I HAVE TWO FRIENDS IN ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA, who love fresh basil so much that they grow it year round in enormous whiskey barrels and

LEGEND HAS IT THAT THIS ADDICTIVE SPREAD/DIP was created about a century ago in a Louisville saloon and served with crackers to any customer ordering

“RUTH, HONEY,” BAWLS “HOPPIN’ JOHN” MARTIN Taylor over the phone to Ruth Fales at the Pinckney Cafe in Charleston, South Carolina. “I’m sending two hungry

Juicy and sweet, plums are a great fruit to serve to baby either alone or mixed with other fruit. MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS INGREDIENTS 6

Pears cook up quickly, pair well with other fruits, and yield a lot of juice, just like apples. Use any variety of ripe pear for

There is something so right about a fragrant, juicy peach, and your baby should begin to appreciate them from the moment he or she can

Nectarines are luscious when fully ripened. I recommend that you try to find nectarines, with either white or orange flesh, at your local farmers’ market

Cherries need to be combined with another fruit to give you a decent puree. I recommend apples, pears, or any of the stone fruits, such

Blueberries should be introduced to babies only after apples and pears. They need to be cooked with another fruit in order to produce a puree.

Apricots are tart and normally are paired with a sweeter fruit in jarred baby food. But if you are lucky enough to find them at