Last week, I received an email from a local farmer who was one of my favorites at the Queen Anne market this summer. She wrote that she hoped I was surviving the winter’s meager produce selection. Reading this, I smiled. The local produce available this time of year may not be as varied or abundant as in the summer, but I’m quite happy with what I’m able to find at the winter farmers’ markets. Brussels sprouts and beets, leeks and kale, carrots and cauliflower; I love them all.
My sister has told me that, left to his own devices, her 4-year-old son Reed will eat an entire head of roasted cauliflower. That’s my nephew! I’ve recently taken to roasting cauliflower florets sliced thin (more edges to turn brown and crispy) and drizzled with a sauce of mustard, lemon juice and butter and/or olive oil. The last time I made this dish, one head of cauliflower wasn’t enough for me and Paul. Had Paul not been home, I would’ve finished the entire head myself. When I went to the market today, I planned to pick up another. The cauliflowers were so pretty that I bought three.
A couple of weeks ago, I arrived home from work to find Paul cooking a pot of curried carrot soup. Warmed with freshly grated ginger and curry powder, and swirled with wasabi-spiked sour cream, this soup is the best thing to happen to carrots in our house this winter. In a bit of serendipity, the recipe comes from Jesse Ziff Cool, owner of the Flea Street Cafe, where Paul and I had our rehearsal dinner.
The first tulips and hyacinths of the season are already here! Spring is coming, but winter is far from over. Today, at least, I’m in no hurry for the first tender bites of spring. Winter’s pleasures are enough.
Tags: 6 Comments
6 responses so far ↓
If I ever came home to my husband making curried carrot soup, I would fall to the floor swooning. Yum! Beautiful photos.
I should probably just decide to quit reading here between November and May - I only get agonized and jealous. Tulips! Spring?!
The roasted cauliflower does sound fantastic, though. Maybe there’s cauliflower somewhere around here. And I do get to go sledding, so that’s some comfort.
I am envious of your year-round farmer’s market. Luckily, we can still get lots of locally grown produce at the C0-0p, but it’s not the same as walking around a group of outdoor stalls.
we made the roasted cauliflower-mustard sauce today for lunch (along with some spinach pancakes from the health food store) and it was tops…altho’ i did some substituting with the mustard (using a tablespoon of mustard powder plus a tablespoon of spicy mustard in place of the dijon)…next time i make it, i’ll use less butter, too…i’ve finally found a way to enjoy cauliflower!
You have a real talent for photographing flowers and veggies!
Thanks for the beautiful fotos of farmer market here in Seattle.
I go to Ballard Farmer’s Market Sundays just to take in the colorful carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbages.
I am like you — at this point in our too cool winter looking for any signs of Spring.
best fishes,
Timothy