In Season

Those two little words mean so much to anyone who enjoys food that tastes like it's supposed to.

My mom has strawberry plants outside. She bought them at a yard sale and in typical my mother fashion left them in their pots and set them in her flower bed, hoping to get to them. The summer came and went and the pots were still there. In the spring they sent out shooters and planted themselves in the ground. If there were ever a children's book written about my mother, it would be about the fact that she never touches her plants, but somehow they magically take care of themselves. My mother has a beautiful garden and beautiful flower beds, but unlike most people who spend most of their spare time trying to make things grow my mother just lets them grow themselves, because she doesn't have spare time.

But anyway eventually my mom felt silly leaving those pots out in her flower bed so she planted the big plants next to all of the little runners and - fast forward 3 years - and half of the flower bed is filled with strawberry plants that are packed with berries. Just one bite of a fresh strawberry from my backyard and you will never want to touch a store bought strawberry again. It is truly a lightbulb moment, because it tastes like a strawberry should taste, like the warm sun slightly sweet, gushing with juices.

During the summer so many things are in season. Blueberries picking is one of my favorite summer activities. Fresh tomatoes are just bursting with flavor. Green beans I could snack on all day long. And you can't forget the watermelon that is fresh and crisp and juicy.

Having spent the summer in Maine last year I can't help remembering lobster season. Many people try to go up in June or even May to get their lobsters and, while they will probably enjoy their lobster and think it is the most amazing thing they've ever eaten, lobsters aren't at their best until July. In July they are the perfect size and are just flowing off the lobster boats.

It is so important to know seasons of fruits, vegetables, and even fish and seafood. Knowing seasons will allow you to buy something that actually tastes the way it's supposed to taste and buy it more reasonably. Anyone who has bought a tomato in the middle of winter, paid an arm and a leg for it, only to bring it home and find out that it is the most dry, tasteless thing they've ever seen, can attest to the fact that fresh produce is really the way to go. I understand that sometimes we just can't help it and it is necessary to buy that tomato (I always buy canned during the winter because they are canned when they are fresh), but it's May and the fresh produce is just starting to come in. Be sure not to miss out on the bounty of food that is at it's freshest in the next few months. The memories will last you all, or most of the winter.

Strawberries and Rhubarb are coming in. Be sure to take advantage and make a strawberry rhubarb pie.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie:

Crust: 3/4 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of butter or shortening, 1/4 cup of water
Cut fat into the flour. Add the water and form into a patty. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze till fat is firm. Roll out with lots of flour.

Filling:
3 cups rhubarb stalks cut into 1/2 inch pieces (make sure to trim away any and discard of the leaves which are poisonous)
1 cup strawberries, stemmed and sliced
1 cup sugar
1 and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3 Tablespoons of quick cooking tapioca (if you don't have tapioca I use flour or cornstarch or a combination of both)
1/4 teaspoon of salt
Mix filling together and let sit for 20 minutes. Pour into pie crust. Cover with a lattice top if desired. I normally do my latice on the pie when the filling is in. I've seen people do it on a cutting board and move it, but that seems more stressful to me.

Bake at 400 degrees fahrenheit for 20 minutes so that the upper crust will get a nice color. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 40 minutes. Because this pie has to be in the oven for a long time, it's probably not a good "hot day" activity. When the pie is bubbling and finished let it sit for an hour or till mostly cooled and serve. Trying to serve it before it's cooled will most likely result in a frustrated chef and a bunch of pieces that fall apart. This pie is always watery for me, so don't fret if it seems like it has a lot of liqued in it. It is one of my favorite pies, because I think it just tastes like spring and early summer.

Happy Eating!!!

Emily