04 June 2008

Strawberry delight.

It's funny how things change, sometimes so quickly. I've always enjoyed a good meal. I've especially always enjoyed a good dessert. But I grew up a picky picky little thing. If you've known me long, you know I didn't even start eating pizza until spring of 05. Yes, you heard that right. NO pizza, for 26 years. Just didn't like it. Then the changes slowly came... I ate my first tomato two summers ago, my first pepper around the same time. And now, there's almost nothing I won't try, and there's so little left I can honestly say I don't like. I still don't believe in purple food. I still won't eat a resturaunt pickle. Keep your peas away from me, but I don't even freak out if one sneaks into my mouth.

I was laying in bed this morning, and I realized that local and seasonal and god forbid organic didn't even register on my radar two years ago. It seems preposterous to me. How can that be so? But I'm nearly certain this was the case. How did I survive with no Farmer's Market? Eating crapass tomatoes during the winter, but not even knowing the difference? I probably had never even seen a Made in Michigan label -- not even when I worked at the horrendous Love From Michigan in high school (all China!). That's nearly 27 years in a food haze! Alas, I have seen the light, and it's amazing how much my life is consumed by shopping and cooking and reading cookbooks and thinking about seasons and locations and happy meat. Which brings me today, when, despite another crappy week, another crappy day (and a headache threatening to rear its ugly head), the first spring strawberries at the Farmer's Market made everything all better.

*Eternal thanks to Sara for raving about Barbara Kingsolver, which led me to Animal Vegetable Miracle, which led me to a much richer, happier, and satisfying food life. I think Brad's belly thanks you, too.

4 comments:

Sara said...

Oh, this made my night. Even though it's super late and I should be in bed for my 6am wake up instead of reading this. Still haven't gotten my hands on any local produce, so I'm jealous. But this week. It's been on my mind a lot. And to Brad's belly, you're welcome. ;) And sooo glad you like pizza now. So perplexing. haha.

Birgles McGee said...

How about I hire you to come cook dinner for me every night? Puh-leeese? Otherwise I'm forever doomed to a world of tasteless frozen burritos. You and Brad can adopt me...Birgit Church...it has a nice ring to it.

And that skillet lasagna a blog down looks divine! Yummy! I HATE cooking, but that's a recipe I might actually try.

Lady Lisa said...

awww. Such an inspiring post, it almost makes me tear up a little. :'-) And I shared your hate of peas.....until I met the sugar snap variety. Peas in a can = GROSS. Peas growing on a vine in my garden eaten fresh? Pure Delish. I'm so glad we each found this love of local and organic, and can share it during our weekly market dates. Just wait until there's actually tons of produce. Then our blogs will be bursting at the seams with photo's and recipes of goodness!

Jack Francis said...

There's only one thing worse than a cat sneaking into your room and sucking out your breath, and that's when an unscrupulous pea comes rolling in surreptitiously and sneaks its way into your mouth. Many are the the nights that I've woken up screaming, spitting intruder peas up into the bedroom sky where they've hit my rapidly rotating ceiling fan blades and then gone ricocheting off the unfeeling bedroom walls.

It's hard to imagine the horror of this scenarios unless you've been there, and I hope for your sake that you haven't. Sleep with a pea-guard mouth insert. Available now wherever fine pea gear is sold.