The Taste of Summer

                When we think of summer, our taste buds jump at the thought of all those fresh fruits and vegetables we will be enjoying. There is just nothing like a fresh cucumber, tomato, beans, squash, berries or figs.  Biting into a hot grilled hamburger and having the juice from the fresh, sweet home grown tomato running down your chin is an experience worth its memory.  Is your mouth watering yet? We hope so. We want to challenge you, or your taste buds that is, to eat fresh. We promise once you get in the habit of eating "real" food you will not settle for anything less.   You see, as food ages on the grocer's shelf, vital nutrients decrease along with the taste.

                We can testify to the difference. On a recent trip to Virginia, we had the delicious opportunity to dine at The Harvest Table. This wonderful oasis of a restaurant serves only fresh food that is supplied by local farmers.  Everything was fresh and local. The chef has stayed true to his mission of providing wonderful meals and supporting local farmers.  The chef was so committed I was not able to have lemon in my water.  We would have to say it was one of the best meals we have ever eaten out. I had a veggie wrap with a homemade flour tortilla. Keith had a lamb and black bean burrito. Our taste buds knew they were experiencing something special as soon as we took the first bite of our meal. We were treated to cherry tomatoes that looked just like baby watermelons. Next, we visited a local farmer's market. We purchased Papaya Squash, Greasy Backs, Pink Tenders, and Shellies. It was wonderful to find Heirloom vegetables. They were delicious too! We saved some of the seed, so we hope next year we will be able to enjoy those veggies again and that memory too.

                We have had a busy summer with our garden this year too. It is the largest we have had since returning to Lugoff. We have planted  squash and cucumbers several times so they keep coming. It has been great to have such a bountiful supply. We have been able to eat all we want, share with friends and even put some up to enjoy in the winter. Because two of our children are not able to eat processed sugar, I have been making jams and pickles using Bell Honey. Boy, has everything been tasty and healthy too. For us, there is certain senses of pride you get when you plant a seed, water, watch it grow, harvest and enjoy it while it is fresh then preserve to enjoy later. We know it may sound like a contradiction, when we sing the praises of "fresh" food, then talk about preserving. But to us, if we cannot have it fresh, then preserving our own is the next best thing.  Because, if you start with fresh, then persevering that item it will still be better than anything you can buy at the grocery store.  Opening a jar of canned tomatoes, in the dead of winter takes you and your taste buds back to the pleasures of summer time living.

I know, I know you are saying that’s a lot of work.  You bet it is, just asked our kids how much fun they had helping to shell a bushel and a half of peas one Saturday afternoon.  Oh, the joy of sore thumbs and green finger nails! Like we said, it is soon replace by the experience of enjoying as a family the wonderful taste of fresh peas and the sense of satisfaction your children have in know they helped to put food on the table.

                We hope this column will inspire you eat fresh food or to tackle the task preserving your own food. It is work but it is not really that difficult. If you would like some helpful hints or recipes, then we'd like to ask you to visit our website Wil-Moorefarms.com.  There will be a section entitled, "What's Cookin'?"  Several of our customers have asked for recipes, so we plan to add this feature to our site.  We hope you will enjoy it and that it will inspire you to get cookin'!!!