Because of Lent and the increased demand for fish, fish prices have been a bit higher than usual which explains why our fish dishes are a little more expensive these days. The good news is that the quality of seafood has been better than usual in our lovely landlocked city, perhaps because it is moving faster through the markets.  While the seafood offerings at the beginning of this week will be slim, we’ll have at least two fish entrees for the weekend.

Karen from Heilman's Hogwash Farm recently brought us some pork shoulder that we will be using for our terrines in the coming week.  The Heilmans raise their pork in a humane and sustainable manner on a small scale with a great amount of care.  We're glad to be working with the Karen and Dave again even though their operation is still so small that we're only able to get their pork once in a while.  We have never met pork farmers who cared so much about the quality of the food they are raising - not only in regarding flavor, but also in terms of the impact on the environment and to the health of the people who eat it.  

On the veggie front, Penn’s Corner Farm Alliance will be bringing us organic salsfiy, carrots, and gold ball turnips from central PA this week, in addition to some green things from Western PA (see below).  We got a bunch of these veggies two weeks ago from them and they were wonderful.  The best salsify I ever tasted.  Local cilantro was available for the first time last week too.  All winter long, Penn’s Corner has been bringing us white turnips from Rippling Brook Farm which most often end up in JT’s turnip soup.  As mundane as it sounds, this soup is made from the fabulous organic turnips, homemade bacon and Kistaco apples all cooked in our rich chicken broth and is one of our best - if the simplest - soups we’ve made here. 

late winter/early spring
A few rows of peas, radishes and fava beans are in the ground, despite warnings from Barb that germination might be low before the new moon.  I couldn’t resist…

While warmer weather and five months of meat-and-potatoes cooking might cause cravings for green vegetables and lighter dishes, the reality is that the only vegetables traditionally in season here until late May are winter vegetables like turnips, carrots, cabbage etc.  That is why it was very encouraging to see the list of available produce from Penn’s Corner this week.  Last week, the only available green thing was fresh cilantro.  This week, garlic chives, salad greens, spinach, “presto” cress, mizuna and hydroponic cluster tomatoes were on the list!  I am looking forward to my first spring at Legume as a customer of Penn’s Corner and I am sure that they will help us through this most difficult season.  I wish I had been smart enough to begin working with them two springs ago!

It is very exciting what the farmers of Penn's Corner are doing to extend the growing season on both ends of winter.  It is also exciting that they make it so easy for chefs to cook with local ingredients.  I am eager to see how the work of Penn's Corner along with local chefs, food writers, home cooks and all of those involved in our local food shed will influence the cooking in late winter five or ten years from now.  What March and April puts us through - and how we respond to it - might define our own regional style of cooking.

spring equinox dinner this sunday
We still have availability at the 8:00 p.m. seating, so give us a call or email if you'd like to join us. Anson Mills heirloom grains, Jamison lamb, seafood and veggies. Don't forget the optional seed exchange!

Sincerely, Trevett