Seasonings and Seasons

I was reminiscing on my early days in the kitchen. When I first became interested in cooking, about 26 years ago, fresh was not the mainstream it is today. I think back specifically to the spices and seasonings. Back then, a woman woman that lived in the same apartments as my mom, was moving and offered me an impressive array of spices in jars and tins. I was so excited. Many I had never heard of. Being as the Internet was not available,  I often times had to wait until I stumbled across one of those ingredients in a cook book. Not surprisingly, I held onto many of those containers for WAY too long. Once I learned that dried spices don't last forever, I had a mostly empty cabinet. These days there are obviously many jarred seasonings that are necessary. I couldn't make my favorite curries without them. (Although I do use my fry pan and spice grinder to make sure I get everything I can out of them.)
But the main thing I have learned is FRESH ingredients can really make or break a dish. The produce section at Publix is where I spend the bulk of my grocery budget today. And the specialty stores get their share of my paycheck too. The flip side to shopping for fresh herbs (Martha tells us to pronounce the 'H') and spices is cooking seasonally and locally whenever possible. The food section in your local paper is a great source for seasonal recipes, and of course there are a gazillion websites that you can find info on how to shop and cook with only seasonal foods. And it makes sense to do so. In this age of hot house veggies, there is a reason food ripens at certain times of year, in tune with the earth and the skies and the elements. In keeping with seasonal foods we are in keeping with the cycles of mother nature and I believe our bodies work better when we follow these rhythms.

All this comes from the fact that FIGS are back on the shelves! I will enjoy a dried fig for sure, during the winter onths,  with a delightful caramelized goat cheese. But when they appear in the summer time, ALLELUJAH! I have just enjoyed a few of the fresh beauties with some blue cheese. the one and only problem with fresh fruits is how quickly they turn on you. One minute they are juicy and sassy and luring you in, and seemingly within seconds, they have become haggard and moldy. *sigh*. Thats why we roast. :)
I am about to roast my figs with thyme and wine and honey. I am pretty excited. This will squeeze at least another 7 days out of my figs. I will get a pic and post tomorrow. As it turns out, I forgot to get fresh Thyme today at the store. :(