Lettuce bring back memories

It's hard not to think of lettuce but as a backdrop for salad, a prop for "the goodies" such as tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, etc. And the lettuce that is picked elsewhere and shipped to where we are shouldn't be expected to be much more than that; the most you can ask of it is to be crisp and bright.

A trip to Provence opened my eyes - yes, even my jaded, Californian I-only-eat-mixed-baby-lettuces eyes - to what a difference it makes when the lettuce comes fresh from the garden only minutes before. We were day hiking near Mount Ventoux and our guides led us up a terraced hill to a stone farmhouse past a corral of goats. As we entered the quaint structure, a peaceful farm woman greeted us and bid us to sit at one of four long, sturdy wooden tables in the great room. She then went into the kitchen and returned bearing only three things: a platter of goat cheeses, from hours old, to aged 3 months; a platter of thinly sliced, salty jambon (ham) and a large shallow wooden bowl of romaine leaves, dressed only with olive oil and a sprinkling of herbs and salt. It was one of my best lunches ever.

The part I remembered most was that the lettuce tasted so ALIVE, that it didn't need a splash of balsamic vinegar to perk it up. The advantage to not using vinegar to dress the salad was that the acid in the vinegar would not ruin the tongue for the light wines we had with lunch. (That is also the reason that many French people serve the salad after the main course, to more fully enjoy the wine with the meal.)

So while the weather is reasonably cool, I grow lettuce in my flower boxes (the photo was taken this morning) where the bunnies can't get to it. I've been just clipping the leaf lettuces as needed for salads, and tearing off a few leafs of romaine for sandwiches and tacos. I'll harvest all of it before I take off for California over Memorial Day, and then plant again the week before Labor Day for the fall crop.

Days without food...

Sorry I haven't posted in a couple of days; been dealing with the gang who is trying to get us into a new house (and a new kitchen!). Besides, it's April Fool's Day, so why would you believe anything I said, anyway? I'll post tomorrow morning before things get all crazy again.

Meanwhile, here are some links to today's food sections:

How I learned to love goat meat by New York Times' Henry Alford. Goat, the most widely consumed meat in the world, has been edging its way into yuppier climes for a year or so.

Mark Bittman (The Minimalist) on Spanish tortillitas, with recipe.

Brown rice, once synonymous with hippies and vegetarianism, gets mainstream respect. San Francisco Chronicle.

10 iconic California cheeses (only 6 of which I've had the pleasure to taste). San Francisco Chronicle.

And an asparagus recipe from Debbie Arrington of The Sacramento Bee:

Crispy California asparagus straws

Prep time: 35 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves 9 (36 straws total, 4 per serving)

This is a fast appetizer with great flavor. You can prepare them ahead of time and bake just before serving. As an option you can add a slice of prosciutto when you roll the asparagus up in the dough.

INGREDIENTS
36 asparagus spears
4 sheets of phyllo dough, thawed
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, divided use
Salt and pepper to sprinkle on top

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Trim ends of asparagus. Blanche asparagus in boiling salted water until lightly tender to the bite, about 3 minutes.
Place one sheet of phyllo on a cutting board. Set aside the remaining sheets, cover with a damp towel. Brush the phyllo sheet with melted butter. Cut the sheet into nine rectangles, two cuts down from the top, two cuts across.
Place an asparagus spear at the bottom of the short side of the rectangle with the tip sticking out from the dough by two inches. Sprinkle on a teaspoon of cheese. Roll up spear and seal with butter. Finish with remaining spears.
Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, salt and pepper. Cover the exposed asparagus tips with foil. Bake until golden brown and crispy 10 to 12 minutes. Serve warm.

Per serving: 181 cal.; 9 g pro.; 30 g carb.; 3 g fat (1 sat.); 3 mg chol.; 338 mg sod.; 2 g fiber; 14 percent calories from fat.