Peeking into our farm bags this time of year, we’re greeted with roots, greens and other winter harvest. Some would say the pickings are a bit slim now through February, but having recently returned from a journey through snow-covered eastern Iowa and northern Illinois, I’ve gained new appreciation for just how lucky we Californians are when it comes to locally grown food. Granted the diversity of crops narrows in the early months of the year – the juicy tomatoes of summer are but a faded memory. The harsh reality in frosty Iowa is that the growing season is still another two months down the road, so when you think about it, we’re pretty fortunate to have access to any local produce at all, when most of the country is turning to canned goods. In Iowa fresh fruits and vegetables are sourced south of the border right now and believe me, none of it compares with our local gifts.
That said, even I get a little bored thinking about greens and roots week after week, but my kitchen malaise is also symptomatic of an overall funk I drift into mid-January. Post-holiday motivation void – cold, gray weather midwinter slump – anyway you label it, not a pretty picture. What I’m trying for this week is not just about cooking. It’s about my psyche. So, I’m going to change it up a bit in the kitchen and see if that reenergizes the mood in general – add something unexpected to the mashed potatoes, serve a tart for dinner instead of dessert, stir beets into rice for a psychedelic twist on an Italian classic.
When you consider the many cuisines worldwide we can turn to for inspiration, it’s pretty easy to locate uncharted culinary territory. There are virtually endless possibilities for transforming fresh, locally grown celery, beets, turnips, romaine, dandelion greens and apples into delicious dishes, slightly out of the ordinary: food to reawaken dormant taste buds and power us out of midwinter blahs. Here’s just a few…
