Plum + Love
By Craig Lieckfelt & Bob Rogosich
This Saturday is one of those days that’s filled with positivity and energy that seems to put everyone in a good mood. David looks around at the farmers market as he approaches the first stalls, pushing the wheelchair-bound Huck.
David notices how hurried and frustrated people appear all around them. While the sun shines on them, and there isn’t a cloud in the sky, people look as though they’re getting caught in the rain; sour expressions and tense glances over the stalls. It’s enough to give David some tension in his shoulders.
“David,” Huck says in a soft voice almost something like a whisper. “Do you know how lucky we are? Lucky to be alive?”
“I do.” David says with confidence.
He tries to keep his focus on Huck and ignore the vibrant sounds of the lively market, and not get bumped by the aggressive customers.
“I almost died, David,” Huck goes on. “I was lying on a hospital bed, my body paralyzed and my shoulder out of its socket.” His usually mellow voice begins to rise with excitement as he gets himself worked up. “I just thought to myself that everything we experience is a gift. Everything I have, every breath I take, everything is a gift which could be taken away at any moment. We are all very luck, is all I’m saying.”
David thinks on this, but before he can say anything, Huck points to a flower stall ahead.
“David! Look at these flowers. They’re so beautiful.
Looking over the flowers on display, David momentarily feels like they’ve been transported to a new place and the young woman smiles warmly at him.
Huck turns and looks up at David, his cool eyes shining behind his spectacles. “Do you know how lucky we are to experience the beauty of flowers? Don’t they make you feel loved and comforted? They’re truly gifts from God. Don’t they just put you in a good mood?”
David nods. “They’re nice to see.
Huck smiles broadly at that. “Flowers, David. Flowers!” A chuckle escapes him.
With a gesture to the stall, David says, “Which bunch would you like?”
After Huck chooses a rather large bunch with a wide assortment of flowers, David pays the woman and leaves her with a smile.
Their next stop is a long vegetable stand that curves around a corner. The cornucopia of vegetables is ornately arranged in baskets and bushels in open crates. A farmer in a flannel shirt encourages them to sample anything they like.
“Where do we begin?” Huck says. “What are all these wondrous things and why are they so gorgeous to look at? And they’re all edible.”
David hands Huck an intricately spiraled Romanesco broccoli. “It looks like the shell of a turtle,” Huck says with a hearty chuckle. He takes a bite and looks amazed at the flavor, his eyes widening. “Delicious. Look at them all. They’re all so different and taste so fresh and vibrant. So life affirming.”
The farmer nods at them. “And they’re healthy for you, too. They make you feel good.”
“That’s right!” Huck exclaims with a smile.
David laughs at his friend’s enthusiasm.
Huck raises the half-eaten Romanesco into the air. “Otherworldly turtle shell-looking vegetables that taste good, make you healthy and feel good. It really makes you think. Vegetables: what a marvelous idea!”
David laughs at his friend’s enthusiasm.
As David collects a variety of bundles from the farmer and pays for the goods, he can’t help but let out a chuckle. “I like the way you think.” He’s never thought of vegetables as being so glorious before, but he enjoys Huck’s energy.
“Let’s get something to eat,” Huck says.
“We can eat at the benches.” David points to a square at the end of the path. He’s been to this market before and knows where the best food is. He buys two portions of chilaquiles and tostadas with plum salsa and carries them over to Huck, who is waiting in the shade of a tall tree, surrounded by greenery.
The food is so fresh and full of flavor that they both take a moment to savor everything. David catches Huck looking sideways at him, and when their eyes meet, David can tell there’s another lecture brewing.
“You’re a good friend, David. Do you know how lucky we are? Look at all the people. They’re all gathered here to have a good time, to eat and drink, and pretty much all will leave in a better mood than they came.”
David considers this as he looks around. The stern and agitated faces he saw earlier seem to have been replaced with warmer expressions and wide smiles. He can’t see anyone who is flustered and tense now, and it makes him wonder how the atmospheric conditions of healthy living things can directly effect us.
“David,” Huck continues, “look at all the people here talking and having a good time. They share this moment, but they’re all different. Every single person is different. Like snowflakes, not a single one of us is the same. Doesn’t that make things so much more interesting?” God loves us.
David thinks on this with a slight frown. “I’ve always thought that we’re all the same, in many ways.”
This makes Huck beam with a renewed excitement in his eyes. “You are correct, David. And the wonderful thing is that we are both saying the same thing. While everyone is uniquely different, and no two people are the same, deep down there is a unifying quality within us all that connects us.”
A broad smile spreads over David’s face. Between the fresh air, the delicious tortilla chips smothered in rancho sauce, and Huck’s infectious positivity, he decides that he is having a great time.
“We are all in a story,” Huck says as he savors a bite of tostada. “Isn’t it special that we all add something completely unique to this world? All this life and happiness just makes me feel love in my heart. People are truly great.”
“We are. It amazes me at the capacity we have within us.”
Huck reaches into their basket and forages through the goods. “Much like the capacity of our basket. Look at all these vegetables, fruits and flowers. Oh, geez, I feel so loved. And best of all, I got them all for free!”
Romanesco & Spinach Tostada with salsa
yields 4
ingredients (tostada)
Tortillas 4 each
Romanesco 1 each
Spinach 3 cups
pumpkin seeds, toasted in oil 1 cup
Cojita cheese 1/2 cup
Cumin 1 T
Coriander seeds 1 T
garlic 2 cloves
Cilantro 1/2 cup minced
ingredients (sweet potato)
Sweet potatoes, roasted 1 cup
white beans, cooked 1 cup
Vegetable oil 1 T
Water 1/4 cup
Cottage cheese 1/2 cup
Salt 1 teaspoon
ingredients (watermelon salsa)
garlic, minced 1 clove
cilantro, minced 1/2 cup
lime juice 1 each
tomatoes, small dice 1 cup
red onion, mince 1/2 cup
salt 2 teaspoon
For the tostada
Heat oil in a pan and cook the tortillas until they’re completely crispy.
Cook the spinach in a pan until completely wilted and then transfer to a strainer over a bowl and push for complete drainage of excess water.
Cut the romanesco into small pieces about the size of a nickel and sauté in oil until golden brown. Add the spices and garlic and cilantro. Fold in the spinach. Reserve for plating.
for the sweet potato spread
Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into small pieces and then coat with oil, salt, and pepper and roast in a 350F oven for about 45 minutes. Cook the beans unite completely tender or use canned and puree in a blender with the potatoes, cottage cheese, salt and water.
for the salsa
after making all the knife cuts, add all the ingredients into a bowl and mix seasoning with salt and lime juice.
Assembly
Take your crispy tortilla, add the sweet potato spread and then add your vegetables, cheese and pumpkin seeds and then finally add the watermelon salsa and serve.
