Yep, it’s February. This is the home stretch of winter. Some have claimed that the cherry trees have started budding in the west end of Vancouver. Ha! I’ll believe it when I see it.
From where I am sitting, it’s still pretty grim out there. Wet, rainy and grey. It’s hard to imagine how, in a few short weeks, the farmers’ markets and produce aisle will be overflowing with the freshest and most beautiful green herbs and veggies and we will find ourselves in another beautiful, bountiful B.C. growing season. Let’s dig deep during the final spell of darkness as there are beautiful foods that we can enjoy.
Apples
Many B.C. orchards have luscious, crunchy apples available all year long. Strudel, crisp, pie and muffins can all be baked with relative ease. Send the kids to school with an apple a day.
One must look closely when at the grocery store, however, as many apples that are fetching a lower price can be from as far away as New Zealand this time of year. Try to buy local.
Tubers
The Squamish Farmers’ Market has a ton of squash available. Talk about an easy-to-prepare vegetable! Slice it in half, deseed, then add butter, salt and pepper and bake upside down in the oven for 45 minutes. Jam-packed with nutrition, squash warms the cockles of your can-it-please-be-summer-now heart.
Beyond squash, there are turnips that can be cooked a myriad of ways. Did you know that in Scotland, they carve turnips instead of pumpkins at Hallowe’en? Too cute!
And, of course, there are Jerusalem artichokes. These bad boys are also known as sunchokes and grow like gangbusters in these parts. They’re lovely roasted but even better pureed into a soup.
Fish
For a tiny store, Nester’s has a great fresh fish selection. Mackerel is full of oils with health benefits. All mackerel is considered oceanwise (sustainable seafood), making shopping for it a cinch.
Mussels are also available and very fresh. One often only orders them while dining out, but they are very easy to prepare at home. When I was a kid, we would steam them up and have them with barbecue chips.
Bitter veggies
Radicchio, cardoon, chicory and endive all slide into this category. This selection of bitter greens is recognized for its liver-healing and tonifying properties. They are excellent in all sorts of recipes, from raw salads to roasted and baked. A classic French salad is salade d’endives, made with apple, walnut and blue cheese dressing. Yum!
Citrus
We will soon see the turn of the tides where citrus won’t be nearly as glorious as it is this time of year. ’Tis the season to get your fill of any number of varieties of oranges, grapefruit, pomelo, lemon and lime. Baked into desserts, tossed into salads, squeezed into just about any cocktail featuring gin and vodka, citrus is excellent for us and packs a great flavour. Don’t forget about that rind, as it can be used to infuse your choice of spirit, olive oil or vinegar. Homemade household orange cleaner is also made with citrus peel. (It really works, too.)
Roast meat
Pretty soon, the idea of a roast will seem crazy. Keeping the oven on in this heat? In the summer, lighter fare will take over, but for now, enjoy the protein-driven warmth of a roast with family and friends with all of the trimmings. Again, Nester’s has an exceptional meat selection for a small store. Pick up a roast, invite some friends over and enjoy with a rich bottle of red. It’s the perfect meal to while away the last few dark days.
