Brussels Sprouts
I found these little lovelies at the farmer’s market. I’ve always heard that they’re not a bitter after the first frost, which is still a while a few weeks off here in Ohio. They were tiny and looked like they’d pair perfectly with some bacon I had in the fridge, so I snapped up 2 pints of them.