BelAir Farmers Market

Tomatoes 101

What to look for:
Tomatoes should have no blemishes, be firm to the touch and fragrant. It should seem heavy for its size and give slightly under pressure. Store tomatoes at room temperature until they are ripe. It is then best to use them in the next day or two. It is not recommended to store tomatoes in the refrigerator because it can affect their flavor.

Did you know:

• One medium-sized tomato provides half a child's recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.
• Tomatoes are rich in the antioxidant lycopene which is thought to prevent heart disease.
• A tomato is technically a fruit because it is a ripened ovary of a plant. But for trade purposes a tomato is considered a vegetable. An 1893 Supreme Court ruling classified the fruit as a vegetable so that it could be taxed under tariff law.
• Tomatoes were thought to be poisonous when Robert Gibbon Johnson brought them to Salem, New Jersey, from Europe in the early 1800s. To show that this was false, Johnson ate an entire box of them in front of a shocked crowd on the courthouse steps on September 26, 1820.
• The largest tomato on record hails from Edmond, Oklahoma, in 1986--an enormous 7 pounds 12 ounces (more than my daughter weighed at birth!)

How to Peel A Tomato?
check out the video here
and more details here

sources:
Real Simple Magazine, August 2007
Marthastewart.com

Market Shopping List :: Week of July 14th

Some market highlights this week:

Yellow peaches
Yellow nectarines
Corn
Cantaloupes
Peppers
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Okra
Squash
Tomatoes (including heirloom varieties)
Beets
Radishes
Spinach
Hot and Sweet Peppers
Turnips
Cabbage
Assorted Cuts of Lamb
Pork Products:
   chops
   spare ribs
   5 types of sausage
   scrapple
   bacon
9 types of cheddar and colby cheeses
Ice Cream in 10 flavors

this is what it's all about:

Market Shopping List :: Week of June 30th

Sweet Cherries
Berries
Peas
Snow Peas
Sugar Snap Peas
English Peas
Chard
Kale
Lettuce
Green Onions
Yellow Wax Beans
Kohlrabi
Fava Beans
Green Beans
Squash
Carrots
Garlic
Beets
Radishes
Broccoli
Cabbage
Spinach
Hanging Baskets
Perennials
Succulents
Baked Goods
Breads
Lamb
Beef (look for July 4th Specials)
Cheese
Honey
Eggs

Peaches, Corn, Tomatoes....coming VERY soon!

SEE YOU AT THE MARKET!

a market sampling :: june 16

farley and miss maggie--market regulars
(by the way, if you'd like to see your pup on this market website, just find me at the market. I'm usually the only person walking around taking close-ups of the produce.)

fantastic live music

sweet cherries

potted plants

market flavors

hanging baskets

and lots of visitors! thank you!

father's day shopping at the market

Some years, when it comes to a father's day gift for my husband, my mind is overflowing with ideas. Other years, I've got nothing. They say that the closer you are to a person, the harder time you have thinking of a gift to buy them.

But one thing my husband can always count on each father's day, is a good meal. And really, it's one of his favorite gifts.

If you're like me, and this is part of your celebration, you'll be able to do all your father's day meal shopping straight from the market. In fact, I think you just might be able to get everything you need in one stroll around the vendors' stands.
A meal like this must always start with a great steak. Both Deer Creek Beef and Hickory Chance Farm bring delicious local beef to the market each week. On Saturday, at the Deer Creek Beef stand they'll be having a special on rib eye steaks and the grill will be going with samples all morning.
And what to go with that steak? The possibilities are endless.

Market vendors like Richardson Farms are picking peas, squash, carrots, broccoli and spinach. At Calvert's Gift Farm, they're bringing great produce like garlic (roasted and spread over bread with olive oil? yum!), fava beans and squash to the market. Woolly Hill Farm will be bringing peas, snow peas (one of my favorites), sugar snap peas and english peas to the market as well as lettuce, green onions and fresh herbs.

