What a fabulous first Twice as Tasty year! As 2016 ends, I want to briefly look back at what’s been done since the blog’s launch last June and even share a few of the things to come.

This is the 37th post on the blog. Twice as Tasty now includes nearly 60 recipes and some additional 20-plus pages that apply a range of techniques to preparing, storing, and eating well all year. These have been going out each Tuesday to more than 150 email subscribers and Facebook followers. The 40-plus members of the companion Facebook group have been busy asking questions about and sharing the results of their food adventures.

Offline, Twice as Tasty has been feeding concertgoers and yogis, participating in food swaps, trying new recipes and techniques, and taste-testing with friends and family. I am grateful for everyone’s support and participation. And I’m so excited to share more in the coming year.

New Recipes and Techniques

This coming year will see a slew of new recipes and a few new techniques. January will be Sourdough Month on the Twice as Tasty blog. All month, posts will focus on caring for and using sourdough starter. If you have an active starter, you’ll be able to apply it to some of my favorite recipes. If you don’t yet have a starter, it’s the perfect time to sign up for a workshop; I’ll be supplying batches of my homemade sourdough starter and showing you exactly how to use it.

As we roll into spring, you can expect posts that help you to use fresh, local produce as it comes into season—whether you grow your own or buy it from local farmers. I’ll share ideas for using perennial herbs, young onions, and other early-spring garden treats.

Summer will be packed with all of the amazing produce that fills gardens, kitchen counters, and refrigerators. Pickle lovers will find a new collection of recipes, with focus on refrigerator pickles that noncanners can make and store quickly, easily, and safely. If you prefer the sweeter side, expect to see a lot of pairings of fruits and herbs, whether in sorbet or jam.

Come fall, I’m going to have a few ideas for everyone rich in green tomatoes. I tested several recipes this fall and have been gathering feedback and tweaking the flavors to come up with some delicious offerings. Other late-season produce, and the best ways to store it for winter, will round out another year.

Workshops and Live Events

The newest phase of the Twice as Tasty project is small, custom workshops. You gather a few friends who are interested in learning a technique or recipe. I teach you and your crew exactly what you wish to learn—in your own kitchen. You’ll not just learn how to do something; you’ll learn how to use your space and the tools you have on hand to produce the result you want.

In 2017, I’ll offer a series of workshops timed to fit the season. These workshops last 2–3 hours and require a minimum of 4–6 people. Workshop dates and times are arranged to suit you and your friends.

The Winter 2017 workshops are being offered in the Flathead Valley of Montana only. The cost is $20–$35/person, depending on the workshop:

• Starting with Sourdough
• Getting Your Green Fix: Growing and Using Sprouts
• Speedy Soup Suppers

Custom workshops are also available: topics already in the works for this winter include Nearly Perfect Pies, Quick Curries, and Pad Thai with Fresh Bean Sprouts. As the year progresses, I hope there is enough interest that I will be able to offer workshops elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest. Get in touch to find out more.

Other Changes

As the Twice as Tasty blog grows, expect to see its posts in more places online, including Pinterest. I’m also working on better ways to keep subscribers informed about special events, online and off. Many other ideas are in the works for the coming year and beyond. It’s been a fabulous first year, and I’m looking forward to an even better 2017.

Thanks for reading!
Julie