All Purpose Autumn - Squash Puree

Acorn and butternut squashes are quintessential autumn. Not only are they delicious and nutritious, the burnt orange color beckons the crisp autumn air. My favorite preparation: pureed. In this form it is so versatile:
- Served as a side dish with pork, skate or duck.
- Thickened with parmesan and bread crumbs for a ravioli or cannelloni filling
- Thinned with chicken stock for a soup

Above, I served the squash puree with fried sage, seared skate, port wine sauce and the first of the season arugula and mizuna from the garden. As a soup, this recipe won second place at the locavore banquet last month. And it couldn’t be easier.

Squash puree
1 acorn squash
1 butternut squash
1 tablespoon butter
1 royal gala apple, cored and sliced
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
Salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste

1. Slice squash in half from the root to the stem. Put cut side down on a baking sheet with about ½ cup of water. Bake at 375F for 1 hour, or until squash are tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter and add the apples and onions. Saute until they start to soften and brown, about 5 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook for 2 minutes more.
3. Remove squash from oven, scoop out the seeds and discard. Scoop out the squash flesh and combine with apple/onion mix.
4. Puree in a food processor until smooth. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
5. Adapt as desired.

That Extra Loving Touch:

• If making soup, thin with 1 quart chicken stock
• If making a filling, thicken with ¼ cup parmesan cheese and ¼ cup bread crumbs
• Either way, garnish with Fried Sage

Locavore Banquet

As I was driving to the locavore banquet, thinking of course that I should be biking or taking the “T”, I considered what it meant to reduce my carbon foot-print. Obviously, it means driving less and eating more local foods. But in the scope of making conscious food choices, it also means eating less processed foods, meat and dairy products. Reducing my carbon foot-print directly correlates to reducing my waistline: driving less + biking more, eating less meat + eating more grains and vegetables, growing foods in my garden (and the inherent work-out) + buying less from the market.

When arrived at the Arlington Unitarian church, the site for this and literally 125 years of community banquets, I immediately forgot about my carbon footprint and instead thought of how to help Team Cambridge present their dishes most beautifully. Team Cambridge had prepared the dishes on Saturday and then transported them to the banquet on Sunday.

The Locavore Banquet – part competition, part community dinner – was designed as a throwback to the New England Bean Supper and a model for a future of living responsibly in an ever-shrinking world. The event highlighted locally-sourced food as the three teams used sustainably grown ingredients to make a meal. Teams from Arlington, Cambridge, and Medford competed in the “Energy Smackdown” by preparing dishes that balance taste, presentation, and low carbon footprint. The dishes were judged by local food writers for taste and presentation. The organizers used a fancy algorithm to calculate carbon-footprints.

I was the culinary coach for the Cambridge Team (think: Bob from The Biggest Loser). My goal was to help the team create a cohesive menu utilizing the bounty of New England Produce. It’s really not that hard this time of year: every day of the week there’s a farmers market within a 5 radius of my house. King Arthur Flour and Cabot Creamery are the next state over in Vermont. Austin Bros. Family Farm raises cows, chickens and pigs – providing ample supply of the meats, bacon and eggs. If you can forgo chocolate (and I know that’s a BIG “if”), you can create a bountiful meal with less than 100 food miles.

Our dinner for 20 people generated only 6 pounds of carbon emissions. By comparison, the typical Thanksgiving dinner generates 44 pounds! (Based on data from www.dailymail.co.uk). The big carbon culprits are beef, fish and dairy products. According to the judging cards, chicken’s foodprint is almost half of fish. Other data suggests that fish and chicken are equal.

Chart comes from http://fivepercent.us

Team Cambridge did not win first prize, but of the 21 dishes, the acorn squash soup won 2nd place! The best part is that the soup is served in the squash, so there are no dishes to wash after serving. The “bowl” is compostable. Recipe coming next week...


Other highlights were the poached pear and falafel with beet raita:


I did not taste the other winning dishes: a raspberry sorbet with chocolate and a green salad with walnuts and cranberries. Standouts to me (aside from Team Cambridge’s dishes) were the stuffed pepper with ground beef and rice, green beans with onions and bacon, and a frittata with potatoes and four cheeses.

Thanks to Ellen for taking photos!

Energy Smackdown

Energy Smackdown is a reality show type program in the Boston area. The yearlong challenge pits the communities of Medford, Arlington and Cambridge against each other to see who can reduce their carbon foot-print the most.

