Simon and Garfunkel may have thrown together parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme to create an iconic love song, but right now foodies are trolling their local garden center for fresh herb plantings to inject new interest and freshness into their cooking. Even if your garden is just a sunny window ledge, there are endless possibilities for infusing your meals with ‘just-picked’ flavor. Now is the perfect time to begin.

While many of us run around, looking for a way to honor Mom this week, Jonathan Lea, 24, already has that in the bag—literally. The 2009 Princeton economics grad has taken a, shall we say, kernel of an idea and turned it into a sweet and salty business.

As a cooking instructor, I am often asked, “What kind of oil should I use?” The answer can vary, depending on what you are making and what your health concerns are. But clearly one of the most beloved, and versatile, is olive oil. The differences between particular olive oils can be subtle or striking, depending on where the olives were grown, how the oil was pressed and whether it was infused with herbs or other flavorings.

Every year about this time, residents of Lambertville, along with thousands of visitors, go a bit daffy, flocking to the soggy spring shores of the Delaware River and dancing and feasting in the streets. What causes this temporary insanity? Why the annual shad run, of course.

Maria Carlino grew up on good Italian home cooking, including lots of pasta. Her parents, Franco and Danica, own La Riviera Trattoria in Clifton. Maria is the manager, and her brother, Antonio, works beside Dad as his sous chef. Then three years ago Maria discovered she had celiac disease.

Who knew that my beloved beefsteak was not the most popular red meat in the world? Apparently, Jim Lechner of Pittstown has known this for quite some time. In fact, goat is the world-wide winner in the red meat category, and Lechner, owner and operator of Goat World, has devoted his life to enlightening others on the subject.

When Jersey people refer to ‘ramps,’ they usually mean getting on or off the highway. But at this time of year, ramps are not a traffic subject; they are a food frenzy that can often involve foraging in the woods.