The magical goodness that is locally grown, fresh sweet corn. Microwave in the shuck, for one minute, plus an additional two minutes for each ear (i.e. 2 ears, cook 5 minutes regular power). What? You expected more effort? Surely you jest. Okay, add salt and butter, if you must.

The weekly market is in full swing. Each Sunday, through December, local produce, live music, handcrafted items, massage therapist, and a climbing wall for the kids (Yours, not mine. Mine prefer the drapes) are conveniently located in the same space. Now it feels like summer, as if the crunchy grass beneath my feet, and sweat rings on my clothes wasn’t indication enough.

I’m something of a food snob, with a mediocre interest in cooking. I’m not constantly plagued with recharging the fire extinguisher, but I have burned more peas than any person should have to account for when not cooking meals with the aid of a welding torch. But, you know shit does happen, and when it happens to peas it smells a lot like smoldering hair.

Zucchini and yellow squash are at the peak of freshness. When picked young, their flavor has a natural sweetness, seldom duplicated from truck farmed inventory available at the grocery. These are usually roasted in the oven, are added to baby portobello mushrooms to create a bastardized version of stir-fry. The commonality is both meals require less effort from me in an apron.

I like food. I like good food. But, I don’t like not knowing what’s in my food or preserving my food. Cooking has become something of a necessary evil. The scientific names on can labels, and boxed preservatives tends to freak me out, so I don’t prepare convenience food as often as I once did.

Fresh produce shouldn’t be a luxury, but for many families it is. It perplexes me how fresh food that hasn’t been heavily processed (washing doesn’t count) can cost more than crap in a cardboard box. Although I doubt understanding why, would make me feel better about it.