Seasonal Ingredient Map

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Thu May 29, 2008 12:26 pm

This is cool.

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguide ... redientmap

I found the link at this blog -- it's interesting. I think the CSA sounds interesting, too.

http://adventuresineatinglocally.blogspot.com/

blueskighs · Post by **blueskighs** » Thu May 29, 2008 5:48 pm

wosnes,

Cool.
Going to your local farmer's market also works well

But I know you know that

Bluskighs

NoelFigart · Post by **NoelFigart** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:54 pm

My local farmer's market opened today.

Bliss, sweet bliss.

I had a fridge full of produce, so I only got REAL eggs, some rosemary and some honey.

BUT...

I got to scope it out and plan what to hold out and get until next week. The greens look wonderful, and I'm gonna treat myself to some elk (there's a local game farmer. Ummmm grass-fed meat).

I tried a little cup of raw milk. DAMN, that stuff is good, ya know? I'm buying a gallon of that next week.

I wish I could eat like that all year.

OrganicGal · Post by **OrganicGal** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:02 pm

me too Noel

Mavilu · Post by **Mavilu** » Fri May 30, 2008 12:37 am

I've been wanting to get a CSA membership for the longest while, but the only one that ships near enough our home (Rancho San Miguel) is still prohibitely expensive for just two people and we have to drive to the pick up place every week, which is a trip in itself.
I wish there would be more options for those that do want to do this kind of stuff!
But we do have a farmer's market fairly near, though; it reminds me of the all too common vegetable and fruit stores in my country; I kinda miss those.

blueskighs · Post by **blueskighs** » Fri May 30, 2008 2:24 am

But we do have a farmer's market fairly near, though

Mavilu,

do you ever go?

Blueskighs

Mavilu · Post by **Mavilu** » Fri May 30, 2008 6:14 am

blueskighs wrote:
But we do have a farmer's market fairly near, though
Mavilu,

do you ever go?

Blueskighs

Why, yes!, it is out of the way, but it's not too far away.
Unfortunately, though, it's a very small store, so there isn't scores and scores of stuff, but I do enjoy buying whatever they've got.

blueskighs · Post by **blueskighs** » Sat May 31, 2008 1:42 am

mavilu,
I go every saturday morning whether I want to or not

why, the food tastes better. My husband who grew up on a farm says it is because the food is picked later, i.e. it is allowed to ripen on the vine.

Do you notice that with produce from your market? I don't know what CSA is but even if they have same stuff at grocery would rather get at Farmer's market cause it has so much more flavor.

What is CSA?

Blueskighs

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Sat May 31, 2008 2:16 pm

CSA is Community Supported Agriculture. This describes it well and will lead you to one near you.

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

CrazyCatLady · Post by **CrazyCatLady** » Sat May 31, 2008 3:50 pm

I live in a rural area. I will be more mindful of taking the time to stop to purchase local options. I actually have a neighbor (less than a mile away) who puts a trailer full of produce in their front yard each summer. I will stop and get fresh produce more often! They have the best tomatoes, and lots of other stuff.

I have also seen signs locally where people sell eggs. I have determined to stop and check it out.

Thanks for the reminder. With the cost of gas rising, our friends and neighbors need all the financial support we can give them. And we will get fresher, healthier groceries, too! A win win situation!

Mavilu · Post by **Mavilu** » Sat May 31, 2008 11:56 pm

blueskighs wrote:Do you notice that with produce from your market? I don't know what CSA is but even if they have same stuff at grocery would rather get at Farmer's market cause it has so much more flavor.

Blueskighs

Yes, especially tomatoes, the supermarket ones just plain suck.
I also appreciate the fact that farmer's markets have produce that it's normal size and not the monstruosities you normally see in the supermarket; we are two people living and eating together, I don't need to buy onions that weight a lb each, just so I can use a fraction for the both of us and then have to store the oxydizing rest in the fridge, or giant lemons or ginormous zucchinis or whatever gigantic produce they sell nowadays.

blueskighs · Post by **blueskighs** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 4:37 am

Mavilu,

it is just two here too. I pretty much buy all my produce at Farmer's market, if they don't have something THEN if I really want it or need it for a particular recipe I go to regular market. I can appreciate what you are saying about normal size produce

I don't know how populated the area you live in is, but the farmer's market closest to us has grown immensely over past 7 years. For a few years I drove to one closer to down town cause it was larger, but with gas it is just too far of a drive.

