Fresh Bamboo Shoots

Rockridge Orchards has been selling fresh bamboo shoots at farmers' markets around town. I'd eaten the canned ones and the ones you see floating in basins of water in Asian groceries, but until yesterday I'd never taken a fresh shoot, peeled it, and worked with its contents.

When I bought them Wade demonstrated how to cut them open, and when I tried it was actually easier than it looked. I tasted some of the deeper center uncooked and it had a great texture. The closer I got towards the tip the harder it became to cut, so I chose to use only the inner parts.

I made a stir fry with snow peas from Alvarez Farms, pea vines from Whistling Train, shallots from Pipitone Orchards, garlic scapes from Willie Greens, and ginger and tofu from the supermarket. Even after I'd cooked them, the bamboo shoots still had that wonderful texture and, not surprisingly, much more life than the canned specimens I used to use.