Bienvenue Juin

June has arrived in the Willamette Valley bringing not only tree and grass pollen but also gorgeous flowers. We got home in time for the rhodies, azaelas and iris and now we are enjoying roses, California poppies and soon the lavendar will bloom.
Traveling across the country was enriching. Cuisines changed as often as the scenery. Returning to my Midwest roots, I quickly remembered the farm culture. Ranging from fresh picked morel mushrooms plucked from nearby woods to end up in my Mother's frying pan.......yes, I said fried.....that is the main term in Midwest cooking. They fry catfish like nowhere else except the deep South..........needless to say........I eat it as much as I can when I am back there as it doesn't exist here in the Northwest. Pork and beef round out the food offerings and are served with many side dishes. They are also fond of desserts and one was offered with every supper.....yes, the evening meal is not dinner.
While cruising those vast stretches of highways across the plains we discovered the hunting culture and they certainly love their beef and their bbq.
We noticed a national awareness to eating local and in season and they love their farmer's markets and support them big time like we do in Eugene. We also saw many vegetable gardens and that triggered a memory of taking a salt shaker to the tomato patch on a hot Illinois Summer day in August and picking a red one right from the vine, smothering it in salt and then pure bliss.
I welcome June in Oregon which means trips to Saturday Market, strawberry festivals, Summer Solstice, MidSummer's Night Eve, painting toenails red and tending to my herb garden of basil, French Tarragon, Chives, Lemon Balm, Mint and my gorgeous Rosemary bush.
Here's to the kick off month for Summer and many sunny and lovely days outdoors. Salute'