A return to Balance
Thanks to modifications to the Roman Calendar, the whole world runs on a timetable that seems slightly random. New Year’s day is one of the coldest days of the year. And, it doesn’t even line up with any solar event. It’s near, but not on the winter Solstice and perihelion. The fact that it doesn’t line up correctly is probably due to its inaccuracy and shifts over time. Having the start date near the shortest days makes sense. But, why not start it when the weather and nature are more in balance? Today is the vernal Equinox. That means day and night are roughly equal, as opposed to, the winter solstice when you get about 8 to 10 hours of light. Spring and the vernal equinox represent a return to balance. The budding flowers and leaves returning to trees stand as testament to that. Doesn’t it make more sense to celebrate a new year with new growth?
Warming trends bring out the best in all things. It’s not too hot or cold. People and animals have little to complain about. Animals in hibernation come out to a vibrant world. Dormant plants spark a regeneration. And, ice melts away. Outside of the horrible things people continue to do, the world is poised to thrive. This is when seeds spread, and the potential of life in all forms peaks. Doesn’t that sound like a better way to celebrate new beginnings instead of when everything goes dormant? The best starting point is one full of potential. What happens to that potential is up to a variety of circumstances. But, it’s where everything starts. And, if we all start at the same point, growth or withering is up to the organism.
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Spring offers a return to balance
With everything happening in the world now, a return balance would be nice. There are multiple wars ongoing. The most powerful person in the world, with access to the most powerful military claims he should get a peace prize as he bombs civilians and kidnaps heads of state. The political landscape in the United states and around the world is coming apart under the pressure of partisan attacks. Cries of free speech excuse lies and attempts to silence the speech of others. When the name of the defense department becomes the department of war, balance is way off. Non-violent protestors get shot and called terrorists in the United States. Then, the president threatens and bombs Iran for shooting protestors? Political affiliation has nothing to do with this not being normal.
The fact that so many people can’t see this is not normal and try to create equivalencies between what is happening and events of the past is troubling. When your scale starts at 20 lbs, and you wonder why you’ve gained so much weight, you re-set it to zero. The world hasn’t changed. It’s the actors who create panic and throw things out of whack. Let’s stop the madness, take a walk outside, and stop to smell the flowers. The physical world is awakening from a cold winter. Why not awaken the consciousness of the Earth’s inhabitants? If we want a brave new world, why not make the Earth Great again by returning it to its glory? As a species, we have taken over far beyond our fair share of the globe. And, we continue to press for further occupation. How about we take a beat and bring things back to a simpler time?
Rush, rush, rush
When the internet expanded, it looked like we would finally have more time on our hands.Want to do research? No need to go to multiple libraries. Simply inquire, and get access to all of mankind’s knowledge. We don’t need to go out shopping: simply click and have things delivered. Computing is faster. Compiling and analyzing data is faster. Even in the physical world, everything seems to move faster. So, with all this efficiency and speed, why do we always seem to be running around like crazy? Modern technology and advancements were supposed to make life easier. But, they seem to complicate things. Although, I don’t long for the days before modern plumbing and toilets. God bless Thomas Crapper and his ilk!
The constant stimulation we experience is counter to our well being. Between scrolling and a variety of constant stimuli, we only experience boredom in small doses. But, boredom is vital to our existence. there is a whole science dedicated to it. We feel we need interminable stimulation. But, reflection and creativity come from the quiet moments. Just slow down and take things in. Whether it’s a sunset, leaves of grass, or floating lonely as a cloud. Inspiration, creativity, and an exploration of ourselves in the universe stems not from your screen time, but, from enjoying a nice spring day. The calendar and the world agree. It’s time to slow down and enjoy the best of both day and night in equal proportion.
The most wonderful time of the year
The holiday lobby pushed the winter solstice holidays as the most wonderful time of the year for profit and control. While that sounds nefarious, it’s not all bad. As winter kicks in, people become cranky. Nobody wants to go out in the cold and do things. So, having winter holidays give people reasons to be cheerful. In their own way, the holiday cheer and songs try to offer a return to balance when days get short and temperatures drop. But, just like the plastic trees, it’s not the real thing. The vernal equinox is. No one is chopping down trees to bring them inside. We’re going outside to see a wide variety of trees encompass the landscape with natural colors. The only artificial colors here are the ones from the Christian lobby and their Easter Eggs, peeps, etc.
