Finally, local corn has arrived. The season’s painfully short, so be sure to eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, so it’s firmly planted in your taste memory until [...]]]>

(Photo by Caroline Alexander of Berkshire Food Journal)

Sex is good, but not as good as fresh, sweet corn. — Garrison Keillor

Finally, local corn has arrived. The season’s painfully short, so be sure to eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, so it’s firmly planted in your taste memory until next year.

I like to start my cornfest with the simple taste of summer — warm cobs, lathered with sweet butter, sprinkled with salt and freshly ground pepper. Then, after a week or two of all-corn-all-the-time, I concoct salads, puddings, soups, before returning to the purity of corn on the cob, this time lightly seasoned with fun compound butters like the ones here. My current favorite is Miso Butter on Grilled Corn, inspired by David Change of Momofuku fame. Let me know which one you like. This recipe will serve as many or few folks as you like.

Ingredients
Corn, 1-2 per person (3 for a meal)
Sweet butter, 1 teaspoon-1 tablespoon per cob, according to taste
Compound butter seasonings (as below)
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
1-Prepare compound butter by mixing about 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of softened sweet butter per cob — quantity will depend on your taste for butter — with any of the suggested seasonings below. As a rule of thumb, don’t go too heavily on the seasonings. Salt and pepper can be added to the butter or at the table to each person’s taste. Set aside. (I like to make extra butter to freeze for later use.)

2-Cook the corn either by steaming, boiling or grilling it. To steam or boil: Cook the husked corn by steaming it in 2 inches of water, covered, for 3 minutes, or by plunging it into boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain. To grill: Peel back but don’t remove the husks. Remove the silk as best you can and replace the attached husks. (You can tie them on with a strip of husk or string or let them hang loosely.) Soak in a sink full of water for 5 minutes to an hour. Grilling over medium heat, until done, about 10 minutes or longer. (For a stronger flavor, grill husked corn directly on the grill.)

3-Lather corn with the compound butter, adding salt and pepper to taste if it wasn’t added to the butter when it was mixed.

Compound butter to chose from —
*Chopped mint and chives
*Chipolte or chili powder and lime zest (serve with lime wedges)
*White miso paste (omit the salt)
*Chopped scallions greens and fresh grated ginger
*Cracked pepper and lemon zest (optional: lemon wedges)
*Thai curry paste (go lightly) or and chopped basil or cilantro (optional: lime wedges)
*Cumin powder (go lightly, toast briefly in a dry skillet), lemon zest, cayenne pepper (optional: lemon wedges)
*Chopped chervil, parsley, tarragon and chives
*Pesto (traditional basil or with other herbs, such as cilantro or mint)
*As you can see, you are only limited by your imagination!

A good flick: King Corn

Now that you’ve enjoyed your delicious locally grown corn, it’s time to consider the alternative. Widely available, Aaron Woolf’s thought-provoking documentary, King Corn, shows us how conventional agri-business corn is grown, seed to sale, through the insane story of one acre of corn, which is the nation’s most-grown and most-subsidized grain. Unforgettable.

Toxic sludge to grow food in San Francisco?

Some questions have been raised, but I want to give Alice Waters, the queen of organic and local food, the benefit of the doubt. Is there a good reason why she won’t  openly oppose using toxic sludge to raise food in San Francisco (or anywhere)?  If so, we want to understand why. If you’d like her to take a stand against toxic sludge, sign this petition from the Organic Consumers Association. Here are a few articles about the subject from the Center for Media and Democracy on July 13th (with a link to key July 9th article) and The New York Times on April 9th. If you find out more, please let me know. I’d love to hear what you think!

