I am sitting in the Muddy Cup with a giant cafe au lait. My visit to the farmer’s market is all done. From the last part of February through about mid-March, I go through the market much more quickly than I do in the spring and summer or even the earlier months of winter. Even in Seattle where our climate is not so cold and snowy, by this time of year while the days are getting longer and longer, there still isn’t much in the way of produce. I spend more time chatting with farmer/producer friends and less time pondering what to buy before heading for my coffee.
When I first moved the family to being “locovore” and seasonal eaters, this was the hardest time of year for me. I would go to the market and see nothing but a few carrots, lots of Savoy cabbage, parsnips, jerusalem artichokes and some times brussel sprouts. I’d never really eatten parsnips (though I did know they were a favorite of Gub-Gub the pig in “Doctor Doolittle,”), jerusalem artichokes strongly resembled dahlia bulbs, my experience with brussel sprouts was limited to the overcooked ones my mother had made and cabbage goes in cole slaw, right. But now, 6 years into it, things have changed rather dramatically. Roasted Brussel sprouts are a family favorite. as are roasted parsnips. Parsnips also make a damn fine pureed soup. Stirfried cabbage and bacon is a favorite family dinner that, even if it isn’t, feels like something a Chinese mom would whip up. I’ve even found a recipe for the Jerusalem artichokes that doesn’t make 3/4 of the family go ewwww. In short, even in the darkest months, I can make a good tasty meal and never have to go near the food co-op. Now if I could only develop a habit of planning meals for the whole week in advance.
