Sad apples!

Husband has the flu, and both of us were feeling generally ick, so I made a good deal of comfort food this week. Eggplant is now officially a comfort food, by the way, at least for me - garlic oiled and broiled with parmesan grated on top, eaten with fingers.

Anyway, part of feeling ick entailed not being able to hit up the farmers market this week, so when I got hit with the incredible urge to make apple crisp this weekend, I was left to fend at the supermarket.

How strange that such an institution seems so foreign to me these days. Ever since the grocery strikes in California a few years ago shopping at large grocery chains leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Bad service, high prices, and an increasing awareness of how processed and removed everything is.
Anyway, I head to the produce section. Beautiful apples, shining and sparkling in the fluorescent lighting, stacked in neat pyramids. Organic. Lovely.

New Zealand.

What?

Chile.

Whats the point of getting an organic apple if it's shipped from (literally!) the other side of the world?
I live in Washington. You know. Apple country. I mean, heck, I'm from California and maybe we are spoiled by a year-long growing season. But really? Yes, it's early for apples. But still.

I manage to find a USA apple in the non-organic section. I guess the whole organic movement is a mystery to me as it applies to supermarkets. This is why I shop at the farmers market now.

So in the interest of seasonality and local responsibility, apples will not be included in this week's three ingredients.

BTW, this is a new thing because I realized I'm in a culinary rut, and hopefully will give posts more structure. Each week, I've promised myself I am going to pick three (hopefully seasonal) ingredients or a technique I haven't mastered, and explore them. Hopefully this will not only make me a more experienced and knowledgeable cook, but fuel our drive to make dinner at home.

The apple crisp was delicious, by the way, as were the extra streusel crispies I tried out my new Sil-Pat on. Maybe when it's apple season for realizies I'll post the recipe.

However, chicken soup is fair game as far as I'm concerned. More later.