Mathew Ladegaard of Ground Stone Farm.
Blossom Bag from Squash Blossom Local Food.
What makes the smell of chile roasting in the autumn so satisfying? Or the taste of a ripe tomato in August so soul-warming? Or the feeling of peach juice running down our chin in July so joyful? Why is the year-long wait for asparagus’s brief but bountiful debut in May so worth it every time? Eating seasonally gives us the gift of anticipation, palpable gratitude and, celebration when our favorite fruits or veggies ripen and come forward for their time in the limelight.
With Squash Blossom Local Food, you feel the drumroll leading up to each new season’s delicacies, and get a chance to be in the moment–savoring the right now of seasonal eating. No matter what time of year, it is always some crops’ perfect conditions and time to shine. In early spring when the root crops are finishing their cozy winter season stored in the ground and using their natural sugars as antifreeze, thus getting more and more delicious, we see the hardiest of the winter greens in full flare. Machê is one of the first greens to come on in the early spring. This tender floret found wild throughout the French countryside, makes the most wonderful salads.
“I was thrilled to get a bag full of vegetables from Squash Blossom. The machê was the most amazing treat! It is often paired with beets, and since there were beets in the bag, I steamed them until tender-firm-ish, then peeled them and used them to make several salads, the beets sliced in rounds and arranged on a plate, a big clump of machê in the middle dressed first in a little mustard shallot vinaigrette. I dribbled a little vinaigrette on the beets and tossed the machê just mostly to moisten. It doesn’t take much dressing.”
The mâche Madison enjoyed came from Ground Stone Farm in Pojoaque, New Mexico. Using organic practices, (though not certified) farmer, Mathew Ladegaard loves to grow greens… and purples! He grows a wide variety of leafy treasures for each season. Coming on next is his wildly texture-full spicy mix including a purple mustard, deep green tot soi, and magnificent mizuna. He loves to save seeds and cultivate both heirloom and selected varieties that he can grow for heat and bolt resistance in the peak heat of the summer, or frost-heartiness in the winter, striving for peak flavor, color, and texture year-round.
Any time of year is a great time to try out Squash Blossom’s local food subscription service. Now that we’re headed into the summer, many crops will be competing for your favor. What are you most excited about? Try a Blossom Bag and remember some of the unsung heros, and enjoy your favorite local staples. You can start with just one bag to see how you like it, or subscribe to get a bag every week, or every other week, or once a month depending on your eating habits. There are no upfront costs to subscribe, and no commitment required.
Learn more at: www.squashblossomlocalfood.com
Nina Yozell-Epstein
Founder | Director, Squash Blossom Local Food Inc.
☆ SANTA FE’S 2018 SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR ☆
– Your Local Farm Source –
Machê growing at Ground Stone Farm.
Edible celebrates New Mexico's food culture, season by season. We believe that knowing where our food comes from is a powerful thing. With our high-quality, aesthetically pleasing and informative publication, we inspire readers to support and celebrate the growers, producers, chefs, beverage and food artisans, and other food professionals in our community.
