Kathy Gunst

Apples, this time of year, are at their best: just harvested and still offering a snap of skin, sweet juice, and all the nuance and flavor that was intended.

The days and nights of a quick salad and throwing food on the grill are in the rearview mirror, and as the nights turn cooler, we crave something a bit more substantial.

Whether you’re cooking for school-aged kids or just getting back into the work routine after a more relaxed summer schedule, getting meals on the table that are healthy, satisfying, and not time-consuming can feel overwhelming.

Tomatoes are the highlight of the end of the summer garden and local farmers’ markets.

For anyone who loves to cook, this time of year is like the best holiday of all. Tomatoes, corn, zucchini, lettuce, arugula, potatoes, broccoli. It seems as though everything is in season.

The blueberries are just beginning to morph from green to their stunning purple-blue and August means blackberries will be ripe any day now.

Noodles — whether served cold, at room temperature, or piping hot — make for great summer eating.

It’s the start of a holiday weekend. What you want to do most is kick back, relax, see some friends, and enjoy summer. But you don’t want to cook and invite people over because it all totally stresses you out. Sound familiar?

As temperatures climb, chef Kathy Gunst loses her desire for traditional meals made of a main course, vegetable and starch.

Meat had taken a backseat to grain bowls and plant burgers, but now it's back. Just like fashion and ever-changing hemlines, food also comes in and out of favor.