dark days challenge post

I completely spaced on posting for the last few weeks, something about crazy work and traveling. We did enjoy some local meals, most notably brunch-food (bacon, eggs, homefries) and other things I have completely forgotten.

Tonight I revisited one of my fall favorites: pork chops with apples and onions. The apples (Granny Smith) cooked up into mush, but the tart flavor was still good. I used boneless pork loin chops from Curly Tail (~49 miles), and onions and apples from H-W Organic Farms (~86 miles.) The dish is much better with apple cider, but I'll have to wait about seven months for that. For side dishes I boiled up some red potatoes from H-W (mixed with butter and milk from Hartzler's Dairy) and dug some of the last corn and green beans from the freezer. Non-local items were olive oil, salt and pepper.

I'm thinking that I actually froze adequate amounts of corn and green beans; they would have held out a little longer if I had a bigger variety of vegetables in the freezer. I've been getting baby spinach and lettuce at the winter market, so I need to focus more on eating those. The regular markets won't start up until late April/early May. Can't wait for asparagus season!

I need to get off my duff and see if there are still openings in any CSA's. I have wavered about joining one again - I enjoy shopping at the markets so much, and being a CSA member would cut down on that. We also have the option of a full-season fruit CSA, and since I am all about the fruit I am considering it (we were members of a short-season fruit CSA last summer/fall.) If I continue to hesitate it won't be an issue!