Farmer’s Market Bounty: July 21, 2008
The wife simply doesn’t understand how I can consume so much fruit in one week. The truth is I can’t help myself with all this Cali summer gold. So I’m not quite following the food pyramid, but hey, fiber’s a good thing, right? This week’s fruitopia mother lode includes peaches, nectarines, plumbs, pluots, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, grapes, a Japanese melon, some heirloom and strawberry tomatoes, and avocados (yup they’re all fruits!). We also picked up some summer corn that’s starting to hit its stride, cauliflower, romano beans, appaloosa beans, haricot verts, leeks, red onion, arugula, wild greens, italian parsley, a gratis hungarian pepper (I hadn’t tried one so I got a sample from one of my favorite farmers), thyme, basil, mint, rosemary, chives, eggs, les fleurs, and yes, Soledad “udderly delicious” goat cheese from my favorite Mojave cheese maker.
As always, I’d love to hear your suggestions about what to make this week. Last week’s winner got a dish named after her, so please send your ideas.
The “Farmer’s Market Bounty” series is a weekly, typological photo essay of my Market shopping, which charts the possibilities of seasonal eating.
some ideas include peach and almond crumble for dessert always a good place to start.
tomato and basil pasta with the special pepper
beans, onion and bacon as a side with butter or fresh corn omelet the cheese and leek
I have a bit of a think and maybe suggest some more later on.
Its hard to think counter seasonally, I have completely different things at the moment being winter here in Australia
good luck
smoked salmon, red onion, the cheese, capers on your pizza base
raspberry souffle, so easy and a showstopper
I am very envious. It’s stone fruit season, that means Meat meat meat. (or cheese).
fresh leeks tear me up.
One thing I can’t seem to learn, no matter how many times I try to pick up a mnemonic, is which months have 30 days and which have 31. Another one is what makes a fruit a berry, technically. It’s difficult: Strawberries are not berries, technically. Avocados are, technically. Go figure. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berry …And says here, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fig that a fig is not a berry, either, but the flower of the fig tree! Last night, I made a desert of sliced black figs with ricotta cheese, topped by fresh mint and drizzled with honey. I don’t see any figs in your bounty, but I highly recommend you get your hands on some, pronto.
Mmmmmmmmmm sounds yummy Angie. We’ll have to look out for figs next week!
Cathy, you got a dish named after you…. http://lastomach.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/i-got-trapped-in-time-ribbon-and-lived-to-make-pesto/
I am really honoured to get a dish named after me , Thanks very much
So this is no help for you this week, but two things:
1. I’ve been doing a lot of FM-based Frenchy style salade composee based on what I find that week. So like tuna with olive oil in the middle and then around it little boiled potatoes with butter and dill, steamed haricots verts with lemon juice and olive oil, tomatoes, cukes, mesclun, etc. etc. Hard-boiled eggs if you need the protein. And then bread and maybe lemonade spritzers. That feels like California summer to me.
2. This week I went for the purslane at the herb lady on the right (you know the one) and made cherry tomato/purslane/olive oil/feta/salt and pepper salad. That made me really happy and was a nice accompaniment to my zucchini and basil soup.
Meanwhile, just to add to the “what to do?” mix, I finally succumbed to those brussel sprouts down by Sunset, but realize I have no idea what to dress them with. Thoughts? I may or may not name them after you.
For GI Brussel Sprouts, just cut them in half, quick steam, fry in some butter, kosher salt, and fresh better, and finish with japanese panko.
I wonder if Judi’s cauli is as good as Hannah’s?