True Friends

There is a saying, 'Things that grow together, go together.' Words to live by I think...

In life, many experiences come and go from friendships to food and everything in between. We meet someone, we begin a friendship, we follow along a path together and then, one day, our paths diverge. Food relationships are similar. We develop a taste for a flavor and then one day, we no longer enjoy that taste. We find we have lost the taste for sweet or sour or salty... What are we to do as people who  cook be the reasons we do so for necessity, fun a living or ALL of the above? Find our way back to flavors by trying new taste sensations of course! What I do is turn to my garden for inspiration in my cooking. 

I have openly shared that I am a lazy and forgetful gardener. I plant and hope for the best. I try each year to think of a good system for remembering where I planted what and each year I try to do better than the year before. Each year I fail. I have used markers and maps. I have taken photographs of where I plant what... I find a "mystery garden" is just more fun. I allow the birds to help as well. There little "gifts" sprout  all over the garden and provide all manner of inspiration for me in the kitchen.

I see mint growing next to green beans (a SUPER yummy combination) I see nasturtiums growing where I planted them (as borders throughout my garden) and toss them into salads for little pops of peppery brightness. Heck, The tomatoes the birds planted are healthier than the tomatoes I planted! Carrots from last Spring are growing and ready for harvest now so those will go in with some leeks and herbs. My second potato crop is doing well and it's nearing time to pick the peaches... Maybe those will get made into a compote with basil.

See where I'm going? There is no "right" or "wrong" in the kitchen. There is no "judging" what tastes are enjoyable.  There is only the kinship of true friendship...

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