From the reading list

Harvest for Hope – In this book, Jane Goodall demonstrates a variety of ethical issues related to the sustainability of natural resources, the well-being of animals and our own health and encourages us to consider the significance of our daily food choices.

l cup [...]]]> These crisp tortillas filled with seasonal fruit and ricotta, topped with berry sauce make a romantic brunch or surprising dessert wrap. I used local peaches and blueberries here, but feel free to fool with fruit any local combination. (If you can find local ricotta  let me know where please!)

l cup blueberries (l/2 pint)
3-1/2 tablespoons sugar
l-1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
l cup whole milk ricotta cheese, room temperature
l teaspoon vanilla extract
2 small ripe nectarines or peeled peaches*, sliced
2 small taco size flour tortillas
l teaspoon unsweetened butter
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, optional

1. Combine the blueberries, 2 tablespoons sugar and l/2 teaspoon ginger in a small sauce pan with 2 tablespoons water. Heat, over medium high heat, stirring frequently, just until some of the berries burst and a sauce forms. Add up to 2 tablespoons extra water, if necessary. Reserve.

2. Mix the ricotta, vanilla, l sliced nectarine or pealed peach, l-1/2 tablespoons sugar, and l teaspoon grated ginger.

3. Place 1/2 the filling in the center of each tortilla. Carefully fold in the sides and roll, tucking in the ends carefully. (If you prefer, you may heat the tortillas to make them more pliable, but if you are careful, it isn’t essential.)

4. Heat the butter over medium heat in a large non-stick skillet. Carefully add the blintzes and cook, until well browned on both sides and warm all the way through, about 2-4 minutes on each side. Add the nuts during the last minute of cooking, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Place a blintz in the center of each plate. Spoon the blueberry sauce over. Sprinkle with the remaining nectarine slices and the toasted nuts, if you are using them. Serve immediately.

Get out and pick your own fruit in the Berkshires or anywhere you live.

Stop Monsanto from further polluting our food supply

Experts agree, if GMO alfalfa is planted, the $1.4 billion organic dairy industry will not survive due to the certain genetic contamination of organic alfalfa. Even the Supreme Court acknowledged that the threat of genetic drift is real and now the USDA must complete a full environmental review, still leaving the decision open for deregulation. Now the final decision is in Vilsack’s hands. And he needs to hear from you today!

It’s nine million degrees inside and out, and I’m awash in berries from my neighbor, Jim, who set us loose on his raspberry patch. Then there’s the black cup raspberry bush next to our bulkhead that’s laden with more berries, which I can’t leave to the birds.

So oodles of berries [...]]]>

It’s nine million degrees inside and out, and I’m awash in berries from my neighbor, Jim, who set us loose on his raspberry patch. Then there’s the black cup raspberry bush next to our bulkhead that’s laden with more berries, which I can’t leave to the birds.

So oodles of berries are fading fast in my fridge. I could make jam, but Summer Pudding’s more festive and requires 2 minutes of cooking, leaving the kitchen cool. Or at least not hotter. It’s easy to make by lining a bowl with bread, filling it with syrupy berries, then weighing them down to soak overnight. Invert and slice this essence-of-berry-dessert, which will last a week in your fridge.

Accompany with local ice cream or whipped cream. Or make your own crème fraiche by whisking together 1 cup local cream with 1 cup local sour cream, then letting it sit, covered, at room temperature until it thickens, 12 to 24 hours. (If you like, season with sugar and vanilla extras or a touch of berry liquor.) Serves about 6

16 to 18-ounces summer berries, solo or mixed**
1/2 cup sugar
butter for greasing the bowl
10 to 12 slices firm textured thin white bread, crusts removed
Whipped cream, ice cream or crème fraiche

l. Combine the berries and sugar in a small pot. Heat over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, but very gently, 3 or 4 times, just until the sugar is melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. (If you are using blueberries in combination with other berries, add them first with the sugar. When they start to burst, add the other berries, such as blackberries or raspberries, and stir gently until the they are shiny, about 1 minute.)

2. Butter a 3-cup bowl. Line the bowl with the bread, overlapping generously, so that none of the bowl shows through at all. Reserve the remaining bread for the top.

