Time to say so long to summer foods and hello to meals perfect for a chilly evening, lovingly prepared in your cozy kitchen with continued appreciation for all that is locally produced.
A couple of years ago, I grew tired of my breakfast routine and tried starting my day with smoothies. Fruits, Greek yogurt, almond butter and red kale growing in my tiny garden patch – all went in the blender, with the occasional toasted nut and seeds.
Is it my imagination, or did the ice cream sandwiches of childhood taste better? You know the ones – vanilla ice cream snuggled between oblong chocolate wafer cookies. Back then, there was a pleasant snap of the cookies and a melting creaminess of the ice cream.
How lucky we are that corn and tomatoes are in season at the same time, because there is nothing better than an ear of buttered sweet corn next to sun ripened sliced tomatoes on your plate, adorned with nothing but a light sprinkle of your favorite salt.
A few years back I had the idea of growing my own blueberries. With sun gracing only the deck and mostly shade covering my yard, the blueberry bushes would be in large deck pots. I was warned by the neighborhood berry growers that critters loved blueberries and netting around each plant was the only method to deter poachers.
When you cook, you sometimes make mistakes. I cook a lot, and I make a lot of mistakes. It’s how I learn. Those cute little refrigerator magnets say it succinctly : Always Make New Mistakes.
Sometimes the muse taps me on the shoulder several times at the markets. She whispers in my ear “pssst..this would make a great combination – put these together and magic will happen”.
It’s almost time to do your patriotic duty and eat something red, white and blue. Naturally, summer’s berries will cover the red and blue, so let’s add something creamy like thickened and lightly sweetened Greek yogurt to cover all bases.
When you have the opportunity to see where and how your food is grown and raised, there comes an acute appreciation for the valiant efforts by farmers and ranchers to bring that food to market, and to your table. Bruce Johnson and his wife Katherine are the hardworking team of Dragonfly Farms bringing grass fed beef, lamb and goat to Richmond area farmer’s markets.
When I have overindulged in creamy, starchy foods, nothing makes me feel balanced like a meal-in-a bowl with lots of crunchy veggies and a little protein. There is no guilt associated with my heavier food phase, but rather an uncomfortable fullness and a food fatigue that calls for lighter fare.