Something about throwing on a sundress, grabbing my big market basket, and heading off on a cool early summer morning to drool over beautiful local food and flowers just makes me feel fully myself. I love chatting with the farmers, asking how they prepare a certain vegetable that I have never tried, where they would plant that potted herb that I have never grown, how they would cook that cut of meat. So many of my loves collide in that place: food, fresh air, community, plants and flowers, music, people watching. Happiness, for me at least, is the Farmers Market.
Take a look at the loot from last weekend:
Bok choy, Shitake Mushrooms, Broccoli, Sugar Snap Peas, White Radishes, Carrots, Turnips, Strawberries, Cilantro, Arugula, Green Onions, and a Mint Plant.
I can hear you now: "What the heck is she gonna make with all of that???"
Don't worry. I'm gonna tell you!
On Sunday, we had our friends David and Emily over for dinner after a hike at Shelby Forrest. Jonathan grilled a side of salmon with mustard herb sauce, while I made couscous with feta, mint, and parsley, and a salad of arugula, strawberries, candied pecans, purple onion, and poppy seed dressing. Add a glass of rose, breezy back patio, and coffee toffee ice cream for dessert (Thanks, David!) and you've got a lovely evening.On Monday night, I made pasta with sausage, green onions, carmelized onions, arugula, and parmesan.
On Tuesday night, I marinated skewers of beef, shitake mushrooms, and onions in a ginger soy marinade. Jonathan threw them on the grill while I stir fried bok choy and sugar snap peas.
Tonight, we are grilling chicken satay (shout out to Aunt Susan!) with rice and stir-fried broccoli and carrots.
So we're only halfway through the week and have already used most of what we bought on Saturday morning. The radishes have been mostly for snacking, though I'm planning to pickle the rest (Don't get in a tizzy folks, they're just quick pickles. No boiling and canning going on over here!). And I need to figure out what on earth to do with those turnips...they were just so pretty at the market but now I am staring at them like they are aliens in my fridge. Turnip greens? Roasted? Steamed? Au Gratin?
Now, run along and look up the location of the farmers market near you...Saturday is coming!
2 comments:
that's a jealousy-inducing farmer's market you've got. i went yesterday and came away with a basil plant, a parsley plant, and 3 ears of corn. it was most tomato plants and resale (non-local) stuff so far. they did have some gorgeous lettuces, i just didn't happen to need any yet. maybe saturday...!
cookin' up a storm!!
Our farmers market is gonna be way different this week..cause our court house caught fire :(
But soon I won't have to visit it..lol..we have 3 huge gardens planted!!
Oh..and I boil turnips and then add a mustard-sugar dressing..lol
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