We’ve done kale, so what’s next?…

The other day something clicked. I not only realized that kale is quickly leaving restaurant menus, but that I’m kind of over it. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still eat it now and then, and I really do like the taste of it, but let’s move on to something new. No more kale chips, kale salad, kale wraps, kale bacon, or kale sun tan lotion. I want to focus on the next vegetable that makes my eyes sparkle and my mouth uncontrollably shout it to the server.

I was a lucky child in that my mother never made me eat vegetables. This was most likely due to her parents for forcing vegetables down her throat as a child. And when I say “lucky,” I mean in a non “I-weigh-twice-what-I-should-and-have-cardiovascular-problems” way… She still prepared vegetables, and they were still on the table, but it was my choice to eat them. Interestingly, because I wasn’t forced, I loved eating them. In fact, I remember times I’d come home from having dinner at friends’ houses raving about this “new” vegetable I’d had and asking her to make it in her next meal. Ever since, I’ve been a veritable vegetable votary.

Kalettes photo courtesy of modernfarmer.com

So every year, I’m curious which vegetable will be on every menu at every restaurant. Which leaf or stalk will make me feel really cool ordering it. Which perennial will my wife now tell me is healthy to smear all over my face (I believe her, but sometimes wonder if she’s just seeing what she can make me do).

Many are saying the new hippest green will be the hybrid Kalettes. And though, this cute little combination of Kale and Brussels sprouts is sure to spring up in salads here and there, I can’t help but wonder if it has the potential to become “huge.” Hybrid vegetables that catch on are somewhat rare. Think about the most recent popular vegetable hybrid that you’ve seen regularly in restaurants. It’s probably something like broccolini which has been around for over 20 years. Veggies can do it, but hybrids tend to be more popular with fruits. Think, pluot, tangelo, blood lime, etc… (okay the last one isn’t exactly popular, but is really cool sounding…like it could be the name of the next novel-to-movie blockbuster).

There have been plenty of fruit/vegetable fads to trend on. We’ve conquered avocado (though let’s face it, that beautiful alligator pear will never get old). Sun-dried tomatoes are good, but that year-old half-jar in the back of my fridge says “not that exciting anymore.” No one over 12-years-old cares that asparagus makes your pee smell anymore. And though I love heirloom [insert any edible here] because of the flavors, colors, etc…, I haven’t seem much since heirloom carrots hit the menus.

What do you think? Have you seen anything regularly yet? Let me know what you think the newest vegetable craze will be (or already is)? I’ve seen a bunch of cauliflower purées and soups lately…

“You should try the Boise Co-op…”

When I first moved to Idaho in 2010, I worked odd jobs here and there until I could find something full-time. One of those jobs was working retail at a market of the world import kind. They had food, alcohol, furniture, housewares, etc…from many different countries. What I found interesting was that whenever we didn’t have a food or beverage product (and sometimes housewares), I was told to tell the customer “you should try the Boise Co-op.” I don’t think this was company policy, but everyone knew that the Boise Co-op (@BoiseCoop) was the place to go if you needed anything hard to find or just needed to find in general. Not knowing what it was at the time, I wondered what wondrous place could have this kind of reputation.

So I took a discovery trip and within the first visit, this community-owned shop had me hooked. Not only did they have hard-to-find products, but they had tons of local goods. Having grown up in a small community, and one that was just outside the nature-aware-socially-conscious city of Boulder, Colorado, I could tell this would be a new favorite spot to shop. Within a few visits, my wife and I became members and for the past few years, we have frequented the co-op more than any other store, restaurant or location in Boise. Why? Because it’s about the quality. In my opinion, quality is almost always better than quantity and most times, that which is local, is better quality. Whether it’s the rich orange-yoked eggs from the chickens pictured on the carton (yes, I think of Portlandia every time I buy them) or the vegetables that actually taste like vegetables, if I want to cook a meal that’s healthy and supports the local community, I go to the co-op.

Now, here’s the great thing. There are many local food co-ops around the country in which you can get great products like these while supporting local farmers and companies! Many, many cities have them. So, I say GO! Shop at them! Show your support! Bring your canvas bags that say “I heart NPR” or “My Child is an Honor Student at Great Student Elementary.” So what if you don’t drive a Subaru? You can park next to one! Who cares if you’re not dressed as cool as the check-out guy that looks like David Bowie? I never am! We’re all doing our part to make this great-big-world-of-food a little healthier, more sustainable and in turn, better for us and future generations!

Now if you’ll excuse me, my soap box just broke and I need to get another one from behind the Boise Co-op (because they even have amazing soap!)