Beanstalking.

The best day of the week is definitely Tuesday. Tuesday is the day we go beanstalking :)

Beanstalk - our local Newcastle organic farmer’s community co-op is absolutely amazing.

Every Tuesday we collect our fine and fresh fare from our local farmers. We get together out on the farm once a month to weed or lend a helping hand, we help raise funds for equipment when it is needed and generally, as a community, we become more part of the process. We eat what is in season, and boy, is it all ever delectable, delightful and delicious!

We get to try all sorts of weird and wonderful vegetables, and learn new recipes along the way. Garlic never tasted better, kohlrabi ever quirky and amazing in a Vietnamese salad.

Nothing compares to real vegetables :) Fresh. Robust. Colour-full. With a grub now and then.

And we hardly need to go to the supermarket anymore, yay! There ain't no going back!

...

And I thought Tuesdays couldn't get any better until yesterday (Tuesday).

Upon a little visit to the local Asian grocer for some daikon (radish),  something caught my eye that I hadn't seen since I was last in Japan.

The rush of memories came flooding back...

with sashimi,

with onigiri,

with yakiniku,

from the roadside market stall, the biggest ones I'd ever seen... Oh, the longing to return to Japan to graze on these little beauties.

Turns out there's a local lady that grows it in her backyard. Awesome!!!

I LOVE SHISO!

The perilla has a similar flavour to mint or fennel but even better! Admittedly, I am slightly biased… but isn't she beautiful!

Happy Tuesday!

- A