And it doesn't stop there--you can even pick up some fresh bread and rolls to go with your meal. We can even handle dessert.  Stop by one of our vendor stands and pick up a cake or fresh pie. (And don't forget some fresh cut flowers for the  table...)

Wow, this post is making me hungry. And imagine--a whole meal prepared from local producers. It's something you can feel good about--not just because it tastes good, but because you are supporting local agriculture, farmers and your community.

Eat well this weekend. Come to the market.

the early bird gets the strawberry

By the time I get myself and my children organized on Saturday mornings and make it to the market, the strawberries are usually long gone. But this week, I'm determined to get there early. Every year, at strawberry season, I tell myself that this is the year I'm going to make jam, or freeze strawberries for a special mid-winter treat.

I've done jam before, so this year I'm determined to try freezing berries. So if you think you'd like to try it too, here are a few pointers I've found as I've searched the internet for helpful hints.

FREEZING WHOLE STRAWBERRIES:
     red, firm berries freeze best. wash them briefly under cold water and pat dry. It is best to first spread the berries out on a cookie sheet and freeze them. After they are completely frozen (about 24 hours) place them in freezer containers.

WHOLE, SLICED OR CRUSHED (in simple syrup)
    clean the strawberries in the same way as above. Slice or crush the berries, if desired. Place them in freezer containers with half an inch of headspace. And cover with any version of simple syrup below:

    Simple Syrup:
    light: 2c. sugar, 4c. water
    medium: 3. sugar, 4c. water
    heavy: 4 3/4c. sugar, 4c. water

WHOLE, SLICED OR CRUSHED (packed in dry sugar)
    Clean the strawberries using the same method and prepare them as desired (whole, sliced, crushed). Add 1cup of sugar to 6cups strawberries and toss gently with a spoon.  Spoon into freezer containers, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace and freeze.

How about you? What are you going to do with your strawberries this year? Do you have a favorite  strawberry recipe? Then please share and I'll post your ideas here and give you all the credit! Leave a comment on this post, or send me an email at belairfarmersmarket@gmail.com

See you at the Market!

Picking Tips: Asparagus

WHY IT'S SO GOOD:
Asparagus is high in fiber, folic acid and potassium.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
Asparagus spears should be firm and crisp, not soft or wrinkly. The tips should be closed and compact.
The thickness of the spears really has nothing to do with how tender they are. Either size is good, if you choose a fresh bundle.

HOW TO STORE IT:
Asparagus is best prepared on the day it is purchased, but you can store it in your refrigerator for up to five days. Wrap the cut ends in a damp paper towel and then place in a paper bag and store them in your crisper. Or you can simply stand the stalks in your refrigerator in a bowl with about an inch of water.

When you are ready to prepare your asparagus, trim the ends at the natural breaking point--where the color changes from white to green.

COOKING TIPS:
When asparagus is cooked properly it is bright green and crisp-tender. Undercooked asparagus is firm or stiff and over-cooked asparagus is mushy and stringy.

One of my new favorite ways of cooking asparagus this summer is to roast it. I've done larger batches in my oven and smaller servings are simple to cook in a toaster oven.

Roasted Asparagus:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Place the spears in a shallow baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. (coarse salt is great for this). Roll the spears around in the dish to be sure they are coated with the olive oil. A medium-thick spear will cook for approximately 10 minutes, but you will have to adjust your cooking time depending on the thickness.
If necessary, drizzle a little more olive oil on the spears after cooking and add more seasoning.

helpful source: marthastewart.com

:: Market Shopping List ::

What's Peaking This Week??
Asparagus
Rhubarb
Annuals
Perrenials
Vegetable Seedlings
Hanging Baskets

Chard
Kale
Spring Salad Mix
Spinach
Arugula
Spring Onions
Honey
Baked Goods
Lamb
Beef
Cheeses