You’ve probably seen me on The Weather Channel and wondered, "who is that guy?" And now you’ve Googled my name, and here we are. I hope the following few paragraphs will be a sufficient reward for your efforts. Read on, live well and prosper. When I was young, somebody injected a huge dose of the Love-of-Science virus right into my backside, and it’s been sloshing about in my bloodstream ever since. The moment I could navigate my house, I cordoned...

(Getty Images) Food & Wine's Grace Parisi mixes cold whipped creme fraiche with candied ginger, then spoons it over warm, sweet orange slices. The combination of flavors, textures and temperatures is magnificent. Total time 30 minutes Servings 4 Ingredients 4 navel and/or blood oranges2 tablespoons orange marmalade4 teaspoons light brown sugar8 ounces creme fraiche2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger2 teaspoons shredded mint Directions 1) Preheat the broiler and position a rack 6 inches from the heat. Using a sharp knife, peel...

More than 90 percent of the nation's peanuts are grown in what are known as the Sun Belt states across the South. Peanuts love sun and heat almost as much as German tourists. Some estimates of the optimal peanut growing temperature are as high as 86 degrees, which means that peanuts are grown almost exclusively in the South. In fact, 97 percent of the peanuts grown in the United States come from states across the region known as the Sun...

(Getty Images) Mushrooms are packed with minerals like selenium that have been shown to guard against some cancers. Here they’re drizzled with lemon juice in a salad Food & Wine's Joe Bastianich calls "soulful but still filling." Total time 10 minutes Servings 4 Ingredients 16 medium white or cremini mushrooms (1/2 pound), trimmed and very thinly sliced1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juiceSalt and freshly ground pepperFinely grated zest of 1 small lemon1/4 cup thinly...

(Getty Images) The ingenious frothy ice wine topping on this drink looks like the fog that creeps over Sonoma, California, in the evening. Total time Fast Servings Makes enough froth for 1 drink Ingredients 1 large egg white1/2 ounce fresh lime juice1/2 ounce ice wine1/4 ounce Cointreau or other triple secIce cubes Directions In a cocktail shaker, combine egg white, lime juice, ice wine, and Cointreau and shake for 10 seconds. Add ice and shake for 10 more seconds. Scoop...

Mint comes in a wide variety of refreshing scents and flavors, but use care when planting: it's an invasive herb that can take over your garden or flower bed. Spanish speakers call mint "hierbabuena," which translated literally means "good herb," and they are dead on because not only is mint as refreshing as an oasis in the desert, it is easy and cheap to grow yourself. Why? Part of the reason has to do with the weather. See, if you...

In the U.S., the growing season for asparagus usually lasts only seven weeks, and some shoots can reach full growth in as little as 24 hours. Spring, the season when a young man’s fancies turn to... asparagus, the "food of kings." Why is it called that? I don’t know, but it might have something to do with its crown, the under-soil root mass from whence the spears emerge each spring. The king comes from his crown. Not quite traditional, but...

(Getty Images) Whole-wheat spaghetti is one of Melissa Rubel's favorite pastas because it is a good source of fiber and has an appealing chewiness. Here, she updates sesame noodles, a Chinese take-out classic, by giving the peanut sauce a hit of fiery red curry paste. Total time 25 minutes Servings 4 Ingredients 3/4 pound whole-wheat spaghetti1/2 cup smooth peanut butter1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice1 tablespoon red curry paste1/3 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed...

(Getty Images) Food & Wine Magazine's Tim Cushman shares this recipe for minty green olive-celery salsa. This bright, briny salsa, full of vitamin E-rich olives, is more like a crunchy tapenade. It's delicious over white fish like hake. Total time 30 minutes Servings Makes eight 1/4-cup servings Ingredients 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled1 cup finely diced celery (3 ribs)1 cup finely chopped pitted green olives (5 ounces)2 tablespoons capers, chopped2 tablespoons chopped mintFreshly ground pepper...

(Getty Images) A tasty recipe for mixed berry jam with strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, from Food & Wine's Grace Parisi. Total time 1 hour, 40 minutes, plus cooling Servings Three 1/2-pint jars Ingredients 1 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered1 1/2 cups sugar1/2 lemon, seeded1 pound mixed blueberries, blackberries and raspberries Directions 1) In a large, nonreactive saucepan, toss the strawberries with the sugar and let stand, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is mostly dissolved, about 1 hour. 2) Squeeze...

(Getty Images) A delicious pasta recipe with spinach that's fast and simple to prepare, from Food & Wine's Melissa Rubel Jacobson. Total time 25 minutes Servings 4 Ingredients 3/4 pound fusilli1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1 large leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced1 cup heavy cream4 cups packed baby spinach (4 ounces), coarsely chopped1/2 cup lightly packed basil leaves, finely choppedKosher salt and freshly ground pepper Directions 1) In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook...

Keeping apples in your refrigerator, instead of on your kitchen counter, helps keep them ripe and delicious longer. Oh, the mealy apple. It looks so crisp, it feels so firm, but the second you bite into it, it falls apart like a soggy shortbread cookie. Disgusting. The key to fighting mealy-ness is controlling the weather. Yes, you read that right. Apples are not like Han Solo. When you pick them, they don’t go into suspended animation. They are fully alive,...