The locavore banquet is this month’s challenge. Each team creates a four course meal for 20 people and is judged according to carbon emissions, taste and presentation. I’m the “culinary coach” of the Cambridge team. Together, we came up with a middle-eastern menu. Ninety percent of the ingredients are grown or raised locally. Many came from my garden.

Acorn Squash Soup with Crispy Sage
Tomato – Cucumber Salad with Dill and Lemon
Homemade Falafel with Beet Raita and Pita Chips
Baba Ganoush with Roasted Eggplant and Scallions
Poached Pears with Meringue and Mint


My neighbor Rosie often comes over to pick raspberries. The other day she commented that coming into my garden is like going to the grocery store. My goal has always been to grow enough food for my home and my neighbors’. I can’t tell you the joy I felt that a five-year old could appreciate the abundance of my garden, and that I had enough to contribute to the locavore banquet.

The banquet is tonight… stay tuned for details.

Farm Share Thursday

My neighbors were on vacation this week, and they offered me their weekly CSA subscription box. The vegetables come from Parker Farm. I knew Steve Parker back when he used to deliver to restaurants. He also used to be a fixture at the Central Square Farmer’s Market, but this year he’s only at the Saturday’s Market in Union Square, Somerville. I especially like to support the farmers I know.

In the spirit of Farm Share Tuesday, I invited a few friends over to enjoy a dinner in the garden eating farm fresh food. In my box this week: yellow carrots, cucumbers, corn, sweet onions, radishes and arugula. To add to the bounty, I still had a few things left from my visit to the farm: Cherokee purple and turtle gold tomatoes, eggs and new potatoes. And to round out the offerings: fresh herbs and celery in the garden.

With Dina in the house, I had to make my now famous Smoked Chicken Salad¸ tossed with celery, carrots, and onion tops, mixed with mayonnaise. I canned peachy mamas at the farm, which made a lovely hors d’œuvre to accompany the chicken, served with crackers. Or if someone has celiac disease, you can use cucumber slices instead of crackers.

The main meal, which coincidentally was gluten-free, manifested itself into:

Arugula, Tomatoes and Cucumber, Simply Dressed with Basil, Lemon and Olive Oil

Creamed Corn – the surprise hit of the night

Tortilla Española with Homemade Smoked Tomato Ketchup

Ginger Marinated Salmon with a Vietnamese Coconut Crepe and Radish Salad

And to top it off, Mint Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Ice Creams from Christina’s.

Vietnamese Crepes
(Makes 16 8” crepes)

1/2 Pound Rice Flour
2 Ounces Corn Starch
2 Eggs
1 ½ Cups Coconut Milk
1 Cup Water
2 Teaspoons Salt
2 Teaspoons Turmeric
4 Tablespoons Canola Oil

1 Pound Carrots, Peel, Julienned Or Shredded
6 Red Radishes, Julienned Or Shredded
½ Cup Mint Leaves, Julienned
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Cup Vinegar
1 Cup Sugar
Pinch Chili Flakes
1 Garlic Clove, Minced
1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce

Method

1. Combine corn starch, rice flour, salt and turmeric in a bowl. Stir in eggs, coconut milk and water. Add more water if the batter is too thick, more rice flour if too thin.

2. Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high flame. Add 1 tbs. of oil, or enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add 1/3 cup batter to pan, swirl around to create a thin layer.

3. Cook crepe until crepe is crispy and brown on the bottom. Fold crepe in half. Repeat process with remaining batter.

1. Mix carrots and radish with salt and let rest for ½ hour, or until carrots are soft. Add mint.

2. Combine remaining ingredients for sauce in a stainless steel sauce pot. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat

3. Combine carrots/radish with sauce.

4. Serve crepes with salad.

Tales from the Farm - Early August

Brett called two weeks ago to let me know that the plum tomatoes were in full production! He knows I plan an annual visit to the farm with the sole goal of canning tomatoes to last me through the winter. He suggested I come for a visit soon, lest I suffer the same fate as last year: my timing was off and the varieties available, though more flavorful than the plums, were too juicy for preserving. By the time I arrived this week, he had set aside 50 pounds of #1 plum tomatoes, plus another 20 pounds of #2 Cherokee purples which would add depth of flavor to my sauces.

