Boston Eat Local Challenge: Day 24

Breakfast:
Cheerios (exempt) with milk (Crescent Ridge Dairy, MA)
Whole wheat toast with honey (Golden Meadow, MA)

Snack:
Raspberries (Verrill Farm, MA)

Lunch:
Kids had jelly sandwiches (Trappist, MA), carrot sticks (Drumlin Farm, MA), apples (Autumn Hills Orchard, MA)
I had roasted delicata squash with garlic and red pepper jelly, and French bread with goat cheese (squash and garlic from Drumlin Farm, MA; jelly from Olde Nourse Farm, MA; bread from Nashoba Brook Bakery, MA; goat cheese from Westfield Farm, MA)

Dinner:
Lamb chops (Codman Farm, MA) over leftover roasted tomatoes and white beans
Roasted potatoes (Drumlin Farm, MA)
Sautéed summer squash (Drumlin Farm, MA)
Plum and mascarpone tart (plums from Autumn Hills Orchard, MA; mascarpone from Vermont Butter & Cheese, VT)

Notes:
Today was a delicious day.  I loved my lunch.  I loved my dinner.

The lamb chops over roasted tomatoes and white beans were so ridiculously good, I couldn’t believe it.  Probably because the tomatoes and white beans had been sitting in the fridge percolating in their own deliciousness for a few days.  And then, of course, the lamb was free-range happy lamb, which was remarkably tasty but, oddly, made me feel even guiltier about eating it.  At least with the close-quarters method of raising livestock you can argue that you’re putting a sad lamb out of its misery. 

I don’t know if it was the particular cut of chop or the free-range nature of the little rascals, but it was work to dig the meat out from in between all the sinew and whatnot.  Delicious work, mind you, but any current lambs might want to consider sitting one out during future kickball games.  Maybe take up a second language instead.  It’s not a race, Sport.  They give out trophies to EVERYONE these days. 

Anyway, the Preschooler loved the lamb (we just call it “meat” to avoid uncomfortable dinnertime questions).  The Toddler loved the white beans and roasted potatoes.  He also started munching on the little currant tomatoes hanging down from a nearby shelf because he thought they were berries.  (Note to self: he cannot be trusted in the woods right now.  Burn the poisonous pokeweed in the front yard ASAP.)

Even my tart was edible today, which is really something considering I used all butter in the crust.  Shortening has always been more likely to overlook my failures as a master baker, but maybe the butter is cutting me some slack this month.  Local butter is thoughtful that way.

Comments

[Jim]

Just remember Homer Simpson's words of wisdom on meat: "Lisa, don't be silly. This is *lamb,* not *a* lamb."

[cookiecrumb]

Here's the deal. My first Eat Local Challenge month, I called it "rehab for the taste buds." You are learning to taste real food, not additives. It's so cool.
When the month ends and you buy a bag of Doritos, you'll gag, I promise.
Good you.

[Tammy]

CC: Oh, I hope you're wrong about the Doritos!

Jim: Is there a such thing as a conscience transplant? If so, I want Homer Simpsons.