We moved the book discussion out into the garden Wednesday night. Mostly we chatted about our memories of food. Olivia remembered getting 'grounded from raspberries' for a week after she brought a handful inside and smeared berry juice on her bed. (Truth be told, she snuck out to the garden and ate them anyway.)
Steve remembered climbing pear trees in the backyard. He liked them hard and green and not-quite-ripe.
Jenny talked about her grandmother's Cuban soup recipe that called for fermented pig something (I forget what exactly) that an uncle ships from Miami.
I mentioned my grandmother's caramel recipe which calls for cream. Not finding anything in the grocery store labeled simply 'cream' I had asked my mother...whipping cream? heavy cream? She wasn't sure, she told me--mum just went out to barn.
Speaking of going out to the barn...we talked about modern, policitical issues too, like whether the govorner would sign the raw milk bill (he didn't). Also--the complexities of getting fresh foods into the school lunches, and the societal benefits of buying locally produced food.
All in all it was a good night. Good conversation and good people. And everyone who wanted it went home with some lettuce!
