Hot Shots - May 24, 2024

Hot Shots - May 24, 2024
Charmaine Yam

Hello All,

The office has been eerily quiet since the Canucks were eliminated from the playoffs. With the loss came the forgetting fairy dust as someone quoted “(haa-kee), what’s is that?” Until next season Canukies. My other half hails from Edmonton, so I'll be proudly donning his jersey next week to show my unwavering support, while compiling brownie points as best spouse. 

With the annual rising costs of fruit and vegetables, I find myself grateful for Discovery Organics' policy of allowing staff to take home veggies that need a little extra care before consumption. These are the ones that don't quite meet mainstream retail standards. Picture ripe, deep-peel cabbage, peas or pods damaged by heavy winds covering the whole pod, or scallions that are over-curled and crooked, eggplants with aged calyxes (the husk crowning the stem end). After years of working in Quality Control, I've developed a fascination with sleuthing out types and names of defects on produce arrivals, as well as monitoring the conditions of fruits and the decay of vegetables as they age in storage. Was it due to moisture, packaging, temperature, or growing and post-harvest handling? I distinctly remember the moment I got hooked: When Randy Hooper could name nearly every defect I was inquiring about as a QC newbie, it felt like I was in Jeopardy with Randy subbing in for Alex Trebek.
 
At the beginning of this week, I was fortunate enough to forage a bundle of veggies and whip up a hearty stew, just in time to embrace the forecasted rainstorms and showers.

In my recent reading, I stumbled upon an intriguing piece discussing the challenges facing tree planting in British Columbia amidst worsening drought and escalating wildfires due to climate change. The author, gearing up for their seventh season of tree planting, expresses concerns about the viability of reforestation efforts in severely affected regions. This led me down a rabbit hole of exploring holdover fires—wildfires that never fully extinguish and instead smolder under the ground or snow for extended periods, emerging as full-on blazes when conditions allow.
 
As the rain pours down this week, my hope is that the parched rivers, streams, and forests can absorb and hold every precious drop, sparking a revival of ecosystems deep within and fostering the tender emergence of new life in the aftermath of the flames. Regrowth will undoubtedly occur, but it's clear that our forests will undergo significant changes.

Let’s see what I discovered this week

Romaine hearts from Earthbound - in a 12x3CT case

Green daikon from Boldly Grown Farm in Washington

Purple artichokes from Creekside

Red spring onions from Coke Farm - perfect for grilling up on the BBQ!

Californian red cherries from Ferrari Farms

Crimini Mushroom packs from Highline

White Mushroom packs from Highline

This weekend, I'm thrilled to be hosting a Spot Prawn celebration for the family. Picture a glorious mound of steamy prawns dumped right onto the table, accompanied by three sauces at the ready: Laksa Curry, Sweet Ginger Sake Soy, and butter infused with Old Bay seasoning. It will be a feast fit for royalty!

But that's not all the excitement brewing in our household. We'll also be tending to our recently assembled hanging basket and nurturing the seedlings we've just started: Purple Napa cabbage, Tri Colour Patty Pan Squash, Hot Peppers, and San Marzano and Black Krim tomatoes. It's shaping up to be a weekend of delicious food and gardening fun!

I hope everyone’s weekend unfolds like a beautifully crafted story, full of unexpected moments and memories that will linger long after the weekend fades into Monday.

Until we meet again next week!

-  The Compliance Officer