We love farmers markets. I try to go at least once a week from late spring until late Fall - luckily where we live there are farmers markets everywhere, every day of the week, so it's pretty easy to make it to one when you're in the mood. I grew up on a farm and miss that farm-fresh taste, so this is fun for me and a great way to get my kids interested in fresh fruits and vegetables, where they come from and that they can actually be (gasp!) good to eat.
This weekend we brought home: white peaches, doughnut peaches, strawberry tomatoes, Campari tomatoes on the vine, Blue Lake green beans, butter lettuce, green lettuce, Oxnard strawberries, golden beets, a 5-lb bag of oranges, tzatziki and hummus, sweet corn tamales (for Jake) and kettle corn (for the kids). I have GOT to get me one of those wheeled carts I see the serious farmers market customers pulling around. By the time we are done, my arms feel like they are going to fall off from all the bags of food I'm carrying around. But the kids love it and what's extra nice is that since I let them help me pick out and sample the veggies and fruits, they will often try things that they wouldn't otherwise. The latest example is the green beans. They have never liked them before when I put them on their plates at dinner, but since they were able to pick them out and bag them at the farmers market, they have discovered that they like them. This is worth the little extra I end up paying - seeing them eat fresh veggies and liking them is very satisfying.
I even eat healthier when we buy at the farmers market. For snacks this week I've been having small bowls of strawberry tomatoes - small, reddest of red, and very sweet - they totally hit the spot and satisfy both sweet and savory cravings. The Campari tomatoes on the vine have become our "salad" for meals. I layer them with fresh basil from my garden and fresh mozzarella cheese I pick up at Trader Joe's. I then drizzle them with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sea salt to make one of the ultimate salads of summer - the Caprese salad.
Isn't summer awesome!?
Ahhh, the Oxnard strawberries. I miss buying them from the roadside stands during the picking season. Sometimes I see Oxnard strawberries here in our grocery store and I will buy them for the name's sake even though they aren't as good as getting them straight from the fields. I love Farmer's markets as well. We have a shorter season here and usually only saturdays. Everything sounds so good that you got!
And yes, I think you should do a guest post on Fuzz Food! Or maybe be a regular guest food blogger! Email me a post with pictures or email me and we'll talk about it. :)
apolicewife@gmail.com
Posted by: Mrs. Fuzz | June 28, 2009 at 09:43 PM
Mrs. Fuzz - I'm in. Thanks!
Posted by: Renee | June 29, 2009 at 08:13 AM
Yum, yum, yum! Our Farmer's Markets are very similar to Mrs. Fuzz's area, and we don't get nearly the variety!
That Caprese salad honestly made my mouth water. Delicious!
Posted by: Natalie | June 29, 2009 at 11:12 AM
I'm going to be joining this group. I'll write more later....recipe time,YAY!
Posted by: Blue Bird | June 29, 2009 at 06:40 PM
Don't talk to me about farmer's markets. Arizona's are pathetic.
BTW, Seth never took to the markets and Lael was too young by the time we left.
Posted by: brettdl | June 29, 2009 at 09:20 PM
Yes, I'm pretty lucky that my kids will at least try things. My daughter even tried red pepper hummus the other day -I was shocked. Something about being outside and the newness of it all, I guess. And they love, love, love the kettle korn, of course.
Posted by: Renee | June 30, 2009 at 08:03 AM
Speaking of Kettle Korn, I just tried Trader Joe's kettle korn this weekend (pink and black stripey bag) and it was awesome! A perfect substitute for the market fare when necessary.
Posted by: KD | June 30, 2009 at 11:01 PM
Mmmm, tomatoes! I actually tried my version with Deputy Flamethrower, and of course he rolled his eyes (but he ate it).
I had vine-ripened 'maters, added avocado chunks, some dried basil/garlic powder and miscellaneous spices (I go thru the spice rack and throw in various things that I think will work), the sea salt (from the ancient Utah salt deposits) EV olive oil, and a touch of apple cider vinegar.
We're going for functionality here, not aesthetics!
Posted by: SES w/R&B | July 05, 2009 at 11:30 AM