Okay, so zucchini, yellow squash and fresh basil were technically our first produce in the Victory Garden. And they were all delicious. But I knew it wasn't until the bush beans (Roma II) started to come in that we'd really detect the difference between homegrown and store bought.
It'll still be a few days before the beans come in strong, but I gingerly plucked two last night...one to eat by the garden immediately, the other one to taste today. Oh, my...that crunchy bite of bean in la crepuscule...it was crisp, almost sweet--but not with sugar, with memory...a bit like eating fresh air. Like a summer bean-y, Proustian madeleine. The other bean was good...I ate it at noon...although it was noticeably softer and lacked a satisfying crunch. Both were better than anything from the store...or the farmer's market...but today's sample was noticeably less tasty. Less memorable.
Grow your own food...even a little bit of it...and you'll understand why so many other people are doin' it. This fresh, homegrown stuff will feed your soul.
Oh, and for kicks, here's why fresher (from your garden) is better:
Enzymes are the catalytic agents in fruits and vegetables responsible for these swift changes in flavor after picking. But enzymes are evanescent molecules without a great deal of persistence, especially after their work is done. One of the reasons fresh food tastes so bright and complex compared to food that’s been trucked around for many days is the presence of enzymes, phenolis, and other plant substances that will wither away with every passing hour.
Source: Jeff Cox, The Smaller the Farm, the Better the Food in the Energy Bulletin, 30 May 2008
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