Maybe yours will grow!

wosnes,

thank you for explanation of CSA I will check out link

CrazyCatLady,
good luck with your adventures. I don't know what impelled me to try farmer's market years ago .. oh yes it was a $1.00 off coupon on any purchase in our community paper

Anyway, I was hooked from the beginning. Sometimes I hate going but I hate worse not having tomatos that actually look and smell like tomatos or fruit that actually tastes like fruit and not water

it is cool as you go and the produces changes through the year ... I was not really in touch with that until I started going to farmer's market regulary ... ok I can wax on forever about locally grown produce

Blueskighs

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 11:51 am

My daughter and I went out to dinner last night. Nothing special -- more going out because no one would have to cook -- or clean up. We went to a well-known chain restaurant and both had a salad. Not only was it "nothing special" -- it was flavorless! The entire time I was eating mine I was thinking that I had all the ingredients at home -- the greens fresh from the farmer's market -- and not only could I have made the salad, it would have tasted much better.

blueskighs wrote:My husband who grew up on a farm says it is because the food is picked later, i.e. it is allowed to ripen on the vine.

Some time ago I was watching Paula Deen on the Food Network and she was on vacation with her family -- I can't remember where, but some place in the Caribbean. She mentioned that the bananas tasted so much better than they did at home. It was because they were allowed to ripen on the tree rather than being picked green, shipped and ripening en route or in the store or in our kitchens.

Food from the farmer's market or CSA is so much better than food from the grocery!

This is another place I want to check out locally:

http://www.goinglocal-info.com/my_weblo ... own-g.html

We've had a pretty cool, wet spring. Much of what was supposed to be available in May is just starting to be available. Plenty of asparagus, though.

Well, anyway...I'm getting so spoiled by really good food!

CrazyCatLady · Post by **CrazyCatLady** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:56 pm

I remembered that I also have several apple orchards within miles of my house! I like to take the kids apple picking...talk about fresh flavor! We always eat one (or two) apples as we pick them! We didn't go at all for the last two summers as my husband was out of work and we were definitely pinching pennies. We will get back in that habit this summer!

Our "farmers market" is an open air store that runs all summer, but they actually have some produce from out of state. Its the only one I have ever seen like that! Our town and the neighboring town have one day farmers markets where the actual growers of the produce come and sell their items. Unfortuanately, I am at work when those markets are open. But I will stop for my local (neighbor) produce more than I have in the past!

I would urge everyone to check if they have an apple orchard nearby. Whether you pick the apples yourself, or buy them by the bag, they are just so sweet and delicious!

Wosnes....isn't that nice that you can figure out a quick and easy way to throw dinner together at home, and it will taste better and be healthier too? And the clean up will probably be quicker than the drive to the restaurant!

blueskighs · Post by **blueskighs** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 9:28 pm

We've had a pretty cool, wet spring. Much of what was supposed to be available in May is just starting to be available. Plenty of asparagus, though.

wosnes
I don't know ... I just think there is something so COOL about eating food based on real weather conditions ... !

I remembered that I also have several apple orchards within miles of my house! I like to take the kids apple picking...talk about fresh flavor!

CrazyCat Lady
oh my gosh that sounds so fun and so delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blueskighs

Mavilu · Post by **Mavilu** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 6:55 am

blueskighs wrote:Mavilu,

I don't know how populated the area you live in is, but the farmer's market closest to us has grown immensely over past 7 years. For a few years I drove to one closer to down town cause it was larger, but with gas it is just too far of a drive.

Maybe yours will grow!

Blueskighs

Oh, I don't know... we live pretty near "cow country", Chino, that is, and this one farmer's market is nearby a lot of farms, yet, it's been the same little store for years now, but one can dream!.

