Arranged Marriages

I called my sister Laura this morning. Tomorrow is her birthday. She was in the receptionist office waiting for an appointment. We didn’t have much time to talk. So with limited moments we quickly wondered how much we would shrink as we got older. She claims to be shrinking already and hopes to one day hit her ideal height or 5’ 7”. She is currently 6’2”...and a bit. She has a long way to go before she is old or short.

We also had just enough time to discuss Bok Choy. Because honestly, isn't there is always enough time to talk about food.

A while ago her family joined a food co-op. Every week or so they get a bunch of vegetables from the local farmers. It is a great system. Just before I left there a week ago Laura sent one of her boys down to pick up the box of goodies. There piled on the counter was an amazing harvest of local Willamette Valley produce. It looked like allot but really it was leafy, buoyant and for her family of five a decent amount of food.

One thing I particularly like about this co-op system is that it forces you to eat things that are not familiar. The local farmers in the co-op give you what is in season, abundant and fresh. They in essence provide you with an arranged marriage of food not based on what you think you need, but instead based on what they know to be good for you. Farmer knows best.

Sometimes the season is such that the arrangement is easy and familiar; carrots, potatoes, tomatoes... bacon. And sometimes it is less so. This morning Laura and I got to talk about Bok Choy. Bok Choy (Chinese Cabbage) arrived in her co-op delivery last week. She prepared it and successfully served it to her family. We were kicking around different ways to prepare it. I came home and with Bok Choy on my mind did a quick search. Here is few of what I found,

• Crispy Seawead Bok Choy
• Quick Asian Bok Choy
• Betty Rocker’s Chicken Bok Choy and Shitake Mushroom Stir Fry with Brown Rice
• Wikipedia
• Eureka, Bok Choy, When Do Chefs Create
  (this one isn't really a recipe but an article about the creative process of chefs that features Bok Choy)
  

So here is to my Sister, unshrinking, youthful, and awash in Bok Choy!

All good things,
Wig