LOS ANGELES — One afternoon, as I was preparing a Southern meal for friends coming over for dinner, I realized I had forgotten to make the cornbread. But since I keep all the ingredients on hand at all times, I knew I wouldn’t have a problem quickly baking a round. However, as I searched through my pantry, I saw that I had no cornmeal left, but in its place on the shelf, a lone bag of masa harina. “Corn for corn,” I thought and decided to use it to make my cornbread.

In Tunisia, partiers and laborers line up during the pre-dawn hours for the same thing — steaming bowls of lablabi, a hearty soup of chickpeas and stale baguette that tastes so much better than it sounds.

Here’s a hearty, vegetable gratin with a crunchy, cheesy topping. A gratin is a dish that has a cheese and breadcrumb crust. This is a one-pot vegetarian meal that can be made ahead and rewarmed. You can add any type of vegetables you have on hand and use this recipe as a guide for the amounts.

Dorsett golden apples and blossoms are seen in Captain Cook

An unusual jar of honey and a ripping hot sheet pan were the keys to remaking what too often can be a forgettable side dish — roasted carrots.

A honu is glides toward a snorkelers camera at Kahalu’u Bay.

Since our current weather pattern seems to be offering some long dry spells, it might be worth considering planting some drought tolerant herbs. Though many are locally available that offer fragrance as well as culinary and medicinal uses, lavender remains one my favorites. When properly placed and attended several lavender varieties grow well in Kona. Known as a Mediterranean plant, lavender is a wonderfully fragrant herb that is well-suited for Hawaiian gardens. Grown primarily for its fragrance, you may also find recipes for its inclusion in food and drinks as well as in remedies.

Put your warm blankets and cozy comforts away because spring is here, bringing with it plenty of fresh inspiration for home decor.

Purple flowers bloom amid aloe and other foliage on the Big Island.

A cactus shows its beauty at Old Kona Airport Park.

MES AYNAK, Afghanistan — The ancient Buddha statues sit in serene meditation in the caves carved into the russet cliffs of rural Afghanistan. Hundreds of meters below lies what is believed to be the world’s largest deposit of copper.

A torch ginger blooms in Kona.

The Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island would like to acknowledge the Max and Yetta Karasik Family Foundation for its recent grant donation of $45,000.

Surfers catch the last waves of the day as the sun sets over Kua Bay.

A Brassolaeliocattleya orchid blooms in Waikoloa.

Not too long ago, few Americans ate garlic.

Alpinia Purpura ginger blooms brightly in the Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve Garden.

The secret to a great fried rice is all in the leftovers.

The sun prepares to dip below the horizon in this photos taken in South Kona.