Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Transitions

If you're alive and not conveniently dwelling in a Salinger-esque woodland retreat, you will almost certainly be aware that today is the first day of spring. Here in the northeast, of course, we have about a foot of snow, but elsewhere (and in some local greenhouses, I'm sure) the season of growth and renewal has actually begun.

In an effort to embrace that illusive seasonal feeling (and to get inspired for all the gardening I'll do), we trekked in to the annual Flower Show. We used to go every year, but with a venue change, admission price hike, and lack of interest, our attendance has fallen off in recent past. With heavy snows and a lot of unexpected downtime of late, I figured it was time to go back. Who doesn't love the smell of mulch, moist soil, and forced-growth flowers?

New Derby hat trend, perhaps?

Hello, lovely patio setting!

Of course, you might all guess the real reason I'm so eagerly anticipating the arrival of true spring... yes, I want my farmer's market back! Oh, to have fresh and local produce at my fingertips again. I'm determined to expand our veggie palates this summer: fried eggplant? Arugula salad? Leek soup? 


I guess you can tell I've been reading through my cookbooks lately. I feel dissatisfied by the foods currently available to me -- that is to say, the stuff I can stand buying at inflated prices (which somehow always retains that out-of-season, rubber quality) and attempting to make it palatable. I've managed to make a few decent meals, some of which I intend to keep and improve upon: chicken drumsticks, tri-tip steak, angel hair pasta with shrimp.

Well, we've enjoyed a nice extended season of this:


But I think it's time -- and then some -- for a little of, well, this:






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