Feed Your Cravings for Fresh

SugarTime, and the living's easy

Whew. Now that we got that 4th of July holiday out of the way, we can get back to our Thursday/Saturday Bellevue Farmers Market pattern, and everything's just peachy. Speaking of which, with the holiday last week and Collins not being able to take credit cards on Saturday, I've had to go peach-free. It has been a true first-world problem, and one I plan to remedy this week. I'd be interested if anyone has ever tried those recipes you see every summer for grilled peaches? We haven't yet, but I bet it'd be good with this:

Yes, sir--raspberry syrup, for which the only ingredients on the label are "raspberry puree" and "sugar." Just try finding that in the store! I had to get some while I was picking up my half-flat of strawberries because, a few summers ago, in the cafe of the Orsay Museum in Paris, I had a "raspberry juice" that was basically sweetened puree. Oh my goodness. It rivaled anything hanging on the walls of the museum for pure wonderfulness. I have high, high hopes that this syrup will take me back. So if you see me sucking it down straight from the bottle, you'll understand.

The strawberries weren't bad either. Forgive me if I can't remember if I bought Hayton or Youngquist on Saturday--I've bought from both before, and I want to announce that SUGAR BOMB SEASON HAS OFFICIALLY OPENED. You know what I mean. The season of tiny strawberries that just explode in your mouth with sweetness and flavor. Get 'em while they last.

After you've had your fill of fruits, it's time to hit the vegetables. I've spotted snow peas now--perfect for stir fries:

You can even throw in some bamboo shoots from Rockridge (ask Wade how to prepare them):

Feed your inner panda

Those cucumbers on the right would make a great Asian Marinated Cucumber Salad to go on the side on a hot day. My mom slices them thin and drizzles them with a mix of soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and sugar. Delicious.

Summer is the season of fresh, so put down the can of cream of mushroom soup or Trader Joe's curry sauce. Get out of the drive-thru line and treat your family to some real, fresh food.