A little bit belated - February is more than a week old already - comes my "what to buy in ... " for February. This post takes part in the #fruitsandveggiesmonday competition by @lenasveganliving. Here is the link to her post for the rules: STEEMIT FRUITS AND VEGGIES MONDAY COMPETITION 🍒 🍌🍑🌿🍍🍓🍇.
The things that are available and that are really saisonal AND regional here in the middle of Germany are just a few now in February. I guess it's getting better slowly during the next month ... 😆 Spring! Where are you?!! 😭
Ok. 😕 😉 Here we go ...
Rotkohl, Weißkohl, Spitzkohl, Wirsing, Hokaido, Butternuskürbis (stehen für alle Kürbisarten)/ red - and white cabbage, sweatheart cabbage, Savoy cabbage, hokaido and butternut pumpkin (standing for pumpkins in general)
Kartoffeln / potatoes
Topinambur, Navetten, Schwarzer Rettich, Schwarzwurzeln, Karotten, Rote und Gelbe Beete, Meerrettich, Pastinake, Petersilienwurzeln / Jerusalem artichoke, black radish, black salsify, carrots, red and yellow beets, horseradish, parsnips, parsley root
Blumenkohl, Kohlrabi, Grünkohl, Rettich, Wurzel- und Blattspinat, Lauch, Chicorée, Pilze, Rosenkohl/ cauliflower, kohlrabi, kale, white radish, spinach, leek, chicory, mushrooms, brussel sprouts
Äpfel und Birnen/ apples and pears
Now it gets a little bit "exotic":
Friends of mine - a sweet couple of sisters from Sicily - or actually their mother who comes for visits every now and then - presented me a vegetable native in Italy: Cime di Rapa.
When invited for dinner I ate it at their house cooked like maybe spinach together with a small sort of pasta. They told me what it is called in italian but couldn't really explain what it actually is. It has a strong "green", slightly bitter taste. The second time one of the sisters brought it to us after she fried the leaves and stems in oil. I kept it for the next day and because I didn't really knew what to do with it I put it on a pizza together with pureed tomatoes, mushrooms, olives and capers. It was different but really good. And then, last week I discovered these green leaves on the Green Market in Wuerzburg and now I am 100% sure that it was this.
I found this recipe and I think I am going to try this soon: Orecchiette con cime di rapa.
The other huge green leaves on the photography are cultivated dandelion leaves which can be used traditionally in salads or in several warm italian dishes.
Another interesting leave I found on the Green Market is Portulak. This is a cultivated form grown in Franconia - the region I live in. It also can be used like spinach or in salads and such. The cultivated form grows in southern Germany (and in the warmer parts of Europe). The wild portulak counts as one of the most aggressive weeds in agriculture. It's been used for food for a long time but fell into oblivion later. I guess I am going to look out for the wild forms in spring ...
Have a beautiful week my fellow fruitsandveggielovers! I am off this week and a currently visiting my parents. Yesterday was my mom's birthday and we celebrated it duly! 🍷🍷
