the Friday Feeding; VOL. 78

It’s been a busy week at the store!  We mounted the newest art show, have had many visitors from out of state and have been staging for this new season of outdoor living, cooking, and entertaining.

Today and tomorrow Dave and I, plus the store’s manager Sue and her husband Dale, are attending a Provisions food show.  We hope to meet more regional farmers and cheese makers to come home inspired about more good food to bring to you.  There will not be Friday night pizza tonight.

For Mothers and all those who mother others…

“A Garden Gathering” art show is now hung! Meet the Artists reception Friday May 16, 5-6pm. Featured artist; Artimust Dave. Pizza and local beer tasting!

Spring eating

Traditionally in many cultures, eating in the spring season was about cleansing ones body to rid of the heaviness acquired by eating dried and preserved foods over winter. Those of you reading this in temperate climates, where fresh greenery is available year ’round, may not understand the concept. And even today in our northeastern climates, jets and trucks bring us food.

But nature doesn’t know that so continues to give us plant life that helps with this yearly cycle. Bitter dandelion greens, lemony sorrel, tender fiddle head ferns and even the flowers that we might call weeds are all foods that help our bodies expel the build up of toxic waste in our intestines.

Some might call this fancy but I see it as resourceful and a way to vary my diet. Here is a salad recipe using some of this concept in a feast for the eyes. Perhaps for Mother’s Day brunch….

Shaved Spring salad with crunchy salt

Using a vegetable peeler, shave long shards of carrots and raw asparagus. Pile up on a plate in a random curly pattern then scatter with 1/4″ slices of more raw asparagus. Scatter with violet blossoms picked from your yard. This is an art project.

Make a salad dressing. In a blender or Bullet, whirl the following:

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tsp honey
• 10 violet blossoms. If you are lucky enough to have fragrant violets they will add the most beautiful flavor to the dressing. I have albino violets in my yard that are scentless but none the less they add that slight grassy note that enhances the dressing.

Pour the dressing around the salad then sprinkle it with flaky sea salt. We sell this Maldon salt. It is our favorite salt for finishing food with. If you haven’t tried it yet you should!

We hope you enjoy your week-end and go out in the sunshine!

Jane and Dave

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