Thinking back on 2008's rainy summer, I continue to be surprised by my lack of localvore consumption. The weather definitely hindered our Vermont farmers this year, as described in the Burlington Free Press' "On the farmstand" column a few weeks ago.
Although localvore hotspots (aka Healthy Living, City Market, etc.) continue to stock produce from Vermont growers, I can count on one hand the number of times I had mesclun this summer, and don't need any hands at all to count the number of times I had heirloom tomatoes. One thing I did manage to cram into the second half of August were a few handfuls of microgreens.
Microgreens are delicious, smaller-than-bitesized versions of our beloved greens. My favorite microgreens come from Half Pint, and can be used in a variety of ways (dressed simply with a lemon vinaigrette and served over crabcakes, or as the base of a feta salad). More and more restaurants are incorporating microgreens into their menus these days, and let me say, this is a delicious trend.
I find radish and beet microgreens to be especially delicious, but you may be able to find any of the following minis: mizuna, mustard, sorrel, rapini, kohlrabi, daikon, endive, collards, celery, cabbage, cress, arugula, broccoli, basil, flax or clover.
And if the summer season has already passed you by, have no fear. You can grow these delicious bites in your own kitchen! All you need is a plate or dish, a moist felt pad, some seeds, and some light! The Sprout People offer a Micro-Greens Kit as well as a Miniature Garden.
Don't give up on summer flavors just yet!
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