As I think back on all the wonderful meals I've had in the past few days, I am exceedingly thankful for having the opportunity to enjoy local produce grown by committed farmers.  Sweet peppers, purple beans, eggplant, summer squash, and tomatoes all found their way to the table.  With a flourish of flavor, the colorful, fresh vegetables of summer said "so long for awhile" as fall snuck up on us.

A crisp couple of nights threw a knockout punch to the tomatoes and squash, but that white kiss also sweetened up the chard and kale.  The story is pretty routine, but always new in some ways.  This season the chill forced my daughter and son-in-law to pick many green tomatoes that are now beckoning to me from inside their jars where they are transforming into pickled tomatoes.  That caused my mind to race backwards a few decades and see a vision of rows of pickled green tomatoes sitting on shelves in the basement after my mother transformed them.  I can still taste their complex sourness replete with the flavors of dill, garlic, and other pickling spices.

As the granddaughter of illustrious author, Ernest Hemingway, Mariel was always destined to be well-known and publicly recognized. However, at the young age of 13, Mariel became famous in her own right when she made her silver screen debut in “Lipstick”. Four years later her work in Woody Allen’s “Manhattan” earned her an Oscar nomination. She has since made 30 films and numerous television appearances in series and as a host of several environmental and humanitarian documentaries.

Now at the age of 47, Mariel is the mother of two daughters, Dree 21 and Langley 19 and a caretaker of anywhere from 2 to 6 delightful dogs at a time. For over 20 years, she has been pursuing her passion for yoga and health and is now seen as a voice of holistic and balanced health and well- being. As part of that role she has leads wellness retreats all over America, sharing her insights about movement, silence, nutrition, and home.

Italian Cooking Class with fresh and local ingredients and a game with our "live" audience so don't miss the next GREAT TASTE on Wednesday from 7-8 PM!!!!

Kathy and Steve were "At Home" doing a full evening of cooking Italian-antipasti, primi, secondo, contorno, insalata, and dessert (dolce). Join the fun and if you miss us the rebro is from 7-8 AM on Friday. The pics-up top is amazing produce (already!) from a local greenhouse and underneath is Spinach Trieste style. Follow Great Taste on Facebook and become a fan-http://www.facebook.com/pages/GREAT-TASTE-kruufmcom/63761156614?ref=ts.

DON'T MISS US BECAUSE WE ARE REALLY GOING TO BE COOKING!!!!!!!!!

Kathy and Steve are going to turn out their own strange twist on Risotto/Paella cooked in the studio during the show, and you are invited to taste the results. Listen and then come by the KRUU studios for a bite when you hear the dinner bell ring. Don't forget to bring a tiny plate or bowl plus your own utensils. We're only supplying the food!

Also, special guest, Nick Wallace of Wallace Farms fills us in on what it takes to run an organic cattle operation in Iowa.

It's Great Taste tonight from 7-8 pm and you are the special guests!