Eating with the Seasons: Spring Addition

Happy St. Patrick’s Day and cheers to the arrival of spring! What better way to celebrate than with a BLOOM board — a vibrant, seasonal grazing board inspired by nature’s first signs of renewal.

We’ve partnered with Danielle Cesare at Sonderbird Photography & Films, a longtime customer and local storytelling and brand photographer, who thoughtfully created and photographed this seasonal spread to showcase the beauty and benefits of eating local and in season. This is a delicious way to support your health, enjoy the season’s best flavors, and connect with local foods. The board highlights three local Pennsylvania cheeses, fresh seasonal produce, local honey, a unique apothecary herb, and Kimberton Whole Foods’ own olive oil — all coming together in a rainbow of flavors and textures.

What You’ll Need:

Fresh Produce:

• 1 bunch of red radishes, 1 large daikon radish, 1 medium-large watermelon radish
• 1 bunch of orange carrots (with tops), 1 large purple carrot
• 1 blood orange, 1 navel orange, 1 grapefruit
• 2 kiwi
• 1 bunch asparagus
• small bag of red grapes
• 1 medium-large cucumber
• 1 bunch parsley
• chives
• blueberries, blackberries, strawberries

Local Pennsylvania Dairy:

• Valley Milk House “Clover” fromage blanc
• Dove Song Dairy “Jack Robin”
• The Farm at Doe Run “Seven Sisters”

Apothecary Picks:

• Local Honey from Swarmbustin’ or A Frame Apiary
• Anima Mundi Herbals butterfly pea flower powder
• KWF bulk pistachios

Other:

• Kimberton Whole Foods olive oil with our signature easy pour spout
• 1 jar castelvetrano olives
• 1 package Edward & Sons brown rice snaps

Miscellaneous:

• Wooden board or flat serving platter
• 5 small condiment containers or ramekins (to build your blooms in)

How to Build Your BLOOM Board

Build Your Blooms:

1. Thinly slice the red radish, daikon radish, watermelon radish, cucumber, and large orange carrot using a sharp chef’s knife. The slices should be thin enough to be flexible.
2. Gather your 5 small condiment containers to use as the base for your blooms.
3. Begin layering the thinly sliced vegetables around the outer edge of a condiment container, overlapping them to create a flower shape. Continue layering inward in a spiral, rolling the final slice into a tight curl for the center of the bloom.
4. Repeat for each color of thinly sliced veggies.
5. See Danielle build a bloom in real time here.

Prep Other Fruits and Vegetables:

1. Using a small paring knife, make a zig-zag cut all the way around the middle of a kiwi, blood orange, and navel orange, then gently separate the halves to reveal a decorative edge. See Danielle zig-zag cut a kiwi in real time here.
2. Slice some grapefruit into thin half-rounds
3. Cut some purple carrots into rounds.
4. Slice cucumber into long thin strips.
5. Blanch the asparagus in boiling water for 1 minute, then transfer to an ice bath to maintain crispness. For an extra layer of flavor, consider a quick pickle method.
6. Slice strawberries in half for additional color.
7. Trim carrot tops, leaving about an inch of the green stems attached for presentation. Peel the outer layer to reveal the bright orange.
8. Chop chives for garnish.

Butterfly Pea Flower Fromage Blanc:

1. In a small bowl, mix half (approximately 8 ounces) of the Valley Milk House “Clover” fromage blanc with 1/2 teaspoon of Anima Mundi Herbals butterfly pea flower powder.
2. Stir well until the cheese turns a vibrant blue hue.

Assembly:

1. Arrange the veggie blooms and zig-zag cut fruits in a subtle S-curve down the center of your wooden board or serving platter to create your rainbow focal point foundation.
2. Begin layering in the remaining fruits, vegetables, and cheeses, allowing the colors and textures to flow naturally. There is no wrong way to do this – get creative and have fun with it!
3. Use carrot tops and parsley as natural borders to add a fresh, finished touch.
4. Fill in any empty spaces with crackers, olives, and pistachios for a balanced presentation.
5. Drizzle the butterfly pea flower fromage blanc with approximately 2 tablespoons of local honey.
6. Garnish the remaining plain fromage blanc with chopped chives and 1 tablespoon of Kimberton Whole Foods olive oil.
7. If you are looking for more inspiration, check out the Instagram reel HERE with Danielle putting her board together.

As you take a step back to admire your finished board, let it serve as a reminder of the beauty and nourishment found in seasonal, local foods. Share this delicious spread with loved ones and enjoy the fresh flavors of spring with every bite.

We would love to see your BLOOM Board creations! Tag @kimbertonwholefoods + @danielle.at.sonderbird on Instagram to share your board with us.

A special thank you to Danielle for this inspiration! You can follow her at @danielle.at.sonderbird for a peek into her holistic lifestyle and photography adventures.