I’m back from New Orleans where the citrus grows on trees and they sell shrimp from the Lake at the farmers’ market. I envied those, but we have better apples! Play Stump-The-Orchardist with Caitlin at Reid Orchard – she’s like a wine pairing expert but for apples. For example, “I want an apple that’s tart, and has a lot of snap, but is still really sweet and will go great with cheddar, but is relatively unknown and has a cute name.” Caitlin will have an answer AND an opinion.
Apples really are seasonal – you’ll be able to get some of your favorite apples like Fuji, Pink Lady and Golden Delicious from Quaker Valley Orchard all winter at their other markets, but now is the time to enjoy the apples you won’t see again ’til next year: Honeycrisp, Gala, Ida Red, York, Mutsu and more.
My Thanksgiving strategy for these last two weeks is to buy what keeps well this week, like potatoes and onions, then get the rest on the last weekend. You just don’t want to miss out on local potatoes by waiting until the last minute! The Adventures In Shaw blog has a great article on sourcing your dinner locally. These last two weeks are also your chance to stock up on products that will you’ll miss over the winter or can use for holiday gifts next month: apple butter, canned peaches, jams, apple sauce, honey. All the meat cuts will freeze nicely: ask about the freezer shelf life of different cuts.Happenings at market:
- The weather is going to be GORGEOUS tomorrow. Mid-50s means cute hats and no rain means ride your bike down!
- At 9am we’ll have Banjer Dan back on the scene! And at 11am we’ll have the sweet voice of Annabeth Roeschly.
- Farmers’ Market Bike Clinic: Air, Oil, Advice, and More. Confer with other bikers on what to wear to DC’s first ever Tweed Ride on Sunday at 11am! It is exactly what it sounds like, and it will be beautiful. You still have time to hit the thrift store for a blazer, cardigan, vest AND cap.
Seasonal foods:
Truck Patch Farms: Cauliflower, broccoli, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts on the stalk and loose, savoy and green cabbages, turnips, radishes, and beets with their greens. Arugula, kale, mesclun. Red and white potatoes, sweet potatoes – orange, white, and an unusual, small, dark orange variety. Winter squash: butternut, acorn and spaghetti. Green tomatoes and a few red tomatoes from cold storage. All cuts of pastured pork – I’ll be stocking up on bacon! Black Angus grass fed beef – the roasts are outstanding and simple. Don’t be scared by big chunks of meat: you can roast them up in a couple hours and serve small portions all week. Even the traditionally tougher cuts make great thinly sliced roast beef to serve with eggs for breakfast or put on sandwiches for work. Pastured eggs. Order in advance at order@truckpatchfarms.com for chickens. Last chance to get your name on the turkeys list! Bryan is raising the standard Broad Breasted White raised on pasture and grubs. Almost any size you want, but small ones are running out fast.
Tree and Leaf Farm: Brussels sprouts, the best broccoli ever grown, small, white cauliflower heads. Gorgeous, long, slender, purple-shouldered, Hinona kabu Japanese turnip is great raw, cooked, or…pickled?? Common in Japan – just put turnips in a bath of 1-to-1 sugar and vinegar, add a pinch of salt, and refrigerate. Comes with lovely tender greens. Hakurei salad turnips, succulent arugula, salad greens with edible flowers. Fingerling potatoes and winter squash. GREENS: escarole, golden frill mustard, chard, kale, collards, and cabbage. ALL the winter radishes. A few more green sweet peppers and hot peppers. Italian parsley. Oak leaf hydrangea leaves make a dramatic bouquet with beautiful large leaves that turn to brilliant shades of red, orange, yellow and burgundy in the Fall.
Quaker Valley Farm: Apple butter. Honeycrisp Applesauce in Apple Strawberry, Apple Apricot, Spiced and No Sugar. Apple cider. Apples. Spaghetti squash and pumpkins. Sweet potatoes and onions. White Kennebec and red Pontiac potatoes are both great mashing potatoes. Tomato sauce, jam, honey. Ask about case discounts on jam and tomato sauce to get you through the winter!
Groff’s Content Farm: Family farm raises 100% grass-fed and -finished lamb and beef, pastured Berkshire pork, beautiful pastured eggs and chickens. Plus tasty pet treats. Pretty sure they’re sold out on turkey orders, but double check in person, maybe there’ll be a cancellation.
Painted Hand Farm: Full line of all naturally-browsed goat meat cuts: whole legs, leg steaks, shoulders, burgers, chops. Humanely-raised “rose veal”, German-Style Bratwurst links and pork-free sausages.
Richfield Farm: Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, turnips, rutabagas, and beets in every color. Potatoes. Broccoli, green, orange, purple and white cauliflower, and Romesco. Savoy, green, and red cabbage. Swiss chard, collards, kale, toscano kale, dandelions and tat-soi. Winter squash.
Keswick Creamery: Raw milk cheeses, blue cheese, feta, ricotta, quark and yogurt, and chocolate pudding.
Reid Orchard: Bosc pears. Apples, including the last few Honeyscrip. Ciders in apple grape, cherry, and pear. Apple butter and sauce. Canned peaches with no sugar added.
Atwater Bread: Organic sourdough and yeasted breads: Peasant Wheat, Caraway Rye, Cranberry Pecan, Kalamata Olive, traditional San Francisco Sourdough, Ciabatta, Country White, Chili Cheddar, French Baguette, Spelt, Sunflower Flax, and more. Brownies, cookies, scones, muffins, and granola.
