Sedum: The Easy-Care Succulent Workhorse For American Gardens
Sedum is one of those plants that quietly solves problems in a yard.It covers bare soil, shrugs off heat, feeds pollinators, and still looks good when other perennials fade. Across the United States, gardeners use sedum in rock gardens, front-yard xeriscapes, pots on balconies, and even on green roofs over city sidewalks. These tough little…
Echeveria: Rosette Succulents That Look Like Living Flowers
If you’ve ever seen a plant that looks like a perfect flower made of leaves, you’ve probably met an Echeveria. These little rosettes sit on windowsills, rock walls, and patio tables. They come in soft blues, frosty greens, lilacs, pink edges, and even ruffled shapes that look like tiny cabbages. They’re tough, low-water succulents. But…
Agave In America: From Tough Desert Plant To Sweetener And Spirit
Agave sits at a crossroads of a lot of things we care about in the United States right now.It is a dramatic landscape plant.It is the base of tequila and mezcal.It is also the source of that pale gold “healthy” syrup on grocery shelves. Same plant family. Very different stories. In the Southwest you see…
Xocolatl: The Ancient Drink That Inspired Chocolate
Picture a clay cup in someone’s hands more than 1,500 years ago.Inside, a dark drink swirls. It smells like roasted beans, smoke, flowers, and chile. The top is crowned with a thick layer of foam. The liquid is bitter, strong, and full of energy. That drink is xocolatl. It is the ancestor of the hot…
Xoi: Sticky Rice With Many Personalities
Xoi is Vietnam’s way of saying sticky rice, and it has more moods than a whole shelf of breakfast cereal. In one bowl it feels like comfort food. In another it looks like a festival. In a third it acts like a full meal with meat, pickles, and herbs. Under all those toppings and colors,…
Xidoufen: Yunnan’s Golden Pea Soup From Street Stall To Your Stove
When you lift a spoon of xidoufen, it feels thick and silky at the same time. The color is pale gold. On top, you see a bright scatter of chili, garlic, and herbs. One sip gives you warmth from the peas, a little tingle from Sichuan pepper, and a sour edge that wakes you up.…
Xampinyons: The Humble Catalan Mushrooms That Fit Right Into American Kitchens
Getting To Know Xampinyons Xampinyons is the Catalan word for mushrooms, and in everyday cooking it usually means the same white button mushrooms you and I see in grocery stores, known to science as Agaricus bisporus. In Catalonia, people use xampinyons in cozy bar plates, slow stews, and simple home dishes. One famous tapa is…
Xnipec: Bright Yucatecan Heat You Can Bring To Your Table
The bowl looks simple at first. You see red onions in thin ribbons, tiny cubes of tomato, flecks of green cilantro, and bright bits of orange chile. Then the aroma hits. Citrus, chile, onion, and salt rise together, and the first bite lands like a flash of sun and fire at the same time. That…
Xouba: The Little Galician Sardine Finding A Home In American Kitchens
Meeting Xouba: A Tiny Sardine With A Big Story Xouba is the Galician word for a very small sardine. In Galicia, on Spain’s Atlantic coast, the word xouba usually means young European pilchard, the species Sardina pilchardus in the herring family. These fish are slim, silver, and blue-green on top. They live in big schools…
Xacuti: A Cozy Goan Curry You Can Bring Home
The first spoonful of xacuti feels like a warm blanket made of spice and coconut. The sauce is thick, deep orange, and full of roasted flavor. The meat is tender and rich. The whole dish tastes bold, but still calm and balanced. It is the kind of curry that makes a kitchen smell like a…