Brussel Sprouts

[See the original article, published in Edible Portland, here]

Is there a vegetable more despised, condemned for its lack of subtlety, its imposing perfume? Brussels sprouts are like cilantro. People don’t have mixed feelings about them. They either love them or hate them.

Though smaller than their cousin the head cabbage, brussels sprouts pose an equal threat of overwhelming with their off-putting flavor and slimy texture. Pile on a host of indignities from being picked too large (they should be no larger than a small plum), stored too long (get them on the trunk, at the farmers’ market) and cooked to death, and you get a vegetable that’s never chosen, begrudgingly accepted, and no one’s favorite. For some, the only positive thing about it is that it’s over in one hold-your-nose bite. Cabbage, however, can go on forever!

Spring Lamb

Wherever there have been undulating grassy slopes and people living among them, there have been sheep. The animal and the people who tend it have long embodied the gentle, bucolic spirit of a culture. Like Mary and her little lamb, flock and shepherd wander freely from one verdant knoll to the next without destination or deadline. When counted, they woo us to peaceful slumber. Theirs is an innocent freedom that celebrates nature’s renewal.

From time immemorial, lamb has symbolized the season of rebirth. Mostly associated with iconic and religious rituals, especially at Easter, “spring” lamb represents the expiatory sacrificial lamb for some, the most delectable of seasonal treats for others.

Fresh Ideas

Winter squash is the black sheep of the curcubita (squash) family. Every clan has one, a sibling who bears little resemblance to the others. Warm weather brings zucchini, of course, along with crooknecks and pattypans, scallops and globes. Decked out in shades of green and yellow, these summer squash are easy on the eye, flaunting slender necks, graceful curves and delicate blossoms for stuffing. Soft-skinned and quick-growing, they’re infamous for overwhelming gardeners with their bounty.