Our house is located in what used to be citrus plantations and so everybody around has remains of the trees that were used commercially; the scent of the orange and lemon flowers in the air around this time of year is simply delicious.
We use what we can from our property, avocados, lemons, oranges, figs, we used to have plums, but the gofers ate the tree, we used to pick almonds, but eventually we figured that the war with the jays over them wasn't one we were going to win, so, no almonds for us and we have olives as well, but I've never cured them and, honestly, I don't dare to try that yet.
We also have herbs, albeit they are a bit wild by now and they suffer horribly from our dog, erm, scenting them, so, it's very little we can use.
This year, I'm trying growing them in pots well over our dog's head so I can use them.

This year, too, I'm trying my hand at growing shallots and garlic and we were thinking of buying a tomato plant kit, we'll see how that goes.

We have a pretty wild yard; we've got wild rabbits, racoons, ground squirrels, all kinds of birds, lizards, frogs, the rare bear visit to the fruit trees now and then, the works and we like it that way, otherwise, we would like to have a little growing patch.
Maybe we can grow stuff in a bunker!.

What point was I trying to make?, er, yes!, fresh produce is the way to go in all levels, if one has the opportunity, time and means to chose their produce, the more power to them!.

blueskighs · Post by **blueskighs** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 1:49 am

Mavilu,

your yard sounds lovely and FUN!

Figgies!!!!!!! Yum yum yum. I did not eat figs until we went to Italy and we went to this HUMONGOUS farmer's market close to the vatican. Figs were in season. They call them "figgies" probably more likely spelled "figgis' OH MY GOSH ... fresh juicy ripe figs to die for!

The ones at our farmer's market are not as good as the ones in Italy were but sometimes they are close.

Do you eat your figgies

?

Blueskighs

CrazyCatLady · Post by **CrazyCatLady** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 2:16 am

Driving home from work today I saw a sign for fresh strawberries for sale. I pulled into the driveway, and there was a little boy of about 10 years old. I bought 2 pounds of strawberries freshly picked from his garden for $6. And as I was leaving his Mom said that next week she will have jam for sale. I'm not sure if I have ever had homemade strawberry jam, but I know homemade grape jelly is AWESOME!

I drive past on my way to and from work, so I'll have to pick some up!

I didn't even think about No S, and started munching strawberries on the way home. Although I want to learn NOT to mindlessly nosh in the car just because I happen to have food, in this case I decided to eat a bowl of strawberries (after I got home) as I fixed a quick dinner, so I could consider it part of dinner and not blow my successful week. Perhaps a stretching of the No S rules, but I really think those berries gave me a much healthier meal! And they were delicious!

I'm looking forward to the rest of the local produce!

Mavilu · Post by **Mavilu** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:12 am

Oops, I forgot to check on this thread!.
CatCrazyLady, homemade grape jelly, my oh my, I would love to experience that, my mouth is watering just to think about it.

blueskighs wrote:Mavilu,

your yard sounds lovely and FUN!

Figgies!!!!!!! Yum yum yum. I did not eat figs until we went to Italy and we went to this HUMONGOUS farmer's market close to the vatican. Figs were in season. They call them "figgies" probably more likely spelled "figgis' OH MY GOSH ... fresh juicy ripe figs to die for!

The ones at our farmer's market are not as good as the ones in Italy were but sometimes they are close.

Do you eat your figgies ?

Blueskighs

You've gone to Italy, how nice, I have family there and a childhood friend, as well and I have been invited to visit, but there's always something that prevents me from going.
I would personally move there, too bad my husband wouldn't.
Did you do the "agro-tourism" thing over there or you just stayed in an urban area?.

And yeah, we eat the figs, but they are many more than we can eat, so, for a couple of years, I would take them to class and give a giant box to one of my teachers, who loved fig and anybody else could get the rest, but, classes changed and I started taking them with people that didn't know me and they were wary of the "free fruit".
But maybe we could sell them... my husband always says that we should sell avocados.
I just thought that doing so was illegal in the U.S., though.

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 11:52 am

wosnes
I don't know ... I just think there is something so COOL about eating food based on real weather conditions

Oh, it is COOL to eat food based on real weather conditions and actual supply -- not something shipped in from CA or somewhere else. After so much flooding here and in IA (not to mention tornado damage) I wonder what things will be like this fall.

