For many people, stinging nettles (Urtica dioica and the closely related Urtica urens) conjure up images of nasty burning sensations caused by brushing against the nearly invisible spines on the leaves of an otherwise lovely green plant. Nettles grow wild in damp, shady woods, and can reach several feet high.
Nettles’ sting comes from sharp silicate-bearing, hair-like structures on the leaves that actually shoot irritating substances into your skin like a hypodermic needle. Unlike plants which cause reactions for only some people, nettle stings affect virtually everyone who touches them.
So why not just avoid nettles altogether? Continue Reading
Most of the ingredients in this dish, except the butter, were items purchased at the Bellingham Farmers Market from Whatcom County farm vendors on opening day (April 7, 2012). Even this early in the spring, local farmers have an amazing array of vegetables and other foods from which to choose. 
As I walked toward the Bellingham Farmers Market last Saturday on opening day, the background music started to swell. Was this the climactic scene in my own in-my-head local foods movie? It felt like it, but then I caught sight of the band playing gypsy music and snapped back to reality. The music was real, lively, and fun, and a big circle of people had gathered in the middle of Railroad St. to listen. One wiggly, loose-limbed fellow was displaying his dance moves, and kids were watching with rapt (and painted) faces. Besides that, the sun was out! The Market was definitely off to a running start! 
This month (April 2012), the Whatcom Farm to School program’s featured ingredient is frozen blueberries. That means participating school districts in Whatcom County will be serving at least one meal highlighting frozen blueberries. Some will also be offering students some classroom time to learn about blueberries, how they are grown, etc.
Bellingham’s Saturday Farmers Market opened last Saturday (April 2)! The weather was daunting, but we here in Whatcom County rarely let that stop us, so there was an enthusiastic crowd. I arrived early in the afternoon, and most farmers I talked with had been doing a brisk business all day. 
Hot new finds in the local foods department this week were beautiful fresh English cucumbers and fresh pasta made in Bellingham. I found both in Terra Organica at the Public Market on the corner of Flora and Cornwall in Bellingham.
I was really excited this week to find some local green garlic in Terra Organica (Flora & Cornwall, Bellingham). Green garlic (also called “garlic greens,” “spring garlic,” or “baby garlic”) is a good example of a food item you don’t often see in grocery stores except when it’s locally produced.
How can a locavore tell when it’s spring? The most sure sign is when the first batch of asparagus in the garden is tall enough to harvest. There is nothing that stimulates the appetite like the crispy snap of an early spring asparagus stalk when you pick it.
How can a menu be both light and hearty? When it includes a fluffy cheese soufflé!
