Glorious garlic scapes

Ryan Casey -- who along with Ned Conwell farms at Blue House Farm -- holding garlic scapes from the field

Garlic scape "tendrils" curling up from the garlic plant

Local Black Cod Fish Stew

   sauteed garlic scapes, fresh scallions and carrots

   stewed tomatoes or pasta sauce with water

   local black cod

   basil

   olive oil, salt and pepper

Hi Winnie and Steve,

One year when we all met in Bar Harbor, it seems to me that you guys knew about a funky little cafe right in the center of town where we had either a clam chowder or a fish chowder.  Am I correct that on that day you ate a little bowl of fish chowder?  I picture us sitting in a cafe or diner that had that wonderful old feeling from the 50's.  We had little bowls of chowder, and I know we then went next door for an ice cream which was a real indulgence for you.  We took our ice cream out to the sidewalk.  A bit of Americana I think -- sitting on the bench quickly licking the melting ice cream cones while watching all the people walking up and down the main street near the harbor with all the boats tied up.

Well, I only bring up the chowder because last night I made a fish stew which tasted so very good and it had garlic scapes in it.  Have you ever seen garlic scapes?  They are absolutely delicious, and are in the photos.  I only learned of them last year when they appeared at farmer's market.  Now we belong to a wonderful CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) with Blue House Farm in Pescadero.  Every week during the season I pick up a box filled with the most wonderful variety of organic vegetables.  Our new friends, Ryan Casey and Ned Conwell, are the farmers at Blue House Farm -- helped along by some enthusiastic interns.  The garlic scapes are a momentary pleasure in the field -- they will only appear for two or three weeks. The scapes are "tendrils" that come out of the hard-necked garlic bulb.  They taste like mild garlic and are the most tasty things when sauteed and added to dishes. 

Making this fish stew made me recall sitting in the booth in Bar Harbor with you.  That is a lovely memory for me.  Donna