Sometimes fresh carrots pulled straight from their underground hollows are all you need to feel just right. Remnants of the dirt you tried to wipe off on already encrusted jeans add the perfect gritty crunch to the carrot's brisk sweetness. No need to roast these fresh moments. No need to dress up these moments into a moroccan carrot salad. The carrot is just perfect the way it is. Sometimes, this is how I feel.
Its something I've learned after the season working at White Oak Farm, tending to thousands of plants that sustain me and my community. Sometimes the food itself, when its grown well (with love!), is the best it can be. The carrots are so sweet. The raspberries a tangy burst. And the spinach is so rich and deep and crisp. I was often seen stuffing lettuce in my mouth like one of the goats while trimming the leaves off for the farmer's market. It just felt right and tasted even more right.
My cooking style has simplified this season, as the vibrant food I've eaten stood on its own. Why make a watermelon feta salad when a plump watermelon, waiting on a juice-splattered cutting board for slicing, is all I crave in the heart of summer? When the lettuce is just bitter enough for a bite and crunching with flavor, a salad has never shined so bright.
