meals of the seasons

it just so happens that i’ve read interviews of two different talented cookbook authors lately with some seasonal meal ideas that were very inspiring from the perspective of a foodie, so i thought that i would share those here.  i found the first one on smp living, and it’s an interview of beatrice pelte, author of la tartine gourmande, which was inspired by her beautiful food blog.  [once upon a time ago, i talked about her book here.  i’m now a proud owner of the book, thanks to a birthday gift from my sweet brother!  i’m a huge fan of bea’s.]

here’s her meal idea for a fall or winter dinner party, taken directly from the interview:

If you are looking for a casual meal, and it’s winter or fall, I would start with a soup finished with greens and a good quality oil or maybe oeufs cocottes, then I’d make a dish of roasted root vegetables with black rice and chicken cooked with spices and coconut milk. I would always finish with a large bowl of green salad and an apple tart or an apple clafoutis for dessert.

{images from la tartine gourmande}

the second meal idea is from nigel slater, author of the kitchen diaries: a year in the kitchen with nigel slater and many other culinary-centered publications.  anthropologie interviewed him in their magazine, which is where i found the excerpt below, and although i didn’t really know a lot about him before, i quickly became intrigued and am now convinced that i need every last one of his books.

this is his idea of a perfect spring meal, start to finish, taken from the magazine:

A bunch of radishes, white-tip if possible, for people to pick at, served with sweet, cold butter and sea salt.  A bowl of early salad leaves, with capers, sprouted seeds and young fennel.  A dish of rabbit with chopped tarragon and cream, or a young roast chicken stuffed with lemon and a head of spring garlic.  No dessert, but a single fresh goat’s cheese with a basil-infused olive oil to trickle over.

when asked what cocktail he might serve, nigel responds with:

There has to be a little fizz to a spring cocktail, to remind us of the new life that is starting in the ground.  I would serve a champagne cocktail, perhaps with a dash of pomegranate juice.

{images from nigel slater}

i love the emotion, the stories, the love and joy and meaning that these two authors bring to the table along with their wholesome, beautiful, of-the-earth dishes.

to coincide with these two, i created my own meal idea for summer that utilizes the abundant fruits, vegetables, and herbs of the season as much as possible:

Peach, prosciutto, and smoked mozzarella bruschetta with a sprig of arugula.  Grilled shrimp and scallops served over fusilli with a light yet luscious cilantro-lime oil with tomatoes, orange peppers, avocado, and fresh grilled corn.  A spinach salad with feta, green onions, candied almond slices, fresh blackberries and raspberries, and a cinnamon vinaigrette.  For dessert, sweet basil shortcakes with balsamic-macerated strawberries and marscarpone cream.

my drink of choice would be as follows:

A crisp pinot grigio, or a hugo, a drink that I discovered in Germany, made with prosecco, a splash of elderflower syrup, mint, and lime.  

there’s a beautiful thing about enjoying the harvest of the season.  it’s healthier and tastier, less expensive, and it just feels right.  i hope the captions above from bea and nigel inspire you as much as they inspired me.

xoxo