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At a farmers market in Charleston, South Carolina, earlier this summer, I was so excited to catch my first glimpse of the season’s peaches that I started to buy as many as I could. When I approached the farmer to pay for my haul, he quickly pulled out a handful, set them back in the crate, and replaced them with others he picked out. “Those weren’t ready yet,” he said. After a little cajoling, he shared three important signs that peaches (and other stone fruit) are ready to eat.

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You’re probably already familiar with topping frozen corn with the trio of soft butter, salt, and black pepper, but this version reaches into the spice cabinet to take it one step further.

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“Staycation” may seem like a made-up word for people who don’t have the time or energy to plan an actual holiday, but hear us out: A vacation in your hometown doesn’t have to suck. In fact, it can be pretty wonderful. Consider: You save on airfare and transportation, you don’t have to worry about outsourcing care of pets or plants, and you can sleep in your own bed (if you want). Win-win-win!

This month, we’re exploring how five different people staycation. Read on for ideas and inspiration for planning a few days off without leaving your area code.

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Growing up, I didn’t have a front porch. I mean, we had a small slab of concrete in the front of my house that had a bench on it, but we never sat on it, and foliage obscured the street view. Not that there was much to look at: I lived on a cul-de-sac in a Florida suburb, not particularly close to any neighbors. As a result, a front porch was never something I particularly valued when it came to features of a home.

But moving to a city changed all that.

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Recipes for preparing mussels, including our own recipe for Linguine with Mussels and Dandelion Greens, includes an instruction to “clean and debeard the mussels.” For the uninitiated, this can be a confusing and discouraging step.

Never fear! In the spirit of learning new things, here’s a tutorial to help walk you through!

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Mason jars are everywhere. They line the shelves of artisan grocery stores, filled with homemade blood orange marmalade or pickled fennel; they store your sugar and spices (and everything nices); and they serve as lanterns, candles, and vases at weddings. There are entire cookbooks dedicated to Mason jar salads. Brooklyn bars serve beer in them and, perhaps, so do you.

But how did it get to be so? Here is a short history of this iconic and ubiquitous jar.

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From Apartment Therapy → 10 Decorating Ideas to Steal from the World’s Most Stylish Restaurants

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A DIY Wedding Reception for 200

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As we’re closing in on the tail end of peak wedding season, I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes great wedding food. If you’re serving upwards to 150 people, how do you make sure the food is still hot? Is a buffet the right choice? Is there a type of food that is a safer bet? What if you want something extra special? What’s the best option for vegetarians?

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Open Slideshow

Most us want to preserve the bounty of fruit we collect while berry picking or when we buy too much beautiful fruit at the farmers markets. Luscious jams and jellies often feel like the first choice, but few of us have the time for that. Besides, who wants to heat up their house in the dreaded heat of August anyway? Slow-cooker fruit butter is a simple solution for preserving large quantities of fruit without any canning equipment or heating up the stove.

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Pantry-friendly recipes are there for you when you need to put a quick meal together. It’s usually something familiar and probably something the whole family enjoys, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it more interesting. Turn to the pantry for inspiration on adding variety to your dishes and making a recipe feel new again. Here are five easy ideas for pantry staples.

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