Grass, shrubs, and trees express themselves in hundreds of shades of green. Perennials and freshly transplanted seedlings pop up in all the colors of the rainbow. The ugly exhaust tinted snowbanks fade into the past. In essence, the world buds with life. It’s not too cold, nor too hot. What’s not to like. We don’t have to fend off the hordes of mosquitoes and other annoying bugs who team in the sweltering heat of the summer. The shedding of the trees and unpredictability of fall are months off. And, winter is a quaint memory. This is, truly, the most wonderful time of the year. And, it shows. As Rose Royce sang “Love is in the air”. Although, humans tend to get pregnant more in the colder months, the rest of the animal kingdom prefer spring. But, procreation isn’t the only draw of spring. Everything just feels alive.
So, let’s celebrate a return to balance
And, of course, this is when some of the best produce comes out (not to mention spring chicken and lamb). Perhaps not today, precisely. But, in the coming weeks, we have a return of things like morels, chantrels, fiddleheads, asparagus, ramps,garlic scapes, and more. Everything is fresh and bursting with flavor. Sure, they aren’t the succulent fruits of summer. But, in some ways they are better. These are the flavors, that, like the buds on the trees, are only here for a short while. So, take advantage of them when you can. Even those succulent summer fruits are only temporary. Still, the spring flavors are more exciting, especially after the long winter we just got through.
So, here are some ideas for your spring feast. The food is lighter, and, more varied. Enjoy this time while it’s here. As the days grow longer, you’ll be missing this time. Our menu today incorporates some of the current and upcoming short time flavors that you need to savor in the moment. After all, isn’t that what life is all about: living in the moment? So, open a bottle of white wine, and enjoy the days of no need for heaters or A?C. These are the days that represent a return to balance.
Cheers!
Corn Crusted Sea Bass with White Wine Spring Pea Puree and Sauteed fiddleheads
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 Lbs Sea Bass (Striped bass or chilean. Other substitutions re fine, too.)
- 1 cup corn meal
- salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil to cook
- For peas:
- 1 cup sweet green peas (preferably fresh)
- 1/2 cup Sweet onion (Diced)
- 1/2 tsp chopped fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 Tbsp Fresh green Parsley
- garnish:
- 1 cup Fresh fiddleheads
Instructions
- Clean the fiddleheads. Soak in water, change the water a couple times to remove all dirt.
- Make Pea Puree: Heat a little olive oil in a pan. Add in onion and ginger. Cook until translucent. Then add in the wine. Reduce by half. Add in peas. Cook until soft, and most of the liquid is gone. Do not overcook. Season withlemon juice, salt, and pepper. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. The consistency should be spreadable, not too thin. Adjust seasoning if need be.
- Mix Salt and pepper in corn meal. Cut fish into portions. Since we are doing a buffet with other items I would go with a 3 to 4 ounce portion. If this is for a main course you could do 6 or 8 ounces.
- Heat olive oil in a saute pan over high heat. Dredge the fish in the cornmeal and place in the pan, I usually start with the top side of the fish, then flip. Cook about 2 minutes per side to get a nice caramel color. Turn down the heat to medium, and, finish cooking. How long it takes to cook through depends on the thickness of the cut of fish. Generally, it should take about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Saute the fiddleheads in olive oil over medium heat. You just want to bring out the color and cook to al dente. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve the fish with pea puree either as a base or drizzled on top. garnish with fiddleheads. You can also garnish with corn if you have it.
