Hot Shots - April 8, 2022
Hot Shots - April 8, 2022
Severin R-B Danieli
Hello all,
Phew - what a busy few days it has been! Family, friends, birthdays, bridal showers, oh my!
It has recently dawned on me that I have been home from Italy for over a year (what the heck) and this time last year I was a few days away from starting thesis research up at Laughing Crow Organics in Pemberton. My head was full of thesis questions, thesis topics, thesis thesis thesis.
Now, looking back, I cannot believe that all of this happened, and recently! It feels like a lifetime ago. I also realized I haven't re-read my thesis, and just opened it up in google docs for the first time in 6 months. I started with a quote that I still really like:
Find your place on the planet,
Dig in, and take responsibility from there.
- Gary Snyder -
I felt that this quote encompassed my thesis topic, which was about bioregional food and the benefits of short food supply chains, very well. Place attachment and sense of place has always been very apparent in my life.
While in the program, I was one of the few, if not the only one, that knew where they wanted to live and work. When I first realized this, I felt a bit lame, but as time went on and I delved further into bioregional attachment and food systems, I came to the realization that I simply have very strong ties to my bioregion - and that's okay! Or that's what I tell myself.
One last quote I will leave you all with was another of my favourite from Ackerman-Leist from his book Rebuilding the Foodshed,
"The culmination of sensory experiences, memory, and terrain, a sense of place is perhaps most easily conveyed through and contained in the combination of taste and smell, our broader avenue to a storehouse of memories"
English peas!
These peas fall into the category of peas that do not have an edible shell/pod. Simply crack the pod open, and enjoy the delicious burst of flavour from each individual pea. Of all the peas grown throughout the world, only 5% are brought to the market fresh, as most are canned and frozen.
I never really gave peas much of my time, mostly had them mixed in with kernels of corn for Christmas or some festive holiday, but no one loves peas more than my husband. His favourite is adding peas into a soup, or adding peas to pesto for a pasta dish.
While I was up working at Laughing Crow, one of the pre-season jobs I did was to wind the string between the big iron stakes that would be the lattice for the pea vines. It was tiring work, as is almost any job on a farm, let's be honest here, but seeing those vines stretch and grow on the lattice was one of the most satisfying parts of my time at LCO.
The first row of peas nestled between some twine.
These curly green frond tips are a very unique type item we have stocked at Disco, in clamshell 12x170g or bulk 5# from West Coast Wild. Fiddleheads can be foraged in Southern BC during a few choice weeks in the springtime.
Fiddleheads have specific instructions for consumption, which are that they must be boiled or steamed before preparation. I am going to copy and paste off a website for exact information, "Wash fresh fiddleheads several times in fresh cold water. Remove as much of the brown husk as possible from the fiddleheads. Cook in boiling water for 15 minutes or steam for 10 to 12 minutes until tender."
Fiddleheads are an excellent source of vitamin C, strengthens the immune system, rich in potassium and fiber, omega-3, omega-6 fatty acids, niacin, iron, phosphorus and antioxidants.
There is a small Canadian village of 1,000 residents, called Tide Head in New Brunswick, who have named themselves the 'Fiddlehead Capital of the World'.
Fiddleheads, after proper boiling/steaming and preparation, can be turned into many delicious dishes. These include: pastas, sautéed with lemon or olive oil, or even roasted and topped with feta cheese. I believe they can be most akin to asparagus - so think about what you would do with asparagus and that add a little bit of funkiness to it!
Bartlett pears.
My favourite variety of pear, and a key ingredient in a scrumptious salad of pears, gorgonzola and walnuts, or a pizza with pear, prosciutto and gorgonzola. A pear crisp is always a good idea as well if you are craving something sweet.
The tree that the bartlett year grows on can reach up to 6 meters or almost 20 feet, are rich in vitamin c, potassium, fiber, iron and are popular in both Europe and North America. First discovered in England in 1765 by Mr. Stair who was a schoolmaster, and then introduced to the rest of England by a nurseryman by the name of William who acquired the varietal.
In 1799, this pear was imported to North America and into the state of Massachusetts, and was planted on the estate of one Thomas Brewer. This estate was later acquired by Enoch Bartlett, who renamed the pear after himself. Thus, both Williams and Bartlett pears are actually the same pear.
Rio red grapefruits are available at Disco in many sizes, but specifically this week we are highlighting the 27ct from Earthgreens in Mexico.
They are literally the size of a mini watermelon, have the sweet, tart and juicy flavour any good grapefruits should have, and their colour is the deepest red of all grapefruit varieties.
This variety of grapefruit was first on the scene in the 1930's in Texas, and was bred from the Hudson variety of grapefruit to be more deeply pigmented and less seedy. This was done at a University in Welasco, Texas in the breeding program of R. A. Hensz.
Peeling and eating grapefruits, cutting them up into salads, or using their tangy juice to liven up some meat dishes are a few ways to eat these red beauties.
Cherry toms!
Always delivering a pop of flavour no matter what you do with them, but today, I thought I would age myself a little bit and talk about TikTok (I keep wanting to spell it like tick tock). Now, I've never had a TikTok account, however, I have heard a lot about a baked feta and cherry tomato pasta dish.
From what I can tell you line a baking dish with olive oil, salt and pepper, peeled garlic cloves, cherry toms, and huge chunk of feta - and bake! After that is bubbling and browning, you throw some cooked pasta into the dish and stir to combine. Garnish with basil if you feel so inclined!
We have grape cherry tomatoes from Cache Organics, and then a rainbow cherry tom in readycycle pints from A&A and finally a cherry tomato from Del Cabo in paperboard pints.
I was with a friend of mine a few days ago, on a dog walk through the forest up near Grouse Mountain in North Van, and we happened upon a big Douglas-fir. She took a photo of me realizing, but sent it to me later that evening. Sometimes, when the world is busy, and work is busy, and your mind is busy, just go look at a tree.
I've said it so many times in my life, and I'm sure many times on these write ups, but we are so lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest. We can surf and ski in the same day, we can have all sorts of international cuisine, we can be in a forest and on a beach within the same 20 minutes.
I love my place.
Big love,
Severin R-B Danieli