LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER SPRING 2013
The evening news delivers the stories that it declares to be breaking, different or unusual, or maybe just relevant to us all. As I write this, the news reader just announced that the northeast is bracing for another blast of frigid air, brought to us commercial-free by the jet stream, compliments of our Canadian neighbors.
What happened to global warming, I wonder. Hot air rises; it must all be over the North Pole. Officially it’s spring—so the calendar says.
This brought me to the next story, recited with a sign of concern on the reader’s face. According to some researchers,
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EDIBLE NEWS AND NOTABLES SPRING 2013
Joe’s Diner has been sold to Heather Earle and Shelly Swindell from Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts. The e two sisters have plans to improve the diner’s kitchen, dining room and make some changes to the menu while keeping the general feeling of the diner “as is.” Both women have worked in food service for many years. We wish them good luck in their new venture. 85 Center St., Lee; 413-243-9756
Clearwater Natural Foods in Lenox has been sold by sisters Ruth Wheeler and Maggie Sadoway to the brother-sister team of Danielle and Jason Dragonetti. The Dragonettis are owners of Spoon, a
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BERKSHIRE BLUE SAMOSA
By Chef Benjamin Daire of Alta Restaurant & Wine Bar
Aurelien Telle, owner of Alta, suggests the samosa as a perfect appetizer for a cool spring evening. He recommends pairing it with either a Rioja Reserva or a Chianti Classico, which will complement the strong body of the Berkshire Blue.
- 3 sheets Tunisian brick dough or Good Wives puff pastry*
- ¼ stick unsalted butter, melted
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped (roughly 2 cups chopped)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 pound Berkshire Blue Cheese, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons
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Ramps, the Smell of Spring
Some people would have you believe that fresh ramps and people who have recently eaten them have a disagreeable odor. But because I grew up in Western North Carolina, to me ramps will always be the sweet smell of spring.
As a schoolboy, all of my teachers disagreed. At some point each March my classmates and I were threatened with expulsion should we show up to class having eaten a ramp supper the night before. I saw a number of boys try and hold our teachers to their word, but none of them ever made
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The Mighty Asparagus
Suddenly, unannounced, tiny green nubs appear in the garden. Juxtaposed to the garlic, which so teasingly reveals itself early as a hint of the harvest to come mid-summer, the asparagus nub promises the first outdoor-grown green vegetable of the season.
So it’s no wonder that across much of northern Europe and in American towns including Stockton, California, and Hart, Michigan, the asparagus harvest is celebrated with weeklong festivals, parties and competitions. In the northern hemisphere, a freshly harvested local green vegetable is worth celebrating after a long winter of root vegetables and hearty fare.
In an
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Brent Wasser’s White Asparagus with Goat Milk Bechamel Sauce
Brent is the manager of the Sustainable Food and Agriculture Program at Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts. Brent shared this recipe that he acquired from a friend in Belgium. He suggests a toss of minced chives to finish the dish, along with a slice of dark whole-grain toast. This is a spring treat, and a distinct taste from the Ardennes Mountains of Belgium.
- 1 bunch white asparagus
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon minced young garlic
- 2½ cups goat milk, heated
- Salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- ¾ pound goat cheese in¼-inch slices
- Minced chives for garnish
Clean, trim and blanch
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Asparagus Polonaise
In a worn steel pan with black handle, my mom would boil the water for the asparagus. Curiously, there were always 2 lone eggs in the pan while the water was coming up to a boil. The eggs were then joined by the asparagus. I was always fascinated by the eggs and asparagus rolling around in the pan together. Still am. I now know how clever my mom was to complete 2 tasks at once and save herself from needing to wash another pan.
- 2 pounds asparagus
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (I use glutenfree)
- 2 eggs, hardboiled
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Hollandaise Sauce
While I found this recipe handwritten in my recipe book, I cannot be certain of its provenance. I researched hollandaise recipes, and this pretty much shows up as the standard recipe. So credit goes to— the 16th century Dutch!
- 3 egg yolks
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice, or more to taste, freshly squeezed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
- 1¼ sticks unsalted butter, melted
- Salt and white pepper, to taste
In a 6-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, vigorously whisk the egg yolks until they are thick and pale yellow. Whisk in the lemon juice and add 2 tablespoons of the cold butter. (According to
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Wild Things to Make Your Stomach Sing
A feast for the foraging awaits—but use care
Dandelion flow buds. (photo by Russ Cohen)
How’s this for a brunch menu? Begin your meal with black locust flower fritters or a dandelion bud and wild thyme omelet, accompanied by a cup of cream of stinging nettle soup and a wild salad of chickweed, sheep sorrel and oxeye daisy leaves and dame’s rocket flowers. Top it off with a slice of sour cream knotweed crumb cake—all washed down with a steaming mug of roasted chicory- root “coffee.”
What these dishes have in common is that they are all made with wild
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