The theme of February's Home Ec gathering was Got Roots? The tasting table in Columbus this month included a delightful variety of roots and preparations, showing off just how adaptable this vegetable family is.

We were treated to home-grown sunchokes aka Jerusalem artichokes from Como Yarden, served roasted with other roots in a home-grown pepper spice. I pickled the last of Swainway Urban Farm's sweet carrots harvested from snow-covered low tunnels. The roots section of my seed box for this year's garden is large because so many kinds can grow year-round with season extension techniques.

Kate once again included a foraged ingredient in her contribution. She found dead nettle greens to incorporate into homemade potato ravioli. Foraging is another way to eat fresh local food year-round!

Roots brought out the creative side in several cooks. Nick made Square Roots, punny square tarts topped with shaved beets and carrots. Zane and Hannah made radish salt and a carved fish to dip in it. Liz took beets in an entirely new direction for me by roasting them with honey, soy sauce, and sesame seeds.

Zane also contributed carrot syrup made by roasting, pureeing, and straining carrots. We tasted it in soda water and cocktails. Though ReHab was unable to make Zane's 'Orange Lady', he recommends shaking the syrup (1/2 oz) with egg white, gin (2 oz), and lemon juice (1/2 oz) at home.

Skip over to Well Preserved to see how our cohorts in Toronto showed their roots.

Home Ec is a fun, creative way to conclude a month of cooking. Won't you join us in March? We'll gather at ReHab Tavern at 8 pm on March 25 with a theme to be announced in a week on Kate's blog, Kate On The Way.