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Saturday morning was hot and humid and it was threatening to rain. We've had over 8 inches of rain around here. Things are moist everywhere. Bugs are abundant and fruits and vegetables are large and lucious. They full of juicy good ness.
I was listening to a podcast this morning of a fresh food advocate. He said that eating good fresh food, even from farmer's markets, is too expensive for regular people. Huh? With cucumbers 4 for $! and zucchini the same. How is that too expensive? Produce at the farmer's market is plentiful and inexpensive. Our farmer's market even accepts government payment checks from senior citizens. But even more than that, the farmers are just nice people. They are very generous and accommodating to every customer.
Younger daughter requested spaghetti squash from the market last week. I really didn't want to buy it. I always have felt that dealing with a spaghetti squash was a lot of work for little reward. Well, I was wrong!
We all miss those starchy side dishes at dinner. Mashed potatoes are now mashed cauliflower or mashed broccoli. Pasta is just two ounces of whole wheat pasta. I don't cook rice anymore. So the thought of something that might be construed as spaghetti. Well, I'm all for that.
Last week I bought a bunch of tiny eggplant. Some purple (Italian) and some orange (Portuguese). The small eggplant are very flavorful and not bitter like some of the large eggplants are. They are ideal for roasting or grilling.
I've been hearing a lot about cooking cucumbers lately...various blogs, various cookbooks, the film Julie and Julia. Given the abundance of cucumbers at this time of year I decided to give it a try. Looked up Julia Child's recipe and discovered that it really couldn't be easier. But the thought of hot cucumbers just didn't appeal to me. But, hey, if it appeals to great chefs...who am I to say no.
Saturday morning, August 22. It's pouring!
Last night we had a thunderstorm the likes of which I have never heard before. Around one AM a horrible noise woke me up. I thought it was an explosion, a truck crash, anything but thunder. The lightning was constant, the thunder was loud and crackling, the rain came down in buckets. For over an hour! But, I figured it would be finished by market time. No way! I got up before seven and it was still raining heavily. By 7:45, it was still raining heavily. The market is open rain or shine. Out of loyalty to the farmers (and out of loyalty to fresh local vegetables and fruit), I go even when it's raining. In ten years I have never gone to the market in this amount of rain.
August 15 at the Farmer's Market was sunny and abundant! The market is full of vegetables, fruit, farmers, shoppers, dogs, and happy children. We try to get to the market by 8AM (when it opens) to get first crack at all the new things and to finish shopping before it gets just too hot.
One food I miss the most is pasta....pasta made with white flour. I searched for a palatable alternative and found it in a local Italian deli and food. And recently I found ravioli made with a whole grain dough stuffed with ricotta cheese. I bought them in a second and brought them home to create a summertime dish that would scratch my ravioli itch!
I was running late. Gathered random ingredients and came up with this. Rave reviews all around the dinner table!
Cut and clean 6 to 8 small peppers. Use the bottom only. Short sides are fine...in fact, preferred. Put them in a steamer (like the Asian bamboo steamer or a pot with a steamer insert)
The farmer's market was great! The farmers were back in their old spots and the long stroll I know and love was full of mid summer bounty. I bought the ususal...eggplants, tomatoes, zucchini, etc. and peppers. I went crazy on peppers this week. I'm not sure why...but I did. And when I came home and sorted everything out I had a huge bag of green, red, and yellow peppers. A huge bag! (No hot peppers...can't stomach them...or rather the stomach can't stomach them...but they were plentiful too)
Vegetables have been plentiful at the market as it is mid-summer. So, never one to be able to resist fresh produce at bargain prices, I bought bags of great stuff!
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