From Dirt To Dinner :: Asparagus!

i'm super excited to be writing the first From Dirt To Dinner post! you might notice (if there is anyone out there!) the button in the sidebar.

in short it's a little project that beth (of Total Mom Haircut) and i have cooked up in order to, sort of, push ourselves to a higher level of dedication to eating local foods. luckily for each of us we have access to farmer's market and CSA farms in our area. not to mention really great co-op markets and friends with gardens. i feel blessed to be here in western mass. with so many opportunities to eat fresh foods. it's awesome.

for info on how to join us, and more about what this project is, please click the button and head over to beth's awesome blog. we would love love love to have others joining in this little experiment of ours.

so.

yes.

asparagus.

i decided to make Asparagus Fritters. a recipe i found in one of my favorite cookbooks; The River Cottage Family Cookbook. and funny timing--it was a gift i received last year for mother's day. read all about it here. i shant rant again!

the recipe called for mushrooms and spinach, but i chose to use the awesome and locally grown asparagus rather than spinach. i blanched them first.

i was psyched to find these bad boys at our co-op market. i knew they got mushrooms from a local source, in fact i could have visited the farm myself, but couldn't remember the name of it. something about a moon. but, the co-op had 'em and they don't always, so that was a score. local shiitakes! chopped them up small.

after that it is just a bit of flour, egg and cornstarch. salt and pepper and fry them in some good organic sunflower oil. mmmm!

for the rest of the meal we decided to bake some bread. now, this is where i got a bit tripped up on the localness of the meal. i think, in my head, i confused "local" with "homemade." there is no ingredient in this bread that is locally produced. but it the bread was made at my home. nothing more local than that. still. . . i don't think it qualifies. . . does it? either way, it's made with organic ingredients and lots of love. so, that has to count for something. but this has made me think a lot about the topic of local food. what is local? some say it's as simple as the food coming from a source within 100 miles of your home. but, i'm not so sure i can get wheat around here. so, okay. i have some homework to do!

the bread recipe comes from the fabulous amanda at Soulemama. it's called WHO bread and i did it "acoustic style." recipe here.with our fritters we enjoyed some scrambled eggs. these little beauties came from a co-worker of hubby's. she has chickens. i have major chicken envy. look at these! aren't they so lovely!?

behold, the fritters. they were a little doughy. i fully ignored one of the directions that would have led to less doughy fritters. now i know why they say to let the batter drip off of the slotted spoon. next time! but, these were a success because my kids ATE ASPARAGUS for the first time. no, no, of course i have served it before. but this time they ATE it. and LIKED it. so, while i admit, i could have chosen a preparation that featured the veg more, i chose this because i thought i might have a chance with the kids. score one for mama.
my daugher's plate.

we also added some applesauce---made last fall with apples we picked (locally, of course). been in the freezer! nice!
our next meal will be posted on may 21st. the ingredient :: RHUBARB! stay tuned. or better yet, join in!

oh, and look here NEXT friday for an interview with beth on how to grow tomatoes. cause she rocks the green thumb. bring it, beth!