What’s on the Menu?
In a place like Virginia where we generally experience four distinct seasons (although this year, one could argue that point), winter is usually the time when our gardens and farms rest, when the market closes down (maybe one day it won’t have to?), and when colorful fruits and veggies become a distant, tasty memory of summer’s bounty. That can be a tough row to hoe for those of us making efforts to eat locally.
But you know what? Taking a look at our Availability List for this last week in December, I realized we’ve got it pretty good here in the Commonwealth. Many of our partnering farms (including our own Educational Farm) are increasingly focused on season extension techniques, and as a result, our warehouse is still pretty darn full of food.
For example, we’ve got: apples, broccoli, cauliflower, Swiss chard, kale, collards, cabbage, hydroponic tomatoes, turnips, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, spaghetti and butternut squash, pie pumpkins, oyster and shiitake mushrooms, grass-fed beef, pastured pork and chicken, free-range chicken and quail eggs, honey.
All of that goodness comes from family farms within 100 miles of our little city — pretty impressive, right?
So no excuses: this holiday season, let’s all try to make at least one dish for yourself or your family featuring a local item! Think about the huge impact that could have on our local economy, our community’s health, and our farming community.
And just to make it even easier, here are a few simple, delicious recipes that feature local foods.
Do you have others? Share them in the comments! We’re always looking for new recipes to try.
- Warm Winter Vegetable Salad (pictured above)
- Rosemary Honey Apple Galette
- Cracklin’ Cauliflower
- Butternut Squash Risotto
- Sweet Potato (and marshmallow) Biscuits
- Barley, Split Pea, and Greens Soup
- Garlic Butter Roast Chicken with Lemon, Macadamia Nut and Bacon Stuffing (scroll allllll the way down)
- Autumn Vegetables en papillote with Sage Brown Butter
You can find a great selection of local produce at Integral Yoga, Rebecca’s, Feast!, and a number of restaurants around town.
No local produce where you shop? Ask for it — and tell them to give us a call. We’ll make it happen!
Image credits: Melissa Camero/Creative Common and What Katie Ate.