Locavore June 25

When in season, you eat it – whatever “it” is – until you are almost tired of it, and then you are ready and happy to move on to the next thing that’s fresh and in-season. But that’s assumed you are either growing an awful lot of “it” – or buying and awful lot of “it”. I am pleased to say I have not reached that stage yet – maybe a sign that I really need to up the garden production… Flavor and freshness are still winners! Freshness unless you are eating venison from this past fall that has been frozen. Maybe it’s not “fresh”, but it certainly is local, coming right from the hills behind us. So venison steak for dinner tonight with sautéed onions, cherry tomatoes and peppers from the garden; very refreshing dessert of tart green apple sorbet (the so-called “June” apples, in effect large thinnings) from Roy’s Orchard in Sperryville, VA with mint from the garden. Lunch was a cold no-cook herbal soup (PA Yogurt, zucchini from Waterpenny in Sperryville, VA, sorrel, parsley & celery leaf – a celery grown for its leaves with insignificant stems – from the garden); country sausage & chayote shoot quiche (sausage from Belle Meade; eggs from a friend; dairy from Trickling Springs Creamery, PA, and chayote shoots from the garden – the first of what promises to be an abundant harvest) with fresh currant and bird cherry compote. Sour cherries might be over, but it is still cherry time!