Eat with the seasons.
Eating seasonally is not the norm in our globalized culture of year-round, fully stocked supermarket produce shelves. At JJJ, our understanding and knowledge continue to evolve as we hone our skills and learn from our past mistakes. Below is an example of what eating seasonally has come to mean to us so far:
- Fresh and Now
- Peak Flavor
- Unsurpassed quality
- Organic and/or Chemical-free
- Changing the menu continuously to reflect what our Farmers brought to JJJ today freshly harvested.
- Our farmers really appreciate that we work closely with them through the ups and downs.
- It just tastes better
- More nutritious
- Changing the menu again to reflect what our Farmers lost due to storms, hail, heat waves etc.
- When the season is over, it's gone. It really makes us look forward to the next season's items.
- How would you like to cook the same thing every day, every week, for years?
- Preserve and freeze items at the peak of their season such as berries and tomatoes. The farmers have more than can be used during certain weeks and our pastry chef loves to use preserved fruits for his frozen custards and desserts for as long as possible.
- You become much more aware of the weather and rainfall as you learn the different ways they affect the menu.
- Pastured, well-raised animals and sustainable seafood are always in season, but the preparation methods change week to week.
There is a certain amount of buildup and anticipation involved in eating seasonally that really helps you to think about your food and those that grow and prepare it. Here is a sample of what the Chefs of JJJ eagerly watch the calendar for:
Early Spring
Watercress, Wild Mushrooms, Maple, Ramps, Spring Onions
Late Spring
Asparagus, Strawberries, Radishes
June
New Potatoes, Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Cauliflower, Rhubarb
July
Cherries, Fingerling and German Butterball Potatoes, Melons, Plums, Carrots, Broccoli, Summer Squash, Peaches, Plums, Broccoli, Cucumber, Eggplant
August
Sweet Corn, Nectarines, Honeydew, Cantaloupe, Watermelon, Spaghetti Squash
September
Brussels Sprouts, Leaks, Apples, Neck Pumpkins, Sweet Potatoes
October
Pumpkin, Parsnips, Turnips, Sun Chokes
We also are lucky to work with many local farmers using high tunnels, greenhouses, and hydroponics to offer a wonderful variety of greens and herbs year-round.
