Here at the Recipe Club, we’re huge fans of Anne Burrell. Her debut cookbook, Cook Like a Rock Star (Clarkson Potter, 2011) is one of our favorites to-date, and we’re already getting pumped for her next cookbook, Own Your Kitchen, which is due out this October. While we’re waiting for the new cookbook from Anne, we’ve been enjoying watching her on Chef Wanted with Anne Burrell on Thursday nights at 10:00pm on Food Network. If you’re not watching this show, you’re missing out!

When working with groups and individuals, I have often used this classic meditation exercise. Each participant takes one raisin and concentrates on the experience of eating it—from first enjoying its texture and aroma to gradually chewing and savoring the taste. When they stop to focus on this exercise, people are always amazed at how much flavor is contained in one tiny fruit and how many sensations arise from it.

Tama Wong, author of Foraged Flavor, is the on the forefront of this growing movement. A number of people have contacted her to say that they are excited by the idea of finding delicious food in their backyard or garden planter but they still have some questions. We’ve posted some of the most frequently asked questions, and Tama has shared them with our readers! If you have any questions about foraging, please feel free to leave a comment in the comment field below. Happy foraging!

Jessica Dorfman Jones’ novel, Klonopin Lunch, takes readers through her journey of self-discovery and unleashing her inner bad girl. We asked her a few questions (we couldn’t help it if they were mostly food-related) about stress baking, recipes and her fascinating journey.

“My first Thanksgiving in the U.S. was in 1986. I was invited by the first farmers I met in Union Square to celebrate with them in upstate New York. I remember it feeling a lot like Christmas, since I wasn’t used to celebrating Thanksgiving. We ate sweet potato gratin, swiss chard with bacon, cranberry chestnut stuffing and a traditional roasted turkey. My favorite part of the meal was the pecan, apple and pumpkin pie.”