Midway Through Winter, we're getting back to our local roots
Today is Imbolc, the midway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.
.jpg)
Carrots in Winter. Photo by Kimberly Desautels (who won our Facebook carrot photo competition with this photo!)
I have to be honest: at this half-way point toward the start of the growing season, I have lost all inspiration for cooking with the remaining produce we have from our local farms: the stored carrots, beets, parsnips, and turnips that are the last local veggies standing midway through the darkest months of the year.
Carrot Time. Photo by Todd Taylor, our Media Coordinator here at City Market.
Still, each time I cook with the local roots, I remember how delicious they can be. Needing fresh inspiration for cooking with and eating local roots, we are holding We ♥ Local Food, a savory carrot recipe competition.
Starting Saturday (February 4), we’re asking everyone to submit their favorite savory carrot recipes – carrots in soups or salads, roasted, mashed, pickled, in savory breads, chutneys, or pretty much anywhere else you could think to put them in.
We’ve got plenty of local carrots in Produce for your recipe development needs – at this point they're coming from three organic farms:
Full Moon Farm in Hinesburg.
Elmer Farm in East Middlebury.
and Riverberry Farm in Fairfax.
All are still selling us the carrots they harvested from the fields in October.
After the close of the contest on February 12, we’ll be selecting the top three recipes. Recipes will be assessed based on:
1) The proportion of local ingredients (the higher the better)
2) Simplicity (we love simple recipes)
3) Taste
4) Health
5) Originality
We’ll be prepare the top three recipes in our kitchen and sample them out at the Winter Farmers’ Market on February 18 from 10am-2pm. Swing by to sample all three, vote on your favorite, and pick up the recipes.
The chef behind the winning recipe will receive a $100 gift card to City Market! Wonder if they’ll decide to spend it all on local roots…