The guise of my trip was to can tomatoes, but in truth, I cherish every opportunity to visit. In an era of high fuel costs and rising food prices, where the average food travels 1,500 miles from the field to the plate, I take a special pleasure in harvesting my food just hours before eating it. A typical meal on the farm has less than 10 food miles. Lamb comes from Donna and Cameron, just a few miles down the road in Lexington Park. Friend Bob fishes in the Chesapeake Bay, 1,500 feet from the farm – sharing his catch of Cobia, Bluefish or Striper. Vegetables, chicken and eggs come from the fields less than ½ mile from the house. The Mennonites raise livestock for milk and cheeses about 15 miles north in Leonardtown. Deer prance in the fields surrounding the farm, occasionally venturing into the fields and eating the watermelon. “Crop management” means we occasionally eat venison, too!

The farm is at peak production now – harvesting several varieties each of tomatoes, okra, red peppers, cucumbers squashes, eggplant, watermelon and okra. Meals are abundant, but so is the work.

The watermelon and okra coexist nicely on the south fields, neither encroaching on the others space. Unlike some of the other crops, the watermelon doesn’t mind the shade that the okra creates from its talk stalks. And in fact, it’s a good thing… when the crew harvests the watermelon, they leave them in the shade of the okra until they come with a truck to gather them all.


Neither is fun to harvest. The obvious challenge in watermelon is the weight. The crew will harvest one ton each week – 5 pounds at a time. After passing through the patch, snipping the ripe ones from the vine, the crew will pass through a second time with a tractor – one person driving the tractor off to the side and two others gingerly setting each watermelon in its hopper. The okra’s spiny stalks prickle as you harvest. To make the task palatable, the crew wears long sleeves and gloves – necessitating an early morning harvest before it gets too hot in the fields, making the protection as unbearable as the spiny stalks. With proper protection, I love picking okra. The abundant flowers are beautiful white with a purple center; they smile at me. Brett usually hoards the okra for market, but my reward for harvesting is as much okra as I can eat. I usually make a succotash for one meal and deep fry some for a second. In fact, market demand is so strong, Brett doesn’t eat okra until September.


On the north side, with all the tomatoes, is my favorite chili – affectionately named “Peachy Mama.” Typically, it’s a sweet pepper with floral undertones. But since they are planted so close to the spicy chilies, they sometimes get cross-pollinated and develop a little kick. Unlike other chilies that are equally delicious red-ripe or green, the peachy mama is only good when it’s fully ripe -- a pale orange. Harvesting is tricky… the brittle branches lose their flowers (the predecessor to the chili) easily. Each pepper must be carefully inspected for ripeness, but a clumsy touch means fewer chilis in subsequent weeks.

SAUTEED OKRA WITH TOMATO AND CORN

1/2 pound fresh okra
1 medium vine-ripened tomato – Cherokee Purple or San Marzano
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 peachy mama pepper or ½ small red bell pepper
1 ear corn, kernels cut from cob
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 tbs. fresh Genoa or lemon basil
salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste

Cut okra into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Chop tomato. Dice onion, chop garlic and cut corn from cob. In a heavy skillet heat butter over medium-high heat. Add the corn in a single layer and sprinkle the onions and garlic on top. Do not stir for a few minutes until the corn develops a sweet, roasted aroma. Stir, and continue cooking for 1 minute. Add the okra and pepper, stirring occasionally, until the okra is bright green, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomato and basil and simmer, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes, until everything is heated through. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.

Farm Share Tuesday

Friends Dina and Rena share a CSA subscription.

CSA, (or Community Supported Agriculture) is a way for community-at-large to create a relationship with a farm. By buying a subscription, people make a financial commitment to a farm, and become "members" (or "shareholders," or "subscribers") of the CSA. In return the farm gives the shareholders a weekly box of the freshest produce available. The farmer receives payment for the season up-front, which gives him/her financially stability before the crops come in, allowing the farmer to focus on the land.

Part of the fun of a CSA is experimenting with new vegetables. Unlike shopping at a farmers’ market or supermarket, the CSA subscriber has little say in what will be delivered each week, being beholden to the weather and the whim of what the farmer planted. Though to be fair, if the farmer wants to maintain a solid relationship with the subscribers, he will incorporate mostly familiar and desirable items.

