Show and Tell

There was a farm stand at the flea market!

It will be a bit quiet in this here space on the internet this week.

As mentioned a while ago, I’m not around on weekends at all this month and that is when the blog magic happens for me.

I am up to my eyeballs in vegetables due to my mother’s green thumb and my projected farm share list is abundant to say the least! I also managed to find local peaches, apples, and maple syrup at the flea market this weekend. So I might try and experiment shooting at night with the god-awful fluorescent kitchen light. Wish me luck! If it works out and Lightroom can save me, perhaps a recipe or two will make an appearance!

As you can see, my mother sent me back to the city with lots of eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes. I foresee another Chicken Enchilada Casserole happening this week. It freezes and reheats really well, p.s.

An instagram follower asked me what I would be doing with those pretty golden tomatoes I got in last’s CSA. I have yet to figure that out, but I better soon, cause those babies are starting to wither! I also have peaches to test pickle, and my farm share newsletter just gave me sneaky thoughts about chicken cacciatore. Let's see what I got up my sleeve this week.

local apples, peaches, maple syrup and other flea market vintage finds!

Talk soon <3

Monday Market Haul - 9/1/2014

And here it is. September 1st.

Rejoice in the season of pumpkin spiced lattes?! I think not. It’s been wicked hot the past few days (that’s what I rejoice in.) Summer’s last hurrah! And yet people are still excited about slurping down piping hot chemically flavored syrup. August hadn’t even ended yet and it was already out! I thought that they were at least waiting ‘til September for that!

Anyways, I’ll be away from the city every weekend the month of September, but I'm gonna try and find a way to hit up some different farmer’s markets in the places I’ll be. Even as I was leaving the Union Square Green Market this past Saturday, I doubled back and picked up what I am sure will be my very last pint of strawberries. I’ve been trying my best to budget my farmer’s market trip. At the beginning of the summer I was so overwhelmed and overjoyed at the abundances the summer finally brought that I straight up could drop 50 bucks, no problem. So this past weekend, I was being strict as I have been, and sticking to my list. But I was half way to the subway, under budget I might add, and thinking….those berries….summer’s over...they’ll be gone...THIS IS IT. So I went back and got them. #worthit

I mean blueberries were no where to be found. No where. My heart. It breaks.

Dramatic, I know.

As you can see I did grab blackberries. I couldn’t let summer go without making one last batch of blackberry sauce.

So don’t mind me, I’ll just be over here in denial drinking my black iced coffee.

Monday Market Haul - 8/25/2014

The beginning of this article at Food52 definitely sums up my current state of mind.

It’s hard not to be sad that the days are getting shorter and cooler. I keep thinking “will this be the last week I see blueberries? strawberries? all the berries? what about tomatoes? do I need to buy them all right now?” I can’t even. My freezer is now packed. There isn’t room for even one more batch of Fresh Sauce.

I’m doing my best to look forward to cardigans and cooking lengthy hearty stews and soups.

Also, while I’m here and my green beans are showing. Can I tell you all about this recipe? I implore you to try it --- at the risk of sounding dramatic, it has changed my life. 

P.s. Those nectarines turned into something very pretty. Can't wait to show you.

Monday Market Haul - 8/18/2014

Guys. It’s August. AUGUST!

How is summer practically over already?! I’m already mourning it’s end and it hasn’t even happened yet. All I can do is scoop up and make the best of the summer’s bounty --- which I’ve been doing obsessively. I’ve been buying and inhaling blueberries by the pints and snapping up suspicious strawberries with no concern for the cost.

I dragged home a few pounds of tomatoes because of all the things that summer brings, they seem to be the most precious of them all. It’s all I can do to not eat them all in tomato sandwich form.

Here’s my dilemma -- the end seems so near and I’m feeling the need to somehow have these short lived summer gems live forever! (Or as long as physically possible.) So while I could just eat everything in it’s truest form, berries plucked straight from the pint container or tomatoes just sprinkled lightly with salt, I’ve been tucking sweet, sweet berries into muffins and biscuits, and making lots of sauce.

So that hopefully, one day, in the encroaching, dismal, frozen future, when the polar vortex is paying the Northeast a visit, I can dip into my freezer and pull out just a little bit of summer.

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If you'd like, check back here later today. My Cousin Evelyn is a whiz with the vegetables and she fed us something so simple yet so completely satisfying that I asked permission to share it. Also later this week, I'll be sharing my way of capturing summer for later. Thanks for stoppin' by all!

Monday Market Haul - 7/28/2014

Finally! It's time for another Monday Market Haul! 

It was so nice to stroll the strands this weekend at my favorite farmer's market after so many weekends away!

Here's what I picked up:

Peaches, yellow and red plums, blueberries (who's farmer's selling point was "nothings been on them but rainwater!" Love it.) The strawberries were a surprise and I was slightly suspicious because I thought the season was over, but they were so cute and sweet and wild looking I snagged 'em up anyways, an italian pepper, parsely, a buncha squash including one the size of my arm, and squash blossoms - which I've never had before but I'm excited to experiment with.

So nice to be back! The farmer's market might be my happy place. :)

Monday Market Haul - 6/30/2014

Every Monday, I plan to show off all the fabulous things I bring home from the Farmer’s Market the past weekend!

Welcome to the first Monday Market Haul!

Red Russian Kale, Green Cabbage. Red Onions, Broccoli, Carrots, Strawberries, Red Cabbage, Radishes, Sweet Cherries

Okay, so I may have gotten a tad carried away at the farmer’s market on Saturday. Summer is here people! And the stands were abundant with proof of that. I had to keep in mind that I can’t make ALL THE THINGS! Somehow (berry wise) I was able to limit myself to only last of the season strawbs and first of the season cherries. But the raspberries, were calling my name, and throughout the market there were whispers of blueberries...but fortunately for my wallet and soon to be too full crisper they had already sold out by 11am! Meanwhile the pounds of veggies I brought home are bursting out of my bottom fridge drawer. I’m envisioning many a picnic salad for the upcoming holiday. Better get cookin’!

Beauts