Maybe Midwest

Its not uncommon for me to begrudge my midwestern roots, the ones that continue to tether me to my current location. Its not uncommon for me to begrudge my current location, wishing for something more urban. But today on my route through the countryside that stretches between my mother's house and my own, I was more than satisfied to be right where I am. I left my mother's house, not sure what we'd have for dinner. Then I noticed a bag of peaches my mom had stashed on the passenger seat. Peaches grown in her friend's back yard. Alright, there is dessert.

Just another mile or two on up the road, I encountered a sign that said "For Indiana's Best Sweet Corn" turn here. How could I resist that? So turn I did. I was sad to see that the bin for the corn was empty, but as I was pulling back down the lane, a guy flagged me down from the field. He plucked 15 ears of sweet corn right from the stalk as I waited, and piled them into my back seat...not even allowing me to pay full price for them. Doesn't get more fresh than that. With dessert and a substantial side dish, dinner was half way done.

Not even 3 more miles on towards home, I saw a woman loading her cart full of tomatoes that she had just plucked from her garden. I pulled into her driveway, slapped down a couple more dollars, and pulled away with a bag full of just ripe tomatoes still warm from the afternoon sun. With only a few biscuits to be whipped up when I got home, dinner was complete. (Biscuit, tomato, and cheese sandwiches might be the most lovely thing P.Rock brought to this marriage outside of himself.)

It was pretty darn satisfying to sink our teeth into a meal of produce that could not be any more local or any more fresh...unless it was out of our own backyard. (Which should be producing its own bounty within a few more weeks. Tomatoes will be PLENTIFUL!)

If I ever leave this state for another, I just might come back every year from mid-July through September, even in spite of the heat. I'd come back...just for the food. (And fairs. I love fairs!)