Riches! Riches!
I took booger to the Farmer's Market again today. We try to swing by there at least once a week, before we hit the grocery store. It is GORGEOUS.
Allow me to elaborate - tons and tons of fragrant Alabama peaches, piled into little slatted baskets. Big, red baskets full of bright green snap beans; those tiny, creamy new potatoes; purple onions; shiny zuchinni and yellow squash; and beautiful neon purple baby eggplant. Delicate little fresh peas and butter beans, huge vats of deep red tomatoes, and colorful piles of bell peppers. Dark purple plums. I swear, all you have to do is chop stuff, add a little olive oil and salt/pepper, and roast it in the oven. Or saute it quickly in some butter. Or throw it into a lively soup. Or toss it with hot pasta noodles and fresh herbs. Or braise it in a bit of apple cider to serve over ice cream. Or eat it raw, for God's sake!!!
They have crazy-fresh corn. Shuck it, cut it off the cob, then warm it in a skillet with some butter and salt/pepper. You will not believe you are just eating plain old corn! Freaking. Amazing.
Mississippi blueberries are popping up everywhere now. If you check in the Classifieds, you can even find farms where they let you pick it yourself. (That would be a fun activity with some older kids. When we were little, we LOVED picking blackberries at my grandparents' farm, and those bushes had THORNS. Blueberry bushes are beautifully thorn-free!) Booger loves blueberries in the mornings, and I heap them in my cereal, on top of frozen toaster waffles with a bit of vanilla yogurt, or on pieces of angel food cake with a dab of whipped cream.
So get out there and START EATING!! It's almost shameful how much great, cheap food is available right now.
Allow me to elaborate - tons and tons of fragrant Alabama peaches, piled into little slatted baskets. Big, red baskets full of bright green snap beans; those tiny, creamy new potatoes; purple onions; shiny zuchinni and yellow squash; and beautiful neon purple baby eggplant. Delicate little fresh peas and butter beans, huge vats of deep red tomatoes, and colorful piles of bell peppers. Dark purple plums. I swear, all you have to do is chop stuff, add a little olive oil and salt/pepper, and roast it in the oven. Or saute it quickly in some butter. Or throw it into a lively soup. Or toss it with hot pasta noodles and fresh herbs. Or braise it in a bit of apple cider to serve over ice cream. Or eat it raw, for God's sake!!!
They have crazy-fresh corn. Shuck it, cut it off the cob, then warm it in a skillet with some butter and salt/pepper. You will not believe you are just eating plain old corn! Freaking. Amazing.
Mississippi blueberries are popping up everywhere now. If you check in the Classifieds, you can even find farms where they let you pick it yourself. (That would be a fun activity with some older kids. When we were little, we LOVED picking blackberries at my grandparents' farm, and those bushes had THORNS. Blueberry bushes are beautifully thorn-free!) Booger loves blueberries in the mornings, and I heap them in my cereal, on top of frozen toaster waffles with a bit of vanilla yogurt, or on pieces of angel food cake with a dab of whipped cream.
So get out there and START EATING!! It's almost shameful how much great, cheap food is available right now.
Comments
Have you ever taken a look at The Art of Simple Food, by Alice Waters? It is a positively inspirational tome about cooking from fresh, seasonal produce. If you need any motivation, that's the place to look! The woman is amazing.
Saute shrimp in olive oil, garlic, onions, salt, and pepper. Throw in fresh summer corn and tomatoes right as the shrimp are finishing, and serve the whole thing over some rice. Or toast. Whatever.
Stacey- yum. But I usually throw all of that on the grill. Then again, this time of year, I'll throw just about anything on the grill!
Had to let you know that I tried your suggestion! YUM!
Smiles,
NB