Saturday morning I giddily walked downtown with G, soaking up the warm sun, gentle breeze, and anticipation. We noted the bright tents dotting the parking lot across from the library, next to the river. I prolonged my excitement a bit longer as we stopped at our favorite Saturday breakfast spot, Wrap it Up, for a large Alterra coffee. Then, the moment was upon us: the first market day of the season.
We chatted with friends, vendors, and even a local newspaper reporter. Then, we bought veggies—so much green.
Sunday night, after finishing addressing and assembling and sealing our wedding invitations, we made risotto primavera. I sauteed asparagus and set it aside so it wouldn't be soft and overcooked. Then, I made a delicious base of butter sauteed carrots and onions, added rice, and a generous splash of wine. A simmering pot of homemade veggie stock made an easy, taste task of ladling stock and stirring rice.
I baked squares of tofu and made a sort-of chimichuri sauce of cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and olive oil. It was bright, tangy, and delicious on the slightly dry tofu. A bed of steamed spinach completed the plate.
Some meals come together even better than in my mind, and this was one. I like to credit the fresh, local veggies, as well as my less stressed frame of mind: a Sunday night when the semester is finished and all the grading in is luxurious. And, that first Sunday off the academic calendar: magical.
