Day 1: Mediterranean orzo salad with chickpeas (omit cucumbers – not in season)
Day 2: Black bean and chard quesadillas
Day 3: Homemade pizza, Tossed salad
Day 4: Grilled burgers, Campfire potatoes, Grilled asparagus
Day 5: Penne pasta with fresh pesto and greenhouse cherry tomatoes (local!)
Day 6: Tuna salad w/ fresh dill and radish, Orange ginger smoothie
Day 7: Chicken, asparagus, and bok choy stir fry served over rice
Notes: Spargel
When my husband and I took a trip to Germany in May almost 15 years ago, we didn’t really know what we would be eating. We figured bratwurst and pretzels would be popular, but those actually weren’t a large part of the cuisine. What we did see as soon as we left the airport were sign after sign for Spargel. At practically every restaurant, food stand, and grocery store there was a sign indicating this food was on special. So of course we had to try it! I didn’t know what to expect until the plate was set in front of me. Turns out Spargel is a white variety of asparagus that is quite delicious and only available for about 2 months of the year. The German people went crazy for it! They celebrate Spargelzeit (the asparagus harvest) and even have a yearly Spargelfest in Schwitzengen. Sadly, we didn’t make it to the festival, but we did eat Spargel at almost every meal. This tender asparagus was so delicious prepared in a multitude of ways.
Here in America, asparagus season is also upon us. Although we don’t seem to have the same cult following for our more traditional green asparagus, I still thoroughly enjoy the harvest. I’ve been meaning to grow my own, but have yet to plant the seeds I bought a few years back. It takes several years to establish a good crop and I’m still trying to find the perfect permanent place to grow these spring spears. Luckily, there is a farm nearby that will supply me with all my asparagus needs and I received a bundle with my spring CSA today as well. You can also find wild asparagus if you are into foraging. Try to resist the asparagus in your grocery store from Mexico and California (unless you live there) and make it a tradition to celebrate your own Spargelziet every year at this time. That delayed gratification is what makes seasonal eating so special.
Happy Mother’s Day to all you hard working mommas out there. This is a do over for last year so be sure your family is treating you right! I’ll be celebrating with a cookout and, of course, asparagus.
CSA Breakdown: For those of you also using Keewaydin Farms this spring, here is a breakdown of how I will use each piece of produce this week. You certainly don’t need to make the whole week’s worth! This is a jumping off point for you so that none of those awesome veggies go to waste. See the first CSA post from this season for details on how I structure the plans.
