Back in Business!

Today is opening day of the Saturday Farmer's Market in Lake Oswego, OR. Whoopie!! They are back in business! The freshest fruits and vegetables, the most colorful flowers, the tastiest cold pressed juices. Yeah, I missed you, you vibrant-as-all-get-out market, you : )

Eggs a la fresh

Last Sunday I had a wandering day in Paris. Well, actually I had a very specific plan for the day, but it all fell by the wayside as I came across these amazing markets and shops and sights. So I just kind of went with it... what the heck.

One of the things I came across was the flower and pet market on île de la Cité in Paris. I had walked by it many times before, but had never gone through it. Well the Sunday pet market is a noisy, amazing, exotic jumble of rabbits and chinchillas and birds, birds, birds. And it was there that I found possibly the freshest eggs in Paris. I thought they were so beautiful in their earthy simplicity.

Eat Fresh!

So this is what I'm trying to do these days. Eat fresh. Less packaging, less processing, less damn plastic.

I'm giving up plastic water bottles, plastic grocery bags, plastic milk bottles, but I'm realizing that plastic is everywhere these days. It's on my car's steering wheel, on my phone. Oh eek, it's even on the keyboard I'm typing on. Urgh.

Well, I'll just do the best I can. I'll avoid as much plastic as I can and eat fresh, fresh, fresh. Now who wants a carrot?

Fennel with Water Drops

Fennel with Water Drops
Originally uploaded by pixelish
Stopped by a roadside stand on the way to Santa Barbara on Saturday. There some fruits outside, but the veggies were kept inside the cool, dark barn. The open door provided the only light source for this photograph.

Yes it's true - spring is my favorite season of the year. In spring, everything is new and fresh and full of promise. In life, as well as on the local farms.

Around here, the Farmer's Markets are finally starting back up with just-picked herbs and peas, artichokes, delicate flowers and colorful root vegetables on offer. Such great places to get the very freshest ingredients to prepare some amazing dishes.