened to you that two things enter your life at the same time, and forever after it's nearly impossible to think of one without also thinking of the other? It happened to me about twelve years ago. It happened to me with Swiss chard, and my wife. I can't cook Swiss chard without also thinking of my wife, Jill. And I can't look at my wife, Jill, without also thinking...

A Wolff family recipe for a delicious apple bake calling for apple wedges baked with lemon and apple juice, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon.  

It's only mid-October. Deep breath. It's not winter yet. But the other night while some friends and I were enjoying the first pumpkin pie of the season, we reminisced about freak October storms. In Chicago last year, October 31 decided to dress up as January 31, wrapping itself in a ghoulish costume of sleet and bitter wind. In Eastern Pennsylvania in late October 2011, snow blanketed leafy trees and even...