Dina and Rena embrace the mystery. Each week they send out an invitation:

Any chance you can come for farm share dinner on Tuesday? We can't tell you what you'll be eating, but you know that it'll be fresh....(this past week we got a free slug with our bok choy!). Usually we tell people to come around 7pmish, although we can't guarantee that we won't put you to work just a bit.

This week’s bounty was unusually diverse and included lots of tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, sweet onions, lettuces and cucumbers. And it manifested itself into:

Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri, Slow Roasted Tomatoes and Grilled Onions

Grilled Zucchini wrapped around Fresh Ricotta, and topped with sweet tomatoes and basil

Slow Roasted Beets with Sherry Vinegar
Green Salad with Sliced Almonds, Olive Oil and Sherry Vinegar

French Lentils with Carrots and Onions

Thank you, Dina and Rena for sharing your culinary talent and gracious hospitality!

Farmers' Market Report - Summer Bounty

In the farmers’ market this week, all the summer time favorites are finally available: fresh, local sweet corn, heirloom field tomatoes, cucumbers, blueberries, and peaches. In additional, the farmers graciously grow lots of staples and fillers so that we can prepare a full meal (though some would argue that corn and tomatoes is a complete meal) with just locally grown foods.

When I worked under Lydia Shire, at the now defunct Biba, she taught me how to appreciate color on the palate. She would garnish a fish or meat dish with something white (potatoes), green (watercress) and red (beets). Each garnish was bright and vivid, and with a back-drop of rosy lamb or florescent wild salmon, the colors on the plate just popped.

I think of her every summer as I compose one of my favorite dishes: Roast Salmon with Creamed Corn (yellow), Roasted Tomatoes (red) and Basil Coulis (green).

Creamed Corn utilizes just the kernels; the cobs can be saved for a stock or other recipe. . I’ve seen many neat tricks for removing the kernels, including this one on Simply Recipes. I usually just lay the cob on its side and use the full blade of the knife to slice down and back. Wasn’t it Newton’s law of physics: for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction…. If the cob is on its side, then the kernels, don’t fall as far, and therefore don’t bounce as far away on the counter. Once I have the corn prepped, I can proceed with the recipe.

Given my inclination for a completely locavore meal, I think a steak from Austin Brothers Valley Farm would be better than farm raised salmon. Local striped bass would be lovely too, but no one at the market is selling fish.

To complete the meal, I would prepare a blueberry bread pudding: bread from hi-rise (sold at the farmers market and eggs also from Austin Farm. Though no one is selling milk, I know I can get fresh local dairy at the Harvest Co-op – avoiding the mega chain of Whole Foods and supporting the local supermarket.

Beef Tenderloin with Summer’s Trilogy
1 whole filet, weighing about 5#, trussed
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon plain oil
3 ears of corn, kernels cut off
1 tbs. butter
1 large fresh red onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 cup cream
1/2 tsp. curry powder
4 roma tomatoes, cut in half
1 tbs. olive oil
1 slice smoked bacon
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1 bunch basil
2 lemons, juiced
plain oil
salt and pepper to taste.

Season filet with salt and pepper.

Heat a large sauté pan, or grill over high heat. Add oil to pan. Sear filet on one side, sear until golden brown on the other. Finish roasting in 350 oven for about 10-20 minutes, or until desired doneness.

Meanwhile….

Toss tomatoes with olive oil, thyme, 2 tbs. diced onion and 1 tbs. garlic. Roast in 500F oven, until tomatoes begin to brown and blister. Meanwhile, render bacon in a skillet. When crispy, coarsely chop and mix with tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Melt butter in a skillet. Add corn, 1 tbs. chopped shallots and 1 tsp. garlic. Cook until garlic and corn begin to brown. Add curry powder and cook for 1 minute more. Add cream, and cook for 5 minutes, or until cream is reduced by 1/2. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

In a blender, puree basil with 2 tbs. chopped onion, lemon juice and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

After tenderloin is finished raosting, let rest for 10 mintues. Slice. Garnish with corn, tomatoes, basil coulis (and fresh summer zucchini too!)

Central Square Farmer's Market Report - Kohlrabi and Scapes

Despite glooming gray skies of imminent rain, the farmers market was decidedly busier this week than last. Bushels of asparagus, baskets of strawberries, bunches of beets and radishes spread out as a cornucopia of colorful spring. I was also pleased to see the Jamaican farmer. His stand does not have a banner announcing the name of his farmer but he has a lively banter with the customers encouraging them to buy from him – usually a vegetable, like callaloo, only seen in ethnic, corner markets or in his native country…uncharacteristically, this week it was the recognizable rhubarb and greenhouse tomatoes.

