The Sting Of Summer On My Skin
by briarcliff, March 11, 2009 | Permalink
I Can Feel the Sting of Summer on My Skin
By: Michael Shively, Store Team Leader at Whole Foods Market Briarcliff
With a slight soreness across my shoulders from digging my home garden three times larger for this season I want to write and tell you that it makes me giddy thinking about seeing and tasting those amazing veggies that summer will soon bring. Of course, the big one for most of us, including me, are the heirloom tomatoes. Those beautiful, plump, delicious gifts from Mother Earth will be here before long and I am like a 5 year old with his pants filled with ants just thinking about them. My respect for the farm and the farmer started early. I grew up around gardeners, as my mother kept a small garden, and my grandfather kept a garden so large that he fed himself and my grandmother year round. They both grew tomatoes and I remember quite tasty tomatoes from both gardens, but I did not have a mind blowing, eyes closed, lost in the flavor experience with tomatoes until I had tasted an heirloom from the Whole Foods Market in Dallas, Texas where I worked for a bit of time. My goodness that is what a tomato is supposed to taste like. The flavor was so clean, and juicy, and TOMATOEY (I have officially created a new word) that every bit of white noise in the world went away for those few minutes that I was devouring the tomato. My love affair will resume in just a couple of months as our store here on Briarcliff Road will again be able to fill a table with local and regional heirloom tomatoes. When you pick up your favorite heirloom consider adding a little kick with some fresh mozzarella accompanied with balsamic vinegar, Sweetwater Growers fresh local basil, salt and pepper. Oh, the anticipation!
Some of the other gifts that will soon be arriving are southern staples like blueberries from farmer Dick Byne, strawberries from Miles Berry Farm, okra, corn, peppers, and melons. Yes, you can get these items at any time of the year, but the true gift is to get them in season, close to home, with as few food miles on them as possible, and in most cases we can show you a picture of the farmer. Who knows you may even run into one of them that grew your dinner while you are in our store. Before I let the bounty of summer steal the spotlight, let me pay homage to the sometimes overlooked stars of spring. What a mundane life it would be without our Georgia grown Antioch Farm Vidalia onions? What about the many uses for a radish or coming up with a new way to prepare carrots? Of course, salt, pepper, and olive oil in the oven for 30 minutes will make magic on both. Don’t forget the amazingly beautiful broccoli. Wow, life is good! Get in to our store and start gathering and cooking all of these wonderful items. If you don’t know what to do with something, just ask; we will be glad to help you out. Our staff is loaded with team members that have a passion for what the earth brings us to eat and they will be more than happy to assist you.
Here at Whole Foods Market we are committed to local and regional produce when the season brings them. I don’t know how many people out there know this, but during the peak of summer, our store has local farmers who come to the back door and sell us produce. What other grocery store does that??? We truly appreciate what an important role these farmers play in the health of our region, our bodies, and our future. We want our customers to have access to all of the great things being grown in our great state and across the South so we go a little out of our way to make sure that those farmers and producers can have a place to showcase their talents. Yes, there are many places to buy “groceries”. But, I can proudly say that when you shop with us, your choice advances a movement-a movement that puts a face with your food and enhances your life through these great foods. So, get in here and see us. We want to help you eat better, live better, and feel the passion!
Categories: Thoughts from a Store Team Leader