Turnip

Today I ate a turnip. Never having tried turnips before I ate this one sliced and raw with hummus.  Now I know.  I like turnip. At least I like them early in the season and raw. I think it is good to try new foods. Last week I ate garlic scapes. I had never heard of them before but they are really delicious diced and sauteed with eggs or taco "meat." The scape is the flower bulb of the garlic bulb that is cut off to encourage the bulb to fatten up before setting a flower. The flavor is milder than garlic and the scape remains firm and crunchy even when sauteed. I am getting these new foods because I joined a different CSA (consumer supported agriculture) this year. I chose this one because the farm is closer to my home.  Nowthen is just up the road from me. I chose it because my pick up day is Thursday and I do most of my cooking on the weekends.  I chose it because my share is smaller in size and less expensive.  Finally, I chose it because for only $80 more I get a full quart of fresh organic strawberries every week.  These strawberries are to die for. Unlike the freaky Frankenstein sized tasteless strawberries I can get year round at the grocery store, these strawberries are tiny and bursting with delicious flavor. Positively bursting with strawberriness! I eat them for breakfast. I use them to brew delicious strawberry kefir. I suppose I could make jam but I prefer fresh strawberries to strawberry jam and I can eat a quart by myself. I pick up my food at the farmer's market in Nowthen.  Unlike the other farmer's markets I have been to in Anoka County, this market has more than three sad-faced farmers.  This one has fresh fruits and vegetables, breads, jams, sauerkraut, syrup, honey, baked goods, cheeses, spice mixtures, sewn goods, knitted goods, carvings, crafts made out of recycled materials, and soap. Speaking of baked goods, one of the vendors sells baked goods.  We recognized each other right away. When she was in sixth grade or so I gave her a ride home from school or events many times until she got her own car.  Now she is all grown up and selling baked goods. Obviously I HAVE to buy from her.  The first week it was a caramel roll so large it barely fit on a plate. I tried to show restraint but it was so good I ate most of it on the way home and now my steering wheel is sticky.  The second week was a blueberry turnover. I was determined to eat only a fourth of it and save the rest for later. That thing was gone a mile before I reached my house. I am helpless at her table. My only recourse is to bring only three dollars because without more money, I won't be able to buy more.