3. When the berries have cooled, pour off up to 3 tablespoons of the syrup into a small bowl and chill. (You will use this to add to any area of bread that isn’t soaked with berry juice.) Pour the rest of the berries and juice into the bowl. Top with remaining bread, overlapping it generously, so that you don’t see any of the berries below and crimping the sides in to conform with the shape of the bowl.

4. Place a plate, very slightly smaller than the diameter of the bowl, directly over the top bread slices. Weight this down with 2 cans or whatever heavy items you have on hand. Refrigerate overnight.

5. To serve: Place a plate on the bottom of the bowl, then invert bowl and plate. Remove the bowl. (If it doesn’t pop right out, run a knife around the pudding, invert, pound the bowl and let gravity do its work.) Cut the into wedges and serve cold with local ice cream, whipped cream or crème fraiche.

**Any berry is good in this recipe, but my favorite combo is half raspberries and half blueberries — colorful, high in flavor, low on pits.

Summer Pudding?

Summer Pudding was invented in the 16th century England as a kind of “health food” alternative to typically rich suet pudding. I included it in The Secret Garden Cookbook, because it was easy to imagine Colin, the Victorian kid-invalid, fed tangy-sweet slices to restore his health.

Interested in Delving a Little Deeper?

The USDA just released a report on local food. This overview of local food systems explores alternative definitions of local food, estimates market size and reach, describes the characteristics of local consumers and producers, and examines early indications of the economic and health impacts of local food systems.

Join me this July!

July 10, 1:00 (Market open 9-1)  Farmers market food demonstration at the Great Barrington Farmers Market’s 20th anniversary MC. The Old Train Station in Great Barrington, MA.

July 16, Friday, 5:30 to 9:00. Local farm foods cooking class: Let the harvest Begin Buffet, The Locavore Way Series Cooking Class.West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Amy Cotler’s teaching kitchen. Scholarships and barter available.

July 23, Friday, 5:00–9:00 p.m. Local farm foods cooking class: Cook with the Season’s Bounty at Hawthrone Valley Farm.  Flexible and forgiving recipes and improvisations for your CSA (Community Supported Agriculture Farm) share.

July 30, Speaker at Canyon Ranch weekend retreat, July 29-August 1, Nourishing Your Mind, Body and Soul on the topic of including local farm foods in your everyday life.

Many dishes in this blog are what I call open recipes, because they’re open-ended, flexible [...]]]> One early summer variation with beets, radishes and feta (or blue cheese). You could also add arugula, chives, and numerous other goodies. Fresh goat cheese could be spread on a toasted baguette if you prefer.

Many dishes in this blog are what I call open recipes, because they’re open-ended, flexible and forgiving. Add a little more or less of this or that — always using the best of nature’s local bounty — and they still taste fabulous.

Shop your farmers market, farm stand, or even supermarket, by asking what’s local. Then take this recipe’s 3 simple steps, which will liberate you to create endless variations with fresh seasonal produce and local cheese, using contrasting shapes, colors and flavors.

I especially enjoy this recipe’s last minute preparation. First, place 2 plates stove-side, topped with seasonal greens, colorful vegetables and a sprinkle of local cheese. Then, pan roast potatoes and add them, warm,to the salad. Finally, assemble a simple warm dressing right in the pan. Drizzle it over the salad and you’ve got a meal in one. If you’re serving a large crowd, use a platter. That’s it!

The ingredients? If potatoes aren’t quite ready in your neck of the woods, fear not. Local greens, veggies and cheese abound, and potatoes will arrive soon enough. Just use what’s fresh as it comes into its season, including: fresh peas, raw or cooked;, sugar snaps, stacked and slivered; sliced or julienne carrots; shredded red or green cabbage; wedged or diced baby turnips; grated raw or roasted baby beets; any kind of tomato cut any way you like; sweet pepper strips; raw or briefly cooked string beans; berries; sliced apples or pears; and even protein, like boiled and quartered farm fresh eggs. Cheeses can be crumbly, grated or if they’re soft, spread on a toasted baguette or quartered whole grain bread. Serves 2 large dinner salads

