Keep It Fresh, Local Mixed-Greens With Dried Cranberries, Feta Cheese And Balsamic Vinaigrette Mama's Famous Dressing: Salad:

Who's Cooking?

Melissa Thomas-Brumm , 48, of Maytown, has been a PennsylvaniaState University-certified master gardener since 1996.

That love of gardening, she said, dovetails nicely with herinterest in cooking. Plan your meals around fresh vegetablesavailable locally, she advises. Not only is this a healthy way toapproach eating, but it saves energy wasted in shipping vegetablesacross the country and supports local farmers.

Thomas-Brumm joins a Community Supported Agriculture farm,commonly referred to as a CSA, buying a share of the farm's produceand picking up a portion of fresh vegetables and herbs every week.She also encourages other cooks to frequent farm stands and farmers'markets.

Not surprisingly, her motto for cooking, she said, is buy fresh,buy local.

This culinary and gardening enthusiast also enjoys reading andknitting.

I cook when: It is time for dinner (why go out when the food athome is so good and less expensive?), when I'm feeling creative andwhen there is an abundance of fresh produce to process for winter.

How I learned to cook: My mother expected me to help preparedinner every day after school when I was a child. The first thingshe taught me was how to make white sauce without measuring. Myfriends rave about my homemade cheese sauce, thanks to my mother.

My favorite kitchen appliances: My espresso maker; it's the firstthing I want to see in the morning. Next is my bread machine, whichI use to mix dough, but then I form the loaves by hand and bake themin the oven. Or maybe even my freezer, because I love to freezefresh parsley and basil during the summer for winter meals.

You will never catch me doing this in the kitchen: Using CoolWhip or any artificial food.

My culinary specialties include: Salads with homemade dressings,ethnic soups chock-full of vegetables, asparagus and cheese sauce,hummus and rhubarb crisp.

My most infamous kitchen disaster: When I was newly married, Igave an autumn party for my husband Marty's office staff. One of theguests was a vegetarian; so, instead of preparing my favorite carrotsoup recipe, which contains chicken stock, I made a pumpkin soupfrom a recipe in a well-known vegetarian cookbook. The soup wasvile; and, to my great unhappiness, the vegetarian guest consumed avast quantity of an appetizer containing bacon, of all things.

My most-used cookbook: I consult Joy of Cooking for reliabletechnical information on cooking. For recipes, I now use theInternet more than printed cookbooks. I visit www.allrecipes.com andsearch for recipes using the ingredients I have on hand.

The culinary goal I have not yet achieved: A flaky pie crust.

The person who most appreciates my cooking: My 16-year-olddaughter Lili's friend Cameron, who calls me Mother Child, afterJulia Child. She nearly swoons if I make crepes for breakfast whenshe sleeps over. Our dog, a Bichon Frise named Chloe, is my secondgreatest fan and constant kitchen companion.

If I had my own cooking show, it would be called: Cooking Aroundthe Seasons.

Two spices that best reflect my personality: I use Chinese five-spice powder instead of cinnamon in fruit pies or crisps for anadded, unexpected zing; and people do comment that I am much morefun after they get to know me! I put lots of garlic in my foodbecause it is healthy and earthy.

I have a well-developed knack: Of being able to read a recipe andimagining how it will taste.

I am most known for the following dish: A homemade salad dressingthat my daugher, when she was young, called Mama's Famous Dressing.The recipe appears below:

First, prepare this vinaigrette.

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon tamari (naturally brewed soy sauce)

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon Bell's poultry seasoning

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Grating of fresh black pepper

Shake ingredients in a jar with a lid.

Prepare salad.

41/2 ounces (spring mix) greens

1/2 to 3/4 cup dried cranberries or diced dried apricots, or acombination

1 cup spring onions or purple onions, cut in rings

3/4 cup feta cheese

1 cup sesame sticks or croutons

Place greens in a serving bowl. Top with the dried fruits and theonions.

Toss with enough well-shaken dressing to coat. (Refrigerate anyremaining dressing for another meal.)

Garnish with feta cheese and sesame sticks or croutons.

Variations: Instead of dried fruit, use 1 to 2 cups chopped freshfruit that is in season. You might use strawberries, raspberries,blueberries, blackberries, apples or firm pears.

Add some grilled chicken for a one-dish summer meal.