So, here it is, my One Local Summer Meal for this week--a Quichey/Tart Thing. The crust is mostly not local, except for the basil from my garden (it is made from three types of nuts, parmesan cheese, basil, oats, whole wheat and flax meal), but the rest is all local. Thick-shelled, orange-yolked eggs from Chad. Eggplants, peppers, and those Organic Gardening orange tomatoes from Stephanie and Rob's garden. A little bright red jalapeno that I just discovered in my garden. And, of course, a side of chopped lamb's quarters, which, as you know, we consume like we're vacuum cleaners. The lamb's quarters is flowering now, by the way, which makes it extra sweet and yummy.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg for yesterday's big local food news. First, my friend emails me with his exciting discovery and I race over there to deliver lamb's quarters and to see for myself. YES! His neighbor has no less than SEVEN mature, full-of-just-ripening-fruit FIG TREES surrounding his house.
"How can you have lived here all these years and not know this?" I ask, incredulously, as bees buzz drunkedly from fig to fig.
He doesn't answer me, because we both know the answer. Because we all pass treasures every day and don't notice them.
Sure enough, while out in my WalkShed later in the day, I see a tree that looks like it has figs on it, but the leaves are not the clearly identifiable leaves of a fig tree. I walk down the slope of the land to see the tree closer. And, lo and behold, it's an apple tree with little tiny apples on it! Right there, moments from my home, where I have lived for almost 12 years. And I have never noticed it before.
And then, then, I see muscadine vines growing like kudzu up and around bushes and trees and fences. Muscadines! Right there. Muscadines are globe-shaped, thick-skinned grapes that are native to the South and are a particularly unique eating experience. They come in various colors, but the green ones have the lucky distinction of being named one of the great words in the English language--scuppernongs.
Oh, and I forgot to tell you about my friend's back lawn. Weeds from end to end, including some beautiful deep purple ones that look like tatsoi.
"I bet that would make a great salad," I say.
And he nods.
What a banner day for local foraging.
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1 comments:
Congratulations on all of your great finds! It's like being a kid in a candy store all over again, isn't it?
My husband and I have discussed many times this phenomena of how we just don't see things that are right there in front of our faces, not until we are ready to see them.
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