Food Memories

I was recently having dinner with a couple of farm friends, something that happens much more frequently through winter.

Food is always a topic for discussion in these groups as you can probably imagine.

And this time, the idea of food memories came up.

Specifically, what food memories do you have from your childhood?

What's the most prominent food memory that pops into your head?

I remember a lot of dishes we had when I was growing up. The menu didn't change too often.

Most vividly, I can remember our breakfast schedule.

Sunday: grits and egg Monday: oatmeal Tuesday: pancakes Wednesday: scrambled eggs Thursday: French toast Friday/Saturday: fend for yourself

My dad championed this routine for years.

Individually, none of these were particularly amazing. It was the reliability that I valued.

Over the past 15+ years since I started growing vegetables, food memories have become much more intertwined with the seasons. Each with their own built in traditions.

The first proper, fresh salad in the spring. Usually repeated 1-2 times daily for a week or so.

The first ripe tomato in July, never cooked, always raw.

A cold cucumber soup in the heat of summer.

Even the comfort foods of March like this rutabaga/split pea soup or a simple serving of beans and rice.

Many of you have shared your food memories with me through the years.

Things like snacking on snap peas (or green beans or carrots) on your way home from pickup.

Like that first time you tried roasting radishes and feeling like you found a new food.

Or that first bite of fresh celery when you realized you may have to rethink all of your opinions about celery.

We love hearing your memories so keep sharing!

Feel free to reply to this email with a specific food memory (vegetable related or not).

If we get enough, we'll share some of these in our weekly newsletter through the year.

Supporting pictures welcomed!