Greetings Fellow Eaters,
Welcome to Spring!
I'm not a grower, but this time of year I
morph into some sort of primal planter. I
don't plan it and it is relatively short
lived--like a brief phase of sleep
walking--but one at a time, little pots of
growing things
start filling up my office window. One day,
a potted orchid--a birthday gift from a
friend--takes pole position. A few days
later, it's joined by my kids' jelly jar full
of wet paper towels and sprouting beans. A
week passes and I add the check-out impulse
buy of daffodils in an irresistibly
diminutive terracotta pot. Before I know it,
I've converted my office into a makeshift
cold frame and am thinking, seriously, about
how lovely it would be to turn the room into
a greenhouse and how much relative humidity a
Mac might be able to take.
I wish that the planting passion lasted
longer--I'd love to have a garden one day.
But once my CSA gets rolling and my supply of
real farmer-grown goods starts coming in my
attention turns to the kitchen and it's all
over for another year. Guess I have to leave
the growing to the pros.
Whether you're a gardener, a kitchen witch ,
an eater--or a bit of each--I'm sure you're
as excited as I am to get into this season of
fresh, local things. In this month's
Sustainable Solutions, a few ideas for this
turn of the calendar!
Keep it Real,
Sherri
First Taste of Spring
Springtime, you wicked tease! Visions of pea
tendrils snake through my food dreams but my
local markets are still in root vegetable
mode. To add insult to injury, my Miami
friends are heckling me about the
fresh-picked strawberries they're digging
into. Here is a recipe that's just right
whether you are in full spring mode or
still swaddled in your long johns.
As You Like It, Potato Soup
Spring's debut harvest is such a thrill--even
if it's a single pea pod. But how do you
bring it to the table? Use this pureed
potato base as a backdrop for those first
sprigs of spring. Stretch your precious
peas--or other spring faves--by using them as a
spring-themed garnish. Or--if your crop is
coming fast and furious--blend in handfuls of
your bounty so that every mouthful is full of
fresh flavor.
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch
cubes
Enough stock or water to cover, about a
quart
1/4 cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons sour cream,
optional
Your favorite spring thing-anything from
4 peas or a few chives for a garnish to a
fist full of fresh watercress or asparagus
In a medium saucepan, saute onion in butter
over medium heat until translucent, about 5
minutes. Add potatoes and stock or water and
bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer
until potato is very soft, about 15 minutes.
(If you plan to blend spring ingredients
into soup, chop and add in the last five
minutes of cooking.) Puree with a stick
blender or in a regular blender (remember,
hot things are hot). Strain through a sieve
if desired. Add cream, season with salt and
pepper to taste. Divide between 4 bowls.
Dot each serving with a dollop of sour cream
and a pea or chive garnish, if you like.
Serves 4.
Word of the Month
CSA
A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program
gives you access to just-picked, fresh off
the farm food all season long. Here's how it
works. It's sort of like a subscription
model-you pay at the beginning of the growing
season and pick up, from the farm or a
satellite pick-up point, a "share" which is a
portion of the harvest as it ripens each week.
Eaters who join a CSA are often delighted not
only by the freshness and variety of the food
in their share but by the opportunity to
become more familiar with the farm and
farmers that nourish them and the community.
Prices and variety range for CSAs so you want
to shop around for one that fits your needs
and budget. Paying upfront can give some
eaters a bit of sticker shock, but when you
do the math you'll see that CSA shares will
save you money over the cost of buying
through a third party such as the
supermarket, particularly in season.
CSAs fill up quickly, so if you're interested
now is the time to sign up. Here are two
great resources for finding a CSA near you:
Shout Out!
I wanted to give a shout out to great cook and
dear friend Virginia Willis who has just
published her first book, Bon Appetit, Y'all.
It's full of updated twists on southern
classics. Let me tell you, as one collard
green lovin' chick, I am going to be working
my way through this one cover to cover. Way
to go VA! Check it out:
Appearances
3.27 Tiffin
Restaurant
Come to this combination lecture and lunch.
We'll talk about real food and enjoy a tasty
locally-sourced meal prepared by chef
Rachel Khanna.
4.27 Green Edge
Collaborative
Come on out for a chat about Sustainability
and hear about the great work GreenEdge is doing.
5.3-5.4 Maharishi
University of Management's
MUM's annual Eco Fair is all about the local
eating movement. I'm thrilled to be a part
of it.
Want to book a workshop, cooking demo, or
private cooking lesson? Drop me an email at
sherri@sherribrooksvinton.com and let's get
our cook on!
The Real Food Revival:
Aisle by Aisle, Morsel by Morsel
Buy the book! The Real Food Revival is for every
eater who wants to enjoy sustainably raised
foods.
Whether you're new to the real food movement
or an
old pro this book is full of tips and tricks for
reclaiming the food chain.
