Changes

Entirely gratuitous cupcake* photo, my apologies.

Now that I have your attention, however, let me say how nice it is to see you here, and apologies, too, that I've been rather absent lately. I hope I didn't for a moment imply that there wasn't tons going on at the farmers' markets during these last few cold/wet/snowy weeks. (Oh, the delights waiting in those piles of potatoes, shallots and chard!) I've just been a little too busy, too tired and too cold to get myself over there lately.

Mostly because it's been a pummeling winter, we packed up our apartment and moved, and ... I'm having a baby. Which, with a winter coat on, some days already feels like lugging another person around.

On the first front, however, this morning the clocks did their "spring forward," and R. and I spotted a few burst cherry blossoms — like the first kernels to pop — dangling from wet branches, on our walk for some coffee and pastries. On the second front, while we're still close to the Grand Army Plaza market, we're even closer now to a smaller Sunday market that sets up on Park Slope's 5th Ave. (and is favored by the Pickle Man, who once talked us into not one but four tubs of his briny delicacies while we browsed, waiting for Stone Park to open for brunch). It's exciting to have moved only four blocks but to still feel like we have a new neighborhood to explore.

And on the third, I'm excited to set up our new kitchen — a feat that will include growing the counter space beyond a single foot (curses!) and including a way to actually store food in the room — and to get cooking. No one who witnessed the speed with which I put away a slice cannoli-cream-filled cake at my cousin's wedding yesterday would guess it, but my thinking about food has been forced to change a bit — there's a little person on board who requires more nutrients than exist in the foods that R. or I might generally feel like eating, which means it's time for some new habits, and new recipes. Less pasta and more veggies; less bread and rice, more protein and whole grains. And what better time for this new regime than spring, with the baby greens and other young offerings making their returns to the markets.

(Baby daffodils, how the sight of you gives me hope of shedding that damn winter coat soon!)






















It's an exciting time, and an all-around contemplative one. Lately people are also asking me what will follow Gastronomy, and though I have some ideas, I'm not yet certain. But I'm thinking, and trying to figure out the beginnings of my next path, and I'm trying to continue to grow. Although, the growing seems to be a pretty sure thing.












*This Hostess homage was spotted last spring in the window of Betty Bakery on Atlantic Avenue. It was accompanied by a coconut-frosted number that I also photographed and excitedly made my screen saver. For reasons of sanity and waistline, however, the gesture was short-lived.