Simply in Season

Lately I have been doing a lot of thinking about eating in season, eating locally and sustainable living. I've been reading various books and talking with owners of farmers markets and other interesting people. We live in a society that is able to get whatever we want, whenever we want. Don't get me wrong, I love eating exotic fruits and vegetables and crave summer produce all year round. But I have been thinking that living in this freedom robs me of being able to enjoy and anticipate the various seasons.

So much of life is spent yearning for the future or dwelling in the past. Society is built around lamenting what we don't have and ignoring what we do. And we forget to live in the present moment. To be content with what we have. So in some small way, I think living in season will help me with this. My goal is to spend the next year living simply in season. To savour the foods that each season brings. I think that this will make me appreciate what I have more. To enjoy foods that i may not have tried otherwise. To master a repertoire of foods for a particular season. And to enjoy the first fruits of the next season.

Fall is here and with it comes hearty stews, pumpkin pie and other wonderful comforting treats as the cooler weather comes rushing in. I'm going to discover pumpkins and squash (I've dabbled in both once or twice, but now I will really discover them). My fruit will mainly be pears, grapes and cranberries (and probably apples here and there as an apple a day keeps the doctor away!). Sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and kale! Let the cooking begin!