Market News - August 18, 2009
From the Market Manager
This is mostly going to be a recipe issue. There are so many easy terrific things to do with market produce, and this is the height of the season, so enjoy!
Red Fire Farm’s Tomato Festival is this Saturday at the farm in Granby. Pick up the information at their stand, or go to their website. The festival starts at noon.
There are only 3 more Sunday evening concerts at Stanley Park. They are free and they are at 6PM in the pavilion.
There are lots of items at the market that make good gifts. You can also purchase some of the wooden tokens that we’re using if you use your debit or credit card and give those as a gift. That sort of thing is especially useful for those of us who don’t need any more things.
Those of you who have WIC or elder coupons can use them through the end of October, so don’t feel as though you have to spend all of them in one day. Keep coming back to the market; it’s different every week.
Today’s food sample at the market table is gazpacho, a Spanish cold soup that I’m told means liquid salad. There are hundreds of recipes for gazpacho, so you can find one that suits your taste. The recipe for my soup is in the green crate. I only make this in August/September when everything is local.
Apples are at the market. If you want to make applesauce, purchase utility grade as you don’t need a perfect apple for sauce. Did you know that there are over 5000 varieties of apples in the world?
(You don’t have to use exact measurements for this)
5 cups ½ “ cubed French or Italian bread
1 ½ # tomatoes, stemmed and cut into medium dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ large red onion, cut into small dice.
½ cup torn fresh basil leaves
¼ cup drained capers
¼ cup olive oil
2 T. red wine vinegar
ground black pepper to taste
2 cans tomato soup, one can water
Vinegar and brown sugar to taste
Cabbage
Meatballs
If you have a mandoline use it to shred the cabbage, otherwise cut it finely.
Lemon juice
Mint
Bottled Asian fish sauce for spring rolls. *
* If you have ever had Vietnamese fried spring rolls, this is the sauce that is served with them. It isn’t all fish sauce, it has vinegar, fish sauce, garlic, chilis, sugar, and carrots in it and it is a little sweet and spicy.
Drive by this address and see the difference from just a couple of months ago. Concerned Citizens for Springfield, bought the house in June and it is 90% rehabbed now thanks to volunteer labor from many neighbors who were weary from years of neglect on the part of previous owners. A once again lovely home will be back on the market for another family to enjoy in a neighborhood filled with caring people.
As I have often said, scarce parking is the downside of the success of this market. You can park behind the church, or on the other side of it. If you park on Continental St., please make sure that you don’t block any driveways. Come a little later in the afternoon, and it won’t be so difficult to park.
This is mostly going to be a recipe issue. There are so many easy terrific things to do with market produce, and this is the height of the season, so enjoy!
Red Fire Farm’s Tomato Festival is this Saturday at the farm in Granby. Pick up the information at their stand, or go to their website. The festival starts at noon.
There are only 3 more Sunday evening concerts at Stanley Park. They are free and they are at 6PM in the pavilion.
There are lots of items at the market that make good gifts. You can also purchase some of the wooden tokens that we’re using if you use your debit or credit card and give those as a gift. That sort of thing is especially useful for those of us who don’t need any more things.
Those of you who have WIC or elder coupons can use them through the end of October, so don’t feel as though you have to spend all of them in one day. Keep coming back to the market; it’s different every week.
Today’s food sample at the market table is gazpacho, a Spanish cold soup that I’m told means liquid salad. There are hundreds of recipes for gazpacho, so you can find one that suits your taste. The recipe for my soup is in the green crate. I only make this in August/September when everything is local.
Apples are at the market. If you want to make applesauce, purchase utility grade as you don’t need a perfect apple for sauce. Did you know that there are over 5000 varieties of apples in the world?
Tomato-bread Salad with Basil and Capers (panzanella)
(You don’t have to use exact measurements for this)
5 cups ½ “ cubed French or Italian bread
1 ½ # tomatoes, stemmed and cut into medium dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ large red onion, cut into small dice.
½ cup torn fresh basil leaves
¼ cup drained capers
¼ cup olive oil
2 T. red wine vinegar
ground black pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees
- Place bread cubes on a cookie sheet with a rim; bake until bread is dried out, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, dice and salt the tomatoes in a medium bowl; stir in the garlic and let stand until juicy, about 30 minutes.
- Prepare remaining ingredients; add to tomatoes and toss. Add bread cubes; toss again. Adjust seasonings, including pepper to taste. Let stand 10 minutes before serving to let flavors blend.
Lazy Stuffed Cabbage
2 cans tomato soup, one can water
Vinegar and brown sugar to taste
Cabbage
Meatballs
- Mix together vinegar, tomato soup, water and brown sugar. You will have to add more vinegar & sugar later as the sauce will change flavor once you add vegetables and/or meatballs.
- Cut up cabbage and add to sauce, cook until cabbage softens, 20 minutes or so.
- Make meatballs. Use the recipe that you would use for meatloaf or for the inside of stuffed cabbage.
- Add meatballs to pan; cover and shake pan. Cook until meatballs are done. Adjust seasoning.
Asian Cole Slaw
If you have a mandoline use it to shred the cabbage, otherwise cut it finely.
Purple or green cabbage
Lemon juice
Mint
Bottled Asian fish sauce for spring rolls. *
Shred the cabbage, add juice from a couple of lemons, add a little mint and then add some bottled sauce, as much as you think you need. Chill.
* If you have ever had Vietnamese fried spring rolls, this is the sauce that is served with them. It isn’t all fish sauce, it has vinegar, fish sauce, garlic, chilis, sugar, and carrots in it and it is a little sweet and spicy.
If you would like to expand on the above recipe, you can add some cooked chicken or steak and some crunchy noodles to it and you will have a main dish salad.
134 Forest Park Ave., Springfield
Drive by this address and see the difference from just a couple of months ago. Concerned Citizens for Springfield, bought the house in June and it is 90% rehabbed now thanks to volunteer labor from many neighbors who were weary from years of neglect on the part of previous owners. A once again lovely home will be back on the market for another family to enjoy in a neighborhood filled with caring people.
Parking
As I have often said, scarce parking is the downside of the success of this market. You can park behind the church, or on the other side of it. If you park on Continental St., please make sure that you don’t block any driveways. Come a little later in the afternoon, and it won’t be so difficult to park.
CHECK THE GREEN CRATE AT THE MARKET TABLE FOR MORE RECIPES.