2 medium or 4 small red, fingerling potatoes or your favorite thin skinned market potato
About 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large handfuls of lettuce, your choice
1 cups seasonal vegetables (see above)*
1 tablespoon chopped chives, 2 scallions, sliced or 4 thin slices of red onion or any sweet onion, separated into rings
About 2 ounces of cheese, crumbled, diced, or grated (spread soft cheese on a toasted baguette slice)
Salt, preferably kosher or sea
1 or 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
About 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Cut each potato into bite-sized pieces. Preheat a large cast iron skillet or any heavy skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil. (It will start to smoke.) Carefully and quickly place the potatoes in the pan, cut sides down. Sear until nicely brown, 5 to 7 minutes, shaking the pan vigorously or turning the potatoes over with tongs, until fork tender, another 5 to 7 minutes.

2. While the potatoes are roasting, wash and dry the lettuce.Tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and divide them between 2 plates or shallow bowls. Top with whatever seasonal vegetables you like (*see ingredients above), then the chives, scallions or onions, followed by the cheese.

3. When the potatoes are fully cooked, salt them generously in the pan, then arrange them over the salads. Let the pan cool off the stove for a minute to prevent burning, then add the garlic. Return the pan to the stove and cook, stirring constantly, just until it starts to brown very lightly. Immediately whisk in the remaining oil, then add the vinegar to taste. Drizzle the dressing over the salads. Add pepper to taste.

A second early summer variation with green leaf lettuce, blue cheese, carrots, radishes and cucumbers.  Don’t forget the summer  with tomatoes, corn kernels, slivered basil and much more.  Anything goes!

A Few Tips for Farmers Market Shopping

Let your farmer be your teacher.
Your best lessons come from the farmers’ market and its community, so look around you, watch or ask farm vendors (and shoppers). These observations will teach you how to select and prepare foods. And of course, your farm vendors have been asked about storage and preparation tips a thousand times, so they know the answers!

Shop by category instead of by ingredient. Freshly harvested produce appears and disappears as it goes in and out of season. Ingredients you expected to arrive may have fallen prey to nature — a heavy rain finishing off the berries or deer eating the butternut squash crop. Make these uncertainties an asset by adopting a new shopping style. Rather than looking for specific ingredients, shop in general categories. Put “salad” on your list rather than specific salad ingredients. Shop for the best ingredients available rather than specific items, selecting fruits or vegetables that are fine on their own or might also combine well. Shop for any grain, rice, or pasta, then pick out combination’s of ingredients that could be thrown into any of these. You’ll often find that nature makes sense; foods in season blend well together. Read recipes if you must, or just experiment!

A third early summer variation with red leaf lettuce, peas, radishes and blue cheese. I could have added pea sprouts and sugar snaps too.

A Good Read

I just finished In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan. The book examines the question of what to eat from the perspective of health. It’s well-researched, giving readers a sense of context about the crazy world of nutrition that’s clear and engaging. Read this well-argued manifesto that cuts straight to the chase with a maxim that is deceptively simple: Eat food, not too much, mostly plants. This directive well-followed leads us to embrace — no surprise — fresh local and sustainable foods!

Interested in exploring your small farm dream?

The New England Small Farms Institute gives courses to help you decide if farming might be right for you. The aim is to help those thinking about small-scale commercial farming (farming as a business with intent to make a profit, rather than as a hobby or pastime), learn what it will take to start and manage a farm business, and decide whether that is something they really want to pursue. Recognizing that many “Explorers” will choose not to farm commercially, Exploring the Small Farm Dream also looks at other possibilities that can satisfy their interest in agriculture.

Final early summer variations with wild black caps (or any berry), feta and onion. You can also play with your greens here,using bitter greens to contrast with the sweet berries.

After my our annual strawberry picking at Ioka Valley Farm, our favorite feast is strawberry shortcake — warm, dense biscuits topped with juicy ripe berries and fresh whipped local cream from High Lawn Farm.  I sometimes plan ahead, making biscuits before we pick, then storing them, uncooked, in the freezer on [...]]]>

After my our annual strawberry picking at Ioka Valley Farm, our favorite feast is strawberry shortcake — warm, dense biscuits topped with juicy ripe berries and fresh whipped local cream from High Lawn Farm.  I sometimes plan ahead, making biscuits before we pick, then storing them, uncooked, in the freezer on parchment-lined sheet pans. That way, they’re ready to pop into the oven for an ideal strawberry shortcake supper on our return. It’s our once-a-year dessert-for-dinner meal. Makes 12 shortcakes, about 6 generous servings

Warning: The season for local berries short. So savor them on and in everything until you’re satisfied, then wait until next year’s harvest to enjoy the real thing again. (And bring your kids to show them firsthand what fresh food’s all about.) Here in the Berkshires find pick your own farms, farm stands and farmers markets at Berkshire Grown. Otherwise, to find a Pick-Your-Own Farms, which are often called U-Pick Farms:visit PickYourOwn.org

Berries
3 pints local
strawberries (or any local berry)
Sugar

Biscuits and cream
2 cups all purpose flour
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cup heavy local cream
4 to 5 tablespoons butter, melted

l. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. Hull (or cut the tops from) the strawberries. Slice thickly. In a medium bowl, mash slightly with a potato masher or large spoon until very coarsely chopped. Stir in sugar to taste and set aside.

3. Sift together in a medium bowl the flour, a heaping tablespoon of the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add 1 cup of the cream, then mix the dough with your hands or a rubber spatula. Knead no more than a minute, just to bring the dough together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board or counter. Pat it into a square about ½ inch thick. Cut the dough into 12 squares or use a biscuit cutter to cut 12 rounds.

4. Cover a baking sheet with parchment. Pour half of the melted butter onto the baking sheet. Place the biscuits on top, and pour or brush the remaining butter over each. Bake 12 minutes, or until the tops just begin to brown.

5. While the shortcakes are cooking, with a hand whisk or an electric beater set on high, whip the remaining cream just until it forms soft peaks, seasoning it to taste with a touch of the remaining sugar.

6. Split the biscuits gently by hand or with a fork, and place on 6 plates or in 6 shallow bowls. Top the bottom halves with the berries and whipped cream. Place the second halves on top. Or let diners prepare their own feast. Eat immediately!

In Praise of Traditional Foodways

With everything, including food, Americans emphasize and admire the new — new dishes, new ingredients, new chefs. And, truth be told, I was once swept up in the fray, still like to create dishes, and I’m often impressed by new dishes born in our restaurants. But the more I cook, the more it feels like the  classic combos taste best, better in fact, especially when I cook them with locally sourced farm-fresh ingredients.

Traditional seasonal dishes, like these shortcakes, have been tested through the ages and they hold up. But, we’ve lost touch with their seasonal flavors. Sadly, we associate shortcakes with sodden supermarket spongecake and cardboard tasting berries, topped with a spray of canned cream. In the 21s century, rediscovering traditional food combos, like these shortcakes, feels fresh and tastes shockingly good.

Local Food News

Do something now. Want to keep informed and do something tangible about improving our food system, often from your own computer at home?  Check out the sustainable food section of Change.org

Like more worldly perspective? One of the best books to read is: Stolen Harvest by Vandana Shiva, which charts the impacts of industrial agriculture and what they mean for small farmers, the environment, and the quality and healthfulness of the foods we eat.  Stolen Harvest is a short, impassioned, and inspiring book that will shape the debate about genetic engineering and commercial agriculture for years to come.

My husband, Tommy, and daughter, Emma, under the honeysuckle vines in our backyard.

This simple sandwich bites back, with its 3 get-up-and-go regional ingredients — aged cheddar, broccoli rabe and whole grain bread.

The cheddar came from my trip, mentioned in last week’s post, to the Grafton Village Cheese Factory.  I picked up the broccoli rabe at the Great Barrington Farmers Market, cooked it with pasta, [...]]]>

This simple sandwich bites back, with its 3 get-up-and-go regional ingredients — aged cheddar, broccoli rabe and whole grain bread.

The cheddar came from my trip, mentioned in last week’s post, to the Grafton Village Cheese Factory.  I picked up the broccoli rabe at the Great Barrington Farmers Market, cooked it with pasta, then used the rest for this sandwich. And truthfully, the whole grain sprouted wheat bread was from my local supermarket, because I ran out of locally baked Berkshire Mountain Bakery Bread, which would have been better. No doubt you have regional cheese, broccoli rabe and sour dough whole wheat bread near you.

Makes 1 sandwich, so multiply up for more. It’s good any which way, including as an Americana appetizer before a barbecue: Toss onto a hot grill until melted, then cut into quarters or eights.

2 ounces aged sharp cheddar, crumbled or grated
2 heaping tablespoons chopped broccoli rabe leaves
2 slices hearty whole grain bread

1-Lightly oil any kind of grill or saute pan. Top one slice of bread with first the cheese,then the  broccoli rabe leaves, finishing with a second piece of bread.

2-Carefully place sandwich over medium to medium-high heat. Place 28-ounce can on top (or press firmly a few times with spatula as it cooks). Take a peak after 2-3 minutes. When it is mostly melted, turn it and cook until the bread on the other side is well seared, about another 2-3 minutes. Cut and serve.

The ingredients

The sandwich before cooking: Use any kind of lightly oiled grill or skillet, inside or out.

Why not support Culinary Social Entrepreneurs?

Mary Cleaver and I have lots in common: both caterers in New York’s Tribeca in the ’80s with daughters named Emma born in 1989. I left Manhattan for the wilds of New England, while Mary stayed on. But we arrived at the same place by following our palates into the world of farm fresh foods.

We reconnected recently to put on a Sustainability Powwow for the New York Women’s Culinary Alliance in Manhattan to discuss the importance of regional foods with other professionals. Mary now runs a successful catering business, The Cleaver Company, and restaurant, The Green Table, both of which focus on serving the tastiest possible eco-friendly regional foods. And her mission to boost sustainable and regional farms runs through her work in and out of the kitchen.

Mary’s a rare breed of culinary social entrepreneur who really walks the talk, because she understands that it’s good business to do the right thing, even when it’s not the easiest route. (Try ordering from a zillion different farms and dealing with the uncertainty of weather to boot.)

This Saturday, no coincidence, I’ll be feasting on Mary’s food at the wedding of my sister, Joanna, and her true love, Mark. Some seasonal highlights? Chilled Spring Pea Soup, Mini Organic Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Pickled Onions & Fig, Wild Fish Cakes with Lemon Aioli, Pasture-Raised Chicken with Salsa Verde or Rhubarb Chutney, Farmers Market Greens Salad with Flowers, Local Strawberries….

If you live in NYC and haven’t done so already, check out the Chelsea Market, where Mary’s businesses are located. It’s a hot bed of culinary social entrepreneurs — Lucy’s Whey, People’s Pops, Ronny Brook Dairy, Dickson’s Farmstand Meats — who are working overtime to put regional food on your table. And why not seek out culinary businesses near you— restaurants, stores, caterers, food producers — who do the right thing?

Want to learn more?
Mary Cleaver recommends the book Social Entrepreneurship:What Everyone Needs to Know by David Bornstein. It explains what social entrepreneurs are, how their organizations function and what challenges they face. And it gives readers an idea of what differentiates social entrepreneurs from standard business ventures and from traditional grant based non-profit work. Maybe you or someone you know is are starting or reshaping  business…..

My daughter, Emma, enjoying her sandwich.

]]> http://www.amycotler.com/grilled-cheddar-with-broccoli-rabe/feed/ 2 http://www.amycotler.com/grilled-asparagus-with-chive-oil/ http://www.amycotler.com/grilled-asparagus-with-chive-oil/#comments Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:58:09 +0000 Amy Cotler http://www.amycotler.com/?p=1826

Grilling brings out the woodsy flavor in asparagus. This recipe makes extra chive oil, which is tasty on other grilled vegetables and fish too.

Every spring I plan to plant asparagus, but never do. They take years to produce well and I’m impatient, planting my nine 4 by 4 beds with faster yielding [...]]]>

Grilling brings out the woodsy flavor in asparagus. This recipe makes extra chive oil, which is tasty on other grilled vegetables and fish too.

Every spring I plan to plant asparagus, but never do. They take years to produce well and I’m impatient, planting my nine 4 by 4 beds with faster yielding crop. But my neighbor Julie Michaels is both longsighted and generous. This year she treated us to her first asparagus harvest, fresh-cut from her garden, and part of a heavenly locavore meal that included tangy Sorrel Pesto Pasta and Warm Rhubarb Tart.  Since then, it’s asparagus 24/7 until the season’s over. The best way to remain a happy locavore it to glut yourself on each season’s crop, then wait a year until it comes in again. Serves 6-8

Variations: For a milder smoky flavor, steam the asparagus very lightly before grilling. If you like, do this ahead of time and plunge them into ice water before drying, tossing in oil, then grilling briefly on each side. 

2 pounds asparagus
1/2 cup olive oil (or half olive oil, half flavorless oil)
A good handful of chives (whole)
1/2 clove garlic (optional)
Salt to taste
Lemon wedge
2 tablespoons chopped chives

1-Blend the olive oil, whole chives, garlic, if you are using it, and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Strain. (You will have more than your need so some can be reserved for later use.)

2-Snap each asparagus stalk to remove the woody end. (If they are already 6 inches or less, they’re probably already snapped.) Toss the asparagus just to barely coat with the chive oil.

3-Heat your grill to medium high. You can use a charcoal, gas grill outside or a grill pan inside. (If you are using an outdoor grill, use a cooking grate to prevent the asparagus from falling through.)

4-Grill the asparagus over medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side, turning once with tongs, or until they are nicely browned but not burned. Arrange on a platter. Squeeze lightly with lemon juice from wedge, then drizzle with a little more chive oil. Taste. If they need salt, sprinkle with salt. Sprinkle with chives. Garnish with chive blossoms, if you wish.

Where can you find asparagus?
Everywhere. If you don’t have a generous friend with an asparagus bed, most farm stands and farmers market are still selling local asparagus. So nab ‘em while they’re still in. I’ve found mine at Taft Farms near me. And I picked up a few bunches at a Vermont farm stand on my way home from a cheesy weekend in Vermont. (See below.)

Making cheddar at Grafton Village Cheese Company’s Factory
Curd cut into slabs & turned several times, a process known as “cheddaring”

Say Cheese Please
My husband, Tommy, and I spend a very cheesy weekend up in picture perfect Grafton, home of the Grafton Village Cheese Company, where they make lots of good aged cheddar. It’s produced using the raw Jersey milk from 29 southern Vermont farms, who get a premium for their product. Good for the farms, good for the cheese.

In Grafton, their cheddar goes into everything — Samosas with Cheddar and Apples, Ploughman’s Platter with Grafton Cheddar, Shepard’s Pie with Grafton Cheddar Mashed Parsnips, four kinds of Flatbread Pizzas with Grafton Cheddar, including Red Sox Nation with Sun-dried Tomatoes, accompaniments of Grafton Cheddar Croutons and Crisps, Local Beef or Sliders with, guess what?

You haven’t heard the last of local cheddar or of Grafton’s event. More next week…..

Look for Kick-offs of the New Movie, Fresh
Fresh is a new documentary about the food system. You may find it at a kick-off near you or buy a DVD on-line and invite folks in to view it. I haven’t seen it yet. Let me know what you think. People seem to be raving….

Now that goodies are popping out of the ground in rapid succession, it’s time to lather toasted baguettes with everything local. So disobey your mom and play with your food. Fool with anything farm fresh, from goat cheese and sun-ripened berries in June to roasted butternut squash puree with fresh sage in October.