Notes
Truffled Goat Cheese and Ramps Flan with Morel and Asparagus Salad
Ingredients
- olive oil for cooking
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- For Flan
- 1 Cup Fresh Ramps, Cleaned and trimmed, plus a few extra for garnish
- 1/2 tsp Chopped Fresh garlic
- 12 Each Large Egg yolks
- 3 cups Heavy Cream
- 1 Cup Crumbled Goat Cheese
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Thyme
- Truffle oil and truffle shavings to taste
- For Salad:
- 4 Oz baby greens, arugula or whatever is freshest
- 8 Oz Fresh Morel Mushrooms
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh garlic Scapes
- 1 Bunch Asparagus
- 1/2 Cup Sliced Fresh Spring Onions
- 1 Cup White Wine
- 1 Medium Lemon: Zest and Juice only
- 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Marjoram
- Grape tomatoes for garnish
- Extra fresh herbs for garnish
Instructions
- Soak the morels in cool water for about 20 minutes to remove any dirt. Remove from the water, and soak a second time. They tend to get a lot of grit inside the gills.
- Preheat oven to 375
- Heat a little olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Saute ramps and garlic, stirring as needed. Cook until translucent. Allow to cool.
- Whisk eggs until beaten smooth. Continue whisking in the cream, salt, pepper, and Thyme. Add in about a tablespoon of truffle shavings and a splash of truffle oil. Fold in the goat cheese.
- Spray individual ramekins or foil cups with pan spray. Fill each evenly with the flan mixture. Place on a sheet pan and bake in the oven about 30 minutes. You want them firm, but not too puffed up. If the center is still a bit runny, cook a little longer. 10 minutes should do.
- Heat a little olive oil in a pan. Saute the garlic scapes and spring onions until soft. Add in the mushrooms and cook until soft. Then add the wine and cook until it evaporates. You want it to create a glaze on the mushrooms and onions. Add in the asparagus, stir, and remove from heat. The residual heat will cook the asparagus. You want it al dente.
- Grill extra ramps for garnish if desired.
- Whisk the lemon juice, zest, oil, salt, pepper, and marjoram together. Toss the greens, asparagus, mushrooms etc in. Mix well.
- Invert the flans onto individual plates. Garnish with the salad, tomatoes, and grilled ramps.
Lemon Verbena Chick Pea Puree with Spring Vegetable Hash
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Dried Chic Peas Or 4 cups cooked
- 1 Cup Diced Sweet Onion
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Chopped Fresh Garlic
- 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
- 1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Lemon verbena may substitute lemon balm or lemon Thyme
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Scallion
- For Hash:
- 1 Cup Cubed Sweet Potato
- 1 Cup Cubed Golden Potatoes
- 1 Bunch Asparagus
- 1 Cup Chopped Fresh Spring Onion
- 1 Cup Cubed Fresh parsnip
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Herbs (parsley, Dill, Thyme, Oregano)
- Water for cooking
- Olive Oil For Cooking
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Balsamic reduction/syrup to drizzle
- High quality Olive oil, preferably flavored, like basil or chive for drizzling
- Micro Greens to garnish
Instructions
- Cover the beans in water in a large vessel. Allow them to soak for about 4 to 8 hours at room temperature. They should almost Triple in volume.
- Heat a little olive oil in a heavy pot over medium high heat. Saute onions and garlic until translucent. Drain and rinse the beans. Add to pot and toss until well coated with oil. Stir in the cumin. Add water to cover by double the volume of beans. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender (about 20 to 30 minutes). When tender, strain off liquid. But, reserve some of the liquid for pureeing.
- Put the beans into a food processor and puree until smooth. Scrape down the sides occasionally. Add some cooking liquid as needed to help it get smooth. Add in the lemon juice and continue blending. Add in the lemon verbena. Then, with the machine still running, drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer mix to a pan to keep warm.
- Make the hash: Heat some olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Add in the potatoes and cook until they begin to caramelize and soften. Stir as needed. Then add in the Onions and parsnips and stir. Cook until slightly colored. Add a little water and cook down until the potatoes are tender, but not falling apart. Then, stir in the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. The asparagus should cook in seconds. Fold in the herbs last minute and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Spread the puree evenly on the plate and artfully present the hash. Drizzle the plate with a splash of Balsamic and flavored oil. garnish with micro greens.