Saturday, June 05, 2010

Soggy 'Snips

In spite of the gray skies, I decided to venture forth and investigate the  'ol farmer's market today.  I normally wait until my school closes for the year and go on Wednesdays when the crowds are thinner. But, I have a brand new pressure canner and one needs produce if one is going to practice the canning of things.

Besides, I am still really mad at that shawl I flung into the knitting basket last week and have not worked up the will to start tinking back in search of those two stupid dropped stitches.  A trip to the farmer's market on a Saturday morning, even if the storm clouds are gathering, is a mighty fine way to avoid such distasteful tasks...

I know what you are thinking.  "Sheepie," you want to say, "it is early June.  You live in Maine.  There isn't going to be anything at the market for a while.  At least not anything at which you won't turn up your dear little button nose..."

I added the part about the button nose.  I know that no one would ever say that to me.  It is a little condescending and my honker is not exactly button-y on the best of days. I guess I just sort of like the idea of having such a sniffer.

More to the point, though, you would be mistaken about the market.  There may not be much there, but parsnips can be found.  I sort of don't hate parsnips.  In fact, as a child, I liked them.  Don't get me wrong.  I don't wake up in the dead of winter thinking how awesome it would be to get my hands on a nice, fresh parsnip.  Mostly, I don't think of vegetables at all.  But, I figured I'd rather make my canning mistakes early as opposed to when the "good" produce is out of the ground.  And I can live with parsnips.

So I went out in search parsnips.  I did this in spite of the fact that the cloudy skies opened up into an outright deluge before I was even halfway to the market and that the rain only got more vicious as I perused the stands.  I finally decided to simply visit my Summer  Vegetable Boyfriend and be done with it.  It couldn't hurt to see how well our relationship has fared over the forced winter separation and he had a big basket of parsnips right out front.

For the record, he is as chatty and funny as ever and I might have thought everything was fine if he didn't have his son (or grandson...who can say for sure) with him.  I may need to rethink this relationship.  I don't know if I am ready to introduce children into my life and I surely don't feel like the vegetables are enough to make it work.  Sure, this farm also runs a few lobster boats and that might ease the pain of having an instant Summer Vegetable Family.  Or perhaps not...

I might have stayed and pondered this save for the eyeball searing flash of lightening which followed my parsnip transaction.  Before I even got my sight back, the loudest clap of thunder I have ever heard in my entire life exploded a foot or so over my head.  I took this as a sign from the Powers Of Produce that it might be a good idea to call it a day.  I went home, prepped my 'snips, canned them and nursed my minor steam burn.  Situational Summer Semi-Romances can be debated another day.

It was good practice with the pressure canner and got me excited about the weekly Visits With The Veggies that mark my summer vacation experience.  In spite of getting soaked, having to come to terms with my Summer Boyfriend's family situation and a near-death experience walking to my car, I believe it was worth the time and eight dollars spent.

Plus, I got to avoid that shawl so it's a win/win!

SA

12 comments:

Karen said...

Sorry about the shawl.
I have never eaten a parsnip. May I ask what do they taste like? I know they are often linked to carrots but I can tell to look at them they are probably more like turnip than carrots.

Mel said...

I think about parsnips often in the winter. And sometimes in the summer. They are one of my all-time favorite root veggies.

Karen: Parsnips are nuttier, sweeter, and starchier than carrots, and the only thing they have in common with turnips is the last four letters (or last 3 in the singular form).

Teri S. said...

I like parsnips and don't eat them often enough. The only ones I've seen are the slightly old ones from the grocery store. I bet the ones fresh out of the ground are awesome!

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, what time were you out visiting your Summer Veggie Boyfriend? I was still snug as a bug in a rug in bed when the thunder and lightning storm of the century rolled through here. I was scared, but I was snug. As a bug. In a rug.

Julia G said...

Love parsnips, they are an awesome addition to (crockpot) chicken soup. Mel said it best, they are like zestier carrots, but I've also had them mashed together with potatoes on Thanksgiving.

Good for you visiting the veggies and your Summer Veggie Beau! We already have asparagus and lettuce at our neighborhood farm market, but judging from the fields surrounding it, more will be coming soon. They also get in yogurt from a local dairy -- we live on fresh fruit and yogurt most of the summer!

Kath said...

Oooo...I used to have an awesome recipe that used parsnips. It had a lot of cheesey oniony goodness too. If I can find it - I'll send it!

sheep#100 said...

They look an awful lot like carrots which have seen a ghost, don't they?

Perhaps your Summer Vegetable Boyfriend is a widower in search of female companionship to ease his aching heart...

PS - My word verification ends in "ip".

Yarnhog said...

"I don't know if I am ready to introduce children into my life"...ummmm...and what is it you do for a living, exactly? I suspect you may be in a wee bit of denial about the presence of children in your life!

Jeanne said...

I've never met a parsnip I didn't like... but then, I've never really met a parsnip at all.

Maine got off easy if all you had was a thunderclap. I'm 25 miles south of the worst tornado outbreak in NW Ohio history and I was up all night watching the news channel and pulling the cats off the ceiling. We made it, unscathed, but a tad damp. Of course, it is absolutely gorgeous outside today.

My verification word: "batterst"

Lynne said...

My sister used to call parsnips "dead carrots" when we were children and I believe she still does when my mum is around!

I'n confused - have you lost two stitches or three?

Elaine said...

Must try a parsnip.... maybe this summer.

Anonymous said...

I love parsnips, too. I include them in my root vegie roast with olive oil, salt, garlic (lots of garlic), a touch of cayenne, and minced fresh rosemary.