In season: kaffir lime

Cooking demos:

4 – 8 p.m. Thursday, May 14. Chefs Sarah Dodge of The Preserving Place and Philip Meeker of Bright Seed demonstrate dishes using market produce. East Atlanta Village Farmers Market, Atlanta. http://www.farmeav.com/

10 a.m. Saturday, May 16. Chef Woody Back of Table & Main. Peachtree Road Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com

Just coming into season: chicory, tomatoes

Vegetables: arugula, Asian greens, asparagus, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, celery, chard, collards, endive, escarole, fennel, frisee, green garlic, herbs, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, onions, peas, pecans, potatoes, radishes, ramps, rutabaga, sorrel, spinach, spring onions, strawberries, sweet potatoes, turnips, zucchini

From local reports

Petals from the Past is an Alabama nursery that specializes in antique roses and heirloom shrubs, but for many metro Atlanta gardeners, they are a go-to location for a wide variety of fruit shrubs, vines and trees. The nursery grows so many fruit varieties they have fruit for sale from June through December, the harvest of the plants that remain at the nursery.

One area of focus is citrus. That might be because Dr. Arlie Powell, father and partner of nursery founder, Jason Powell, does a little citrus hybridizing as a hobby. He’s widely knowledgeable about citrus and how to grow it in the South.

“I grew up in central Florida and worked in Florida as a county agent. Citrus was my first love. When I came to work with Jason I figured we could do well with citrus if we provided adequate protection,” said Powell.

He recounts that in the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s, Alabama had a thriving citrus industry with about 20,000 acres planted in satumsas with the harvest hauled by train to Chicago and other big cities. After World War II, satsuma production declined but now farmers along the Gulf coast from Texas to the Florida panhandle are getting back into the citrus business.

Located in Jemison, about midway between Birmingham and Montgomery, the nursery has high tunnels and a greenhouse where they overwinter their citrus. Over the course of the year, they offer anywhere from six to 12 satsuma/mandarin varieties, three or four grapefruit varieties, several navel oranges, a number of kumquats, a few lemons and limes and what Powell refers to as a “rare” variety, citrus hystrix, the kaffir lime.

“It’s got an ugly little fruit the size of a golf ball. The fruit is so wrinkled it reminds of me of the Shar-Pei, that dog with all that wrinkled skin. I take them and squeeze the juice into a Coke or iced tea,” he said, noting that his wife finds the fruit juice has an acrid note and doesn’t like it at all.

The part of the kaffir lime that finds the most culinary use is the leaves, widely used in Southeast Asian cooking. “There they use it like Southern ladies use bay leaves, adding it to their cooking. It imparts a really beautiful flavor. You don’t find the plants often. We try to have 50 to 100 plants to sell every year and even with that number we have a hard time keeping it in stock.”

Kaffir lime leaves are also available at groceries that cater to a Southeast Asian clientele. The leaves are dark green and glossy, and frequently sold in plastic bags of a dozen or two dozen leaves. They’re distinctive looking with their two-part structure, and they carry an almost floral lemon-lime aroma. They’re generally used fresh in cooking, thinly slivered if they’re going to be eaten, or added whole, like bay leaves, to soups or stews where they’ll be removed before serving. If the packet of purchased leaves is more than needed for cooking at one time, the best way to preserve them is to freeze the remaining leaves. Dried leaves lose most of their fragrance.

If interested in growing citrus in metro Atlanta, Powell says the limes and lemons are the most cold tender, but that satsumas, navel oranges, kumquats and kaffir limes are tougher and will do well with a little protection on winter’s coldest days.

Spring Tonic #5

Cara-Lee Scheinfeld is an herbalist and aficionado of herbal cocktails. She created this drink using green herbs and sour flavors to pay homage to the spring season. “In traditional Chinese medicine, these are all part of the wood element which initiates rebirth, new growth and sets the pace for a healthy year ahead.”

She likes Citadelle or Broker’s gin for this cocktail. “Perfect” ice cubes are ice cubes that are one ounce in volume and about 1 1/2 inches square.

1 1/4 ounces gin

1 ounce Kaffir Lime-Honey Tonic Syrup (see recipe)

1/2 ounce Green Chartreuse

4 perfect ice cubes

Soda water

Kaffir lime leaves or dandelion flowers, for garnish

In a metal shaker, combine gin, tonic syrup and Chartreuse. Stir vigorously. Put ice cubes in a Collins glass and pour liquor over. Top off with soda water and garnish. Serves: 1

— Adapted from a recipe by Cara-Lee Scheinfeld and based on a recipe from Jeffrey Morgenthaler.

Per serving: 176 calories (percent of calories from fat, 0), no protein, 13 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, no fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 1 milligram sodium.

Kaffir Lime-Honey Tonic Syrup

Cinchona bark is the essential ingredient that provides the bitter flavor in tonics. You can purchase a small quantity at http://0387184.netsolstores.com/herbs.aspx, or leave it out if you must, but your tonic will lack that essential bitter quality. Citric acid is available at natural food stores or at the grocery store in the canning supply section.

When ready to use your tonic syrup, mix 1 part syrup with 3 or 4 parts sparkling water.

4 cups purified water

10-12 kaffir lime leaves, cut into thin slivers

Juice and zest of 1 orange

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Juice and zest of 1 lime

1/4 cup citric acid

1 stalk fresh lemongrass, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon powdered cinchona bark

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups honey

In a medium saucepan, combine water, kaffir lime leaves, orange juice and zest, lemon juice and zest, lime juice and zest, citric acid, lemongrass, ginger, cinchona bark and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover saucepan, and simmer mixture 20 minutes. Strain mixture into a medium bowl through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. You should have 4 cups of liquid. Add honey and stir together until thoroughly combined. Pour into a clean container and cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Makes: 6 cups

— Adapted from a recipe by Cara-Lee Scheinfeld and based on a recipe from Jeffrey Morgenthaler.

Per 1-tablespoon serving: 22 calories (percent of calories from fat, 0), trace protein, 6 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 6 milligrams sodium.