Life list of foods Lisa Harris – The Times Argus 5/13/09
•Memories of eating fresh peaches at a roadside stand in Georgia still make my mouth water.•Fresh eggs from a flock of ducks in Michigan. Their richness is wonderful in baked goods.
•Mofongo, or mashed plantains cooked with pork, in Puerto Rico. I often see plantains in the Coop, but have yet to try to recreate that wonderful dish.
•Ackee and saltfish for breakfast in Jamaica – one of my all time favorites – prepared by local Jamaicans in a small Inn. It was well worth the drive through the scary traffic.
•Maryland crabs at a big community crab boil near Washington, DC. As I sat at a picnic table whacking away at the claws, an area native commented, “I’ve never seen crabs eaten that way before.” I guess it’s because I grew up in Indiana. We didn’t have many fresh crabs there.
As I looked over this life list, I realized that the best flavors I’ve experienced were foods harvested and prepared in the same place in which I discovered them. And I didn’t even have to get dressed up and make a reservation to try them. My suggestion to all of you is to eat fresh, eat local, and eat what is in season. Seek out the local the flavors wherever you are and you won’t be disappointed.
Lisa Harris lives in East Montpelier and is on the Board of the Vermont Fresh Network. She loves to write about food, build and cook in wood-fired clay ovens, and teaches at the New England Culinary Institute. You can contact her at TheSavoryMuse@gmail.com.