Mavilu, why would it be illegal to sell avocados here in the U.S?

blueskighs · Post by **blueskighs** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 4:43 pm

Did you do the "agro-tourism" thing over there or you just stayed in an urban area?.

Mavilu,

No we rented an apartment for three weeks in Rome. It was a lovely little apartment and we tried to be as much like locals as we could

we had so much fun, we took the train and spent a night in Assisi and went to visit the ruins .. Ostia Antica? otherwise we just got around to as much of Rome as we could ... there was plenty!

And since we were in an apartment it was fun to go the farmer's market and whip up some delish dishes with local produce!

Would love to go back but with exchange rates what they are probably not any time soon. But if we do go back again we want to go more into Tuscany and some of the rural areas,

Blueskighs

CrazyCatLady · Post by **CrazyCatLady** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 10:53 pm

BlueSkighs, that sounds like a lovely way to learn about Italy!

Mavilu, I hope someone will bring you some homemade jelly...it is so much better than the store stuff!

People around here just put a sign at the end of their driveway, and neighbors stop by for the produce. One place usually just has a wagon full of veggies, and little signs indicating the prices, and a cash box. It is probably attached to the wagon, but it would be easy for someone to drive off with the whole thing! Guess it pays to live in a safe area!

Mavilu · Post by **Mavilu** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 2:11 am

wosnes wrote: Mavilu, why would it be illegal to sell avocados here in the U.S?

No, I meant selling food without a permit, you do need one, you know.

Blueskighs, Rome, how nice!, so much history there, my family is waay up north, on the border with Switzerland, I always imagine that it must be lovely, if very cold over there.
Yes, the exchange rate is a deal breaker for us nowadays, hopefully, it'll be better eventually.

CatCrazyLady, your description reminds me of the out of the way places in California, where you do find a lot of little moms and pops stores, still.
I wish they would be more prevalent all over, though!.

Jessies Daughter · Post by **Jessies Daughter** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 11:48 pm

There is a wonderful young man in my neighborhood that runs his own, honor system, vegetable stand from May through January. During this time I buy all of my veggies from him, foregoing the supermarket entirely.

He picks twice a day so around 9:00 in the morning and around 6:00 in the evening there is fresh picked produce to be had.

In the Spring he has , Swiss chard, red, green, Bok Choy and Savoy Cabbage, Cauliflower, Spinach, various Lettuces, Brussels sprouts, Eggplant, red and yellow Onions Cucumbers, Banana peppers, yellow, red and green Peppers, Corn, yellow and zucchini squash, cantaloupe, sugar baby watermelons and not to mention the best vine ripened tomatoes in the world!

In the Fall, he has Kale, Mustard, Collard and Turnip greens. Turnip bottoms, Yams, beets and red and white potatoes.

I know I have missed something, because he has so much to offer.
The best part of buying local grown produce is the TASTE. I love the beet greens braised in a little olive oil and rice wine vinegar. The Corn is great 40 seconds in the microwave. The Wilted lettuce salads, grilled eggplant, and squash sandwiches are sooooo good. The Tomato pie and just plain old Tomato sandwiches are wonderful!!

I look forward to this plethora of local grown goodies!

blueskighs · Post by **blueskighs** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 12:31 am

these descriptions of neighbors and just plain nice people selling fresh produce is making my mouth water!

this saturday at the farmer's market the fruit was fresh, ripe and abundant! I picked up ranier cherries, bing cherries, plums and peaches.

after our "fruit!" thread I decided I was going to "clean up my plate" and add a lot more fruit! for the summer!

Mavilu,
up north in Italy? I am not so good with the geography? what is up there? it is lovely you have family there, hopefully the rates will improve while we are all still in good shape to travel!

Blueskighs

Mavilu · Post by **Mavilu** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 9:29 am

blueskighs wrote: Mavilu,
up north in Italy? I am not so good with the geography? what is up there? it is lovely you have family there, hopefully the rates will improve while we are all still in good shape to travel!

Blueskighs

Venice!
I wish I'd had family there, but they actually come from Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Piedmont.

blueskighs · Post by **blueskighs** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:10 pm

they actually come from Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Piedmont.

Oh!

Blueskighs