What I cherish most about the farmers markets is that often I find vegetables simply not available at regular supermarkets. Farmers continually experiment with what grows best in their soil and microclimate. They balance this with growing the more marketable greens, tomatoes and berries. All this experimentation challenges the locavore to try new vegetables and experiment with new recipes.

At Hutchinson Farm green garlic and garlic scapes, both derivates of young garlic, spring from the table. Green Garlic is round like a scallion, but long and fibrous like leeks. The young bulb has not yet developed the papery skin that would divide it into cloves (and add a protective layer for long storage). The scape is a long, squiggly shoot from the garlic bulb with a tip that looks like it’s ready to flower. Both have mild flavors and can be eaten raw or sautéed like regular garlic.

I was especially excited to see Kohlrabi. I have seen this brassica – a member of the cabbage family – at Whole Foods before, but had never tried it until I visited Costa Rica this past winter. At a yoga retreat in the mountains outside of San Jose, they simply roasted it with olive oil and garlic. I loved the simultaneously soft and firm texture, the mild sweetness that’s refreshingly moist. The flavor is subtle which makes its appeal perhaps limited, but the texture adds a nice balance to a (raw) coleslaw or (cooked) roasted root medley. The kohlrabi in my garden looks healthy but still has at least 4 weeks before harvest.

By coincidence, at Oleana Restaurant that night, they had a special of fried oysters on a bed of cucumber-kohlrabi salad. If I had to guess the recipe, it would go something like this.

24 Wellfleet Oysters from Pat Woodbury, shucked

Deep Fry Dredge:
½ cup fine corn meal
½ cup flour
½ tsp. zaatar (or mix of dried thyme, sesame and sumac)
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. fresh black pepper

Oil for Deep-Frying

Kohlrabi-Cucumber Salad
1 kohlrabi, peeled and julienned
1 english cucumber, peeled, seeded and julienned
1 tbs. freshly grated horseradish
1 cup plain Greek Yogurt
1 tbs. fresh mint
1 tbs. fresh parsley
Salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste

1. Prepare salad by combining all ingredients together. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
   
2. Pour plain oil in a deep cast iron skillet until it reaches 2 inches deep. Heat over medium high heat.
   
3. Meanwhile, combine dry ingredients for the dredge.
   
4. When oil is hot, toss oysters in the dredge. Shake off excess and gently drop into oil. Cook for about 3 minutes, turn over, and continue cooking until crispy all over.
   
5. Drain oysters on a paper towel and serve immediately with Kohlrabi salad.

A special thanks to David for supplying the pictures of this week's farmers' market.

The Central Square Farmers' Market

A visit to the Central Square farmers' market shows that my garden is right on cue with local farmers. The lettuces are winding down, and there really is not much else. After many years of going to this market, I’ve come to recognize the usual vendors. Many were missing this week, (most notably Steve Parker who I’ve known for years because he sells to local restaurants) probably because they don’t have much to sell yet.

The farmers that were there primarily offered seedlings and lettuces. Seedlings are perfect for those who have not yet had a chance to plant vegetables in their own gardens. The tomato plants are vibrant and full, the herbs billowy and aromatic, and lettuces sprouting a few leaves. Wait… lettuces??? After all this heat, I was surprised to see farms even suggesting that we should start growing the cool weather plant. I questioned this… the gal from Kimball farm says they plant new lettuce seeds every 5 – 10 days. This makes sense: The standard method of harvesting lettuces, “cut-and-come-again,” does not work in this heat, necessitates successive planting if you want a steady supply throughout the summer.

One farm was selling hot-house tomatoes, but I’m still not buying. Though this betters the California hothouse because they could ripen on the vine longer, I’ll hold out for the drippingly juicy field tomatoes.

The Herb Lyceum at Gilson Farms specializes in herbs. Herbs grow easily in pots as well as in beds, and have a great cost/benefit ratio. Garden fresh herbs are better than store bought because the aromas are more pungent. Better still, you can harvest just what you need for a single meal – unlike the predetermined pack sizes at the supermarket. Better flavor, less waste - another point in the no-waste column.

