Green, very green this meal was.

• it began with a revisit with an Italian artisanal pasta, Foglie al Carciofo (artichoke leaves), from Maestri Pastai Selection, this time using 5 ounces, dry, served with a simple sauce of chopped spring garlic from Lani’s Farm which had been heated for a couple minutes in a little olive oil along with some dried Itria-Sirissi chili (peperoncino di Sardegna intero) from Buon Italia, the sauced pasta briefly emulsified with some of the reserved pasta water and sprinkled with freshly-ground Tellicherry pepper, then tossed with a little cultivated upland cress from Alewife Farm, served in shallow bowls with grated ‘Parmigiano Reggiano Bonat 3’ from Buon Italia

• the secondo was an 18-ounce tilefish filet from Pura Vida Seafood, prepared something like this Melissa Clark recipe, but I replaced the scallions with ramps from Mountain Sweet Berry Farm (bulbs and stems), and, for the chopped herbs I used over 3 tablespoons in a combination of finely-chopped lovage from Two Guys from Woodbridge, winter savory and thyme from Stokes Farm, oregano and mint from Phillips Farm; the fish was cooked on top of the stove in a magnificent 5-and-a-half-pound new [old] oval copper pan, briefly using aluminum foil for a cover, and both a small brush and a wooden spoon to repeatedly spread/ladle the ramp-herb butter over the fish
• the contorno was some very tender collard greens from Migliorelli Farm, washed, drained, and braised very lightly in a heavy pot, finished with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil
• the wine through both courses was a South African (Western Cape/Constantia) white, Klein Constantia Sauvignon Blanc 2014
• the music was Philip Glass, String Quartets No. 1, 2, and 3, performed by the Smith Quartet