Panorama Bakery: Baguettes, croissants, pain au chocolat, sliced loaves, danishes, sticky buns, apple turnovers. Mini ciabattas.
Cherry Glen Goat Cheese Company: Last chance to buy this wonderful goat cheese. Thanksgiving dinner cheese platter, either for dessert with pears and apples, or as appetizers during the day to tide guests over ’til the Big Meal. Or glaze baby beets and serve them with goat chevre as one of the million side dishes.
Please bring your own bags for shopping.
November 21 – Last Day of 2009 Market
What a great season! Seven months of fresh food, friendly farmers, music, free bike clinic, face painting, gorillas, and beautiful weather. This Saturday will be our last day: pick up your turkey, get veggies for the Big Dinner, stock up on meat and vegetables that will freeze well, snag some end-of-season bargains, give well wishes to your favorite vendors, enjoy some FREE hot cider and hot chocolate (bring your own mug or thermos!), get some last minute advice on winterizing your bike, and take a hard look around so you can submit comments and suggestions for an even better market in 2010.
We’ve got some sales this weekend!
Noteworthy Event:
What do you think of a Columbia Heights Farmers’ Market over at that fancy new fountain plaza thing? Not to replace MtPFM, of course, different day. Join the Columbia Heights Community Marketplace Committee on Saturday from 10-12 (I know, right during market) at 3233 14th St NW for a Planning Workshop to give your input! Get more information from CHCommunityMarketplace@gmail.com.
Happenings at market:
Seasonal foods:
Tree and Leaf Farm: Baby carrots make a beautiful Thanksgiving table garnish! Roast the baby Bull’s Blood beets and serve with Keswick Bovre on salad. Fingerling potatoes are tender and delicious roasted. Small and elegant cauliflower heads with delicate greens roast beautifully and were the star of last year’s Thanksgiving dinner at my house when my sister roasted them with a single anchovy laid across the top. Tasty and tender broccoli and Brussels sprouts.Winter squash. Savoy cabbage, Blue Wonder cabbage, mixed kale, collards, mixed chard, golden frill mustard greens, red dandelion greens and escarole. Arugula, arugula/cress mix, salad greens, frisee. Italian parsley and rosemary. Haukeri tunips, Hinona Kabu turnips, daikon radishes. 2-fer sale on green Luobo, China Rose, Watermelon, blue Hildebrau, and Red Neck autumn/winter radishes. Mix and match with greens. Sale on hot peppers and sweet green peppers.
Truck Patch Farms: Cauliflower, broccoli, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts on the stalk and loose, savoy and green cabbages, turnips, radishes, and beets with their greens. Arugula, kale, mesclun. Yukon Gold potatoes, white potatoes, and several colors of sweet potatoes. Stock up on butternut and acorn squash – they make handsome and reassuring mounds in a big basket in your pantry. Green tomatoes and a few red tomatoes from cold storage. Stock up on meat! All cuts of pastured pork and Black Angus grass fed beef. Pastured eggs.
Richfield Farm: Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, turnips, rutabagas, beets, potatoes. Broccoli, green, orange, purple and white cauliflower, and Romesco. Savoy and green cabbage. Swiss chard, collards, kale, toscano kale and tat-soi. Acorn and butternut squash.
Groff’s Content Farm: Family farm raises 100% grass-fed and -finished lamb and beef, pastured Berkshire pork, beautiful pastured eggs and chickens. Pet treats. Try the linguica – a smoked Portuguese sausage that I’ve used in gumbo AND Chinese stir fry, how versatile!
Painted Hand Farm: Naturally-browsed goat meat cuts: chops, roasts and whole heads for Goat Head Soup. Seriously. I promise to try it this winter. Humanely-raised “rose veal”, meaning the young male calves who were destined for a miserable dark CAFO were re-routed to Sandy’s pastures. German-Style Bratwurst links and pork-free sausages.
Keswick Creamery: Raw milk cheeses, blue cheese, feta, ricotta, quark and yogurt, and chocolate pudding.
Quaker Valley Farm: Apple butter. Honeycrisp Applesauce in Apple Strawberry, Apple Apricot, Spiced and No Sugar. Apple cider. Apples, including new this week: Pink Lady. Spaghetti squash and pumpkins. Sweet potatoes and onions. White Kennebec and red Pontiac potatoes are both great mashing potatoes. Tomato sauce, jam, honey, popping corn. Ask about case discounts on jam and tomato sauce to get you through the winter!
Reid Orchard: Pears and at least 20 varieties of apples – ask about apples that’ll store well. Ciders in apple grape, cherry, and pear. Apple butter and sauce. Canned peaches with no sugar added.
Atwater Bread: Organic sourdough and yeasted breads: Peasant Wheat, Caraway Rye, Cranberry Pecan, Kalamata Olive, traditional San Francisco Sourdough, Ciabatta, Country White, Chili Cheddar, French Baguette, Spelt, Sunflower Flax, and more. Brownies, cookies, scones, muffins, and granola.
Panorama Bakery: SALE! Any 3 sliced deli loaves for $15! Multigrain, whole wheat with oats, sourdough, rye. Lightly toasted bread cubes $2/lb for stuffing! Plus baguettes, croissants, pain au chocolat, danishes, sticky buns, apple turnovers, mini ciabattas, hamburger buns, cheese rolls.
Cherry Glen Goat Cheese Company: Last week was their last week at Mt P for the season. They’re at 14th and U this weekend, and Takoma Park Farmers’ Market on Sundays all through the winter!
Please bring your own bags for shopping.