Hello, my dear Scroll enjoyers, and welcome back to another installment of Food for Thought. Today’s piece will be discussing seasonal eating! Seasonal eating describes the process of eating foods, especially produce, during the season at which they are at peak ripeness. There are a multitude of reasons that someone may want to eat seasonally, from health benefits to economic impact to environmental concerns, and this piece will be discussing a few, as well as tips to start eating seasonally, should you be so inclined. 

When looking at seasonal eating, there is more to think about than health only. Another consideration is the environmental impact of eating seasonally. Eating seasonally generally lowers one's carbon footprint. Since foods grown out of season are typically transported long distances and often need the assistance of temperature control to stay fresh, eating in-season food lowers the emissions caused by the process of keeping the out-of-season food fresh. Moreover, in-season foods, as reported by Masterclass, are more often grown locally and have less of an environmental impact. 

Now, seasonal eating can seem intimidating from a distance. Knowing which foods are in season can be confusing, but it is easier than it may seem. To start, shopping at a farmer’s market is a good way to begin eating seasonally. Farmer’s markets will have fresh, in-season produce, as well as vendors who have information on what is in season and the best time of year for different foods. Another way seasonal eating can be incorporated is by learning to preserve their foods. Properly preserving food, through methods such as pickling, canning, freezing and dehydrating, can help preserve freshness months down the road. Furthermore, as far as Masterclass is concerned, shopping mindfully is a good way to eat seasonally. “Color, healthy skins, aroma, and the leaves and stems indicate ripeness and freshness.” By thinking about the products being bought and paying attention to the condition, a shopper can often tell what food is ripe and what food is less than optimal. 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and place a rack at the center level.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder, both sugars, and the lemon zest together in a large bowl. Stir in melted butter until the mixture forms clumps of varying sizes, then refrigerate for ten minutes.

3. To make the filling, toss the strawberries and rhubarb, lemon juice, granulated sugar, salt and cornstarch together in a 9 - inch square baking dish or deep-dish pie plate. Leave to rest for ten minutes.

4. Cover fruit evenly and thickly with the topping, then place the dish on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown in some parts and the fruit is bubbling below.

5. Let rest for at least fifteen minutes before serving with the ice cream, whipped cream, or Greek yogurt.