Posts Tagged “spring”
We finally scored a couple of bunches of ramps. Now what do we do with them? First off we pickled the white and red ends of most of them – so they would last a little longer. Then we used the green wings to make biscuits. And a frittata. And spring minestrone. And a pesto.
There is a moment late in March in my part of the world when the world changes. If you look closely, you will notice tiny chartreuse sprouts poking up through the ground that were not there the day before. And then, if you are watching for it, within a week, you will also notice that first robin beaking for food around the no-longer-dormant ground that you’ve seen since maybe September.
Spring.
Garlic soup happens to be a perfect soup for this brink-of-summer season. It’s not what you would think. It’s sweet and smooth and creamy and it’s good hot, cold or room temperature. I dare you to try it. I double-dare you.
I kind of made up this recipe based on several savory cheese scone recipes I found. They are both very satisfying and remarkably light. And they have bacon in them. And cheese. And did I mention ramps? You seriously want to try these. Your mouth will thank you.
Ramps are wild leeks and look pretty much like green onions – if green onions had wide green wings to unfurl. They are sweet and a little pungent – like a cross between young spring onions and garlic. But they’re also just a funky enough that you know they are a wild flora and not cultivated. They’re the first fresh, locally grown produce of the spring and they’re barely available for even a month, heralding the arrival of asparagus, fiddlehead ferms, and garlic scapes.
Small plates are all the rage. Sometimes just a taste is all you need to get a picture of what’s going on. Here are a few Tastings – from the magic of seasonal foods to eating well in the season of losing weight.
“Keys to Our Kitchens” became my first blueprint for cooking. To this day, some of the best things that have ever come out of my kitchen were created – or inspired – from that homespun Women’s Club cookbook: Turkey Tetrazzini, cornbread oyster stuffing for that turkey, rice waffles, gumbo, brownies-from-scratch. The pages are deeply stained from use. The binding barely holds together. It is a treasured part of my life.
We get up early and we head out to a local neighborhood restaurant/bar serving brunch. Very rock and roll. Servers are all casual, young and inked. But this one is not exactly your ordinary joint in the ‘hood. This one just happens to be Longman & Eagle and it boasts a bone fide Michelin star.
The family farmers at the Green City Market, whether they are raising vegetables or fruits or animals for dairy or meat, are an inspiring bunch of people. They have taken on sustaining the production of food from family farms to family homes.