Gilson Farms also owns two restaurants, including the local Cambridge favorite: Garden at the Cellar. This gastro-pub features locally inspired, European-styled cuisine. The perennial favorite is the creamy tomato soup with grilled cheese. The three-course tasting menu highlights local farmers.

Are you a "Locavore?"

You’ve heard of carnivores, and perhaps even omnivores... but do you know what a locavore is? I can tell you, I am the first two and working towards the third. Yes, I eat meat (carni-) and everything (omni-) and I try to eat local (loca-). With Boston area farmers markets opening up this month for the season, my locavore efforts increase.

The Locavore Movement was founded by “a group of concerned culinary adventurers who are making an effort to eat only foods grown or harvested within a 100 mile radius of San Francisco for an entire month.” This was August 2005. The notion was that local foods are better for the environment, the economy and our health. In just a few years, the challenge has spread across the country, and people are thinking about local foods year-round. By now, we know why local foods are better for the environment. The statistics are in every paper on a weekly basis: the average American meal travels 1,500 miles from farm to table. To get the food to the table, it must be processed, packaged (think about those 3-packs of tomatoes that are in a plastic webbed container wrapped in yet more plastic), shipped (in refrigerated trucks) and warehoused (in climate controlled storage facilities). And this process of “farm to table” can take up to 3 weeks – each step adding to our “global consumption” of petroleum. By purchasing foods from local farmers, we minimize the environmental impact of each step in this literal food-chain.

Sometimes it’s hard to see how buying local is better for the economy. After all, local produce often costs more than the Californian and even Chilean counterpart. Cambridge Local First compiled a top ten list for buying from locally owned business: this can easily be applied as general reasons for buying local. I will summarize for you now: When you buy locally, the money you spend stays within the local economy. The business owners spend their profits in Massachusetts (or wherever local is for you), and those taxes go towards local infrastructure: roads, schools, police, etcetera. By supporting local farmers, you keep jobs in your local community. When you shop at large chains the profits go to the economy of the large chain’s headquarters.

The health benefits are straightforward. When food travels less, it can stay on the vine longer. The longer it stays on the vine, the more time it has to absorbed essential nutrients from the soil and sun. Further, the minute produce is picked it begins to leach out its nutritional value (this also speaks to why frozen vegetables can sometimes be better than fresh).

Let’s be honest, though… being a locavore in California is much easier than in Massachusetts… And August, the agricultural jackpot, is less oppressive than taking this challenge in February. But when I think about the resources in New England, we are really quite fortunate. We can get seafood from Maine to the Cape even in the depths of winter. King Arthur Flour is based in Vermont. And local meat and dairy suppliers abound from Massachusetts to New Hampshire. The real issue is getting fresh produce in the darker, colder months. From November to April, we’re mostly reliant on farmers farther afield.

If you want to buy local in Massachusetts, the best resource is The Federation of Massachusetts Farmers’ Markets website. The site lists all the area farmers’ markets with dates, times and locations. More importantly, all the vendors are mentioned with links to their websites and/or contact information. Many vendors will also list their product offerings to make menu planning easier. If you can’t get to the markets during the allotted times, you can always visit the farms!

Right now, strawberries, asparagus and salad greens are at their peak.

For a recent dinner party, I wanted to serve roasted asparagus (requiring a 450F oven), but was also baking the strawberry rhubarb pie (at 375F). I opted to put the asparagus on the floor of the oven for a searing heat that caramelized the spears without overcooking them. This impromptu method worked so well, it is now my standard method for roasting asparagus.

Strawberry shortcake showcases the sweet berry. This variation puts an Italian spin on the American classic.

Balsamic Glazed Strawberry Short cake

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 quarts strawberries
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks

1. Put sugar in a sauce pan. Add 1/4 cup water. Put over high heat, stir sugar to dissolve. Continue cooking for about 7 minutes or until sugar turns amber brown. Add balsamic vinegar. Continue cooking until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat. Just before serving, add strawberries. Serve Biscuits with strawberries and cream.

Biscuits:
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tbs. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. yeast
4 tbs. butter
2/3 cup milk

1. Dissolve the yeast in milk. Combine dry ingredients. With a knife or fingers, cut in the butter. Mix in milk.

2. Roll out to 1/4” thickness. Cut into desired shapes.

3. Bake for 12 minutes at 450.

Tis the Season to Buy Local!