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For a taste of the top delicacies being made in the West, check out these 50 places. You'll find regional cheeses, Mexican sweets, and homemade specialty sausages. Yes, often it's [...]

SERVES 4 TO 6 AS A MAIN COURSE | 40 MINUTES Light, fluffy quinoa cooks in practically no time and is incredibly versatile--you can add it to just about any [...]

Traditional holiday sweets sometimes seem too old-fashioned, or like more trouble than they're worth. Mincemeat and English-style plum pudding, for instance, must be made months in advance from long lists […]

After the presents are opened and the stockings are turned inside out, Christmas Day can seem like one long spell of "some assembly required" until supper. So try hosting an […]

When Sean Yontz was growing up, holidays were all about food in his large Hispanic family. "Everybody got together at my grandmother's house for an enormous meal: posole, menudo, tamales," […]

Bright green peas, with their fresh flavor and sweet crunch, are one of the most welcome signs of spring. They're delicious in all their guises--sturdy sugar snaps, translucent young snow […]

With eggs to decorate and food to prepare, finding a simple, family-friendly way to celebrate Easter can be as tricky as finding that last hidden egg. That's why our fun […]

A few months ago, we asked readers to tell us which recipes from Sunset have become their weeknight favorites. We expected to be reminded of easy, delicious dishes that we […]

On a warm Saturday afternoon in early August the arbor shaded produce stand filled with baskets of ripe fruit is busy. The sunlight glittering on the surface of nearby Skaha […]

No dessert combines elegance and charm quite like a homemade layer cake. We mark the milestones of our lives, from birthdays to graduations, with cakes, and making a great one […]

Some gardens, like some hosts, really know how to throw a party. With the right mix of recreation areas, conversation nooks, and inviting plantings, a great party garden invites guests […]

Zakuski--Russian appetizers--got their start as just a little something to nibble with vodka. Even though the word means "little bites," zakuski evolved into a lavish spread of hors d'oeuvres. The […]

Eric Gower's cooking freely mixes Japanese ingredients and Western ideas, but don't call it fusion. He thinks of his cooking as a break with sometimes limiting traditions, and the title […]

Polenta--onetime food of peasants--now consorts with the grandest roast meats on restaurant menus. Chefs here in the West are putting delicious spins on the dish, giving it great holiday potential. […]

Grilled chicken is an all-American summer classic, perfect for a picnic or a backyard dinner. But when you soak it in a buttermilk brine for extra moist and tender results […]

There's no more exhilarating way to spend a winter weekend than by renting a mountain cabin for a few days of skiing with friends or family. All too often, though, […]

Rich, elaborate meals can be welcome at the holiday season; after a few, though, sometimes we all need a break. This stylish dinner party for six is a relaxing change […]

When I say I live in Bernal Heights, nobody seems to know where it is. But this southerly San Francisco neighborhood is easy to spot from the far reaches of […]

Mother's Day brunch is a tradition, but all too often it means a morning of fighting crowds in a restaurant or an afternoon of cleaning up at home. Instead, head […]

A shop where play's the thing Sacramento's art scene grows bigger every year, and Midtown, just east of the capitol-dominated downtown, is its creative core. Galleries come alive during the [...]

CHICKEN THIGHS PEPERONATA SERVES 4 TO 6 / 30 MINUTES Roasting the chicken and vegetables in the same pot makes for a rich, sweet-tart dish. Serve with crusty bread to [...]

The author offers advice on helping a friend or family member who experiences struggles in caregiving. The author relays her experience as a caregiver for her husband who is suffering from lymphoma and discusses offering a space for the caregiver for a full range of their emotions, running errands for the caregiver, and the importance of informal community networks.

Artists call it home What was once a wasteland of auto body shops and shuttered warehouses has become the city's creative core. At its heart is Verge Center for the [...]

Celery fennelsalad with preserved lemon and dates SERVES 10 TO 12 | 50 MINUTES If you cantfind preserved Lemons to buy, they're easy to make (see sunset. com for a [...]

Why go now: The weather's pitch perfect, the vines are emerald green, and new wineries and tasting rooms are sprouting up overnight. Another reason? ZinFest (May 13-15; zirtfest.com), a three-day [...]

LAMB SHOULDER CHOPS with GREEN OLIVES and LEMON SERVES 4/45 MINUTES Meaty and less expensive than lamb loin chops, shoulder chops need to cook a little longer to soften. They're [...]

Sonoma County day trip Sebastopol Why go now: To do your Thanksgiving shopping the fun way. Farm-hopping: The peaceful, scenic countryside around Sebastopol has everything you need for your feast [...]

Spicy Indian tomato shorba SERVES 6 | 1 HOUR In sizzling tropical summers, spicy foods have a paradoxically cooling effect. This aromatic soup is traditionally served hot, but we've chilled [...]

Sacramento day trip Midtown Why go now: Sacramento's happening Midtown has spawned perfect-for-December hot spots with great eats mixed right in with the shopping, so you can warm up and [...]

I'M PADDLING ABOUT in the South Yuba when two fellow river devotees shoot past. Feet first, they slide between a pair of ancient granite boulders and land below me in […]

South Yuba River State Park holds rewards for a bit of hiking: deep, clear, refreshing spots for swimming. The 20-mile-long park has four access points; head to Bridgeport for a […]

A perfect all-in-one meal, calzones are a hearty way to tuck several food groups into one compact package. Easy to vary, easy to make. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Our simple recipe uses […]

At restaurants from Vij's Restaurant and Rangoli in Vancouver, B.C., to Crossing the Bar in San Francisco and Tantra in Los Angeles, chefs are creating a new hybrid of Indian-French […]

Layer the ingredients for homemade cocoa in a jar, add a ribbon and a tag, and you have a simple but stylish gift. Our mixes will fill 1-quart jars (12 […]

Rhubarb seems to be one of those love-it-or-hate-it foods, and I've never really understood why. Its perfectly lovable, tartly refreshing taste is wonderful in simple desserts. Bake it with sugar […]

When the urge for spring menus hits before spring vegetables do, use abundant winter produce--earthy beets, crunchy cabbage, tart apples, or sweet fennel--to make refreshing, light-tasting winter salads. Perfect for […]

Is there anything more delicious, more purely self-indulgent, than a square of dark, creamy fudge or a piece of crunchy, buttery toffee? And when it's homemade, the treat is sweet […]

Citrus fruits, miraculously, peak just when almost everything else is decidedly out of season, bringing sweetness and light to a month that could use a little brightening up. The variety […]

Fall announces itself with a hint of coolness in the air and late afternoon's golden light, but its best harbinger is the sudden profusion of juicy apples--pale green, russet, and […]

My grandmother had a way with egg whites. Not only did she make the best lemon meringue pie in the world, but she also used egg whites to produce a […]