The annual march of spring is upon us with authority this year. Our warm winter has rescued us from a seventh month of brussels sprouts and kale. The asparagus from Crawford Farms arrived 3 weeks earlier than last year and has infiltrated every menu of our restaurants and most every course with my favorite Washington grown vegetable. Steamed and chilled, grilled with rare steak, puréed into soup or simply sliced raw with a little chèvre, olive oil and lemon, it is tasting delicious and is also plentiful. There are only 6 or 8 weeks to enjoy the local supply and then we are off to cherries and berries and all of summer’s glory.
It's hard to stay seasonal and local all the time, but when you wait out the local crops and eat them with abandon while they are here and maybe even preserve or pickle a few for later, then it seems like you appreciate them all the more. I've included a recipe for Star Anise Aioli for some charcoal grilled "fatties", my favorite sized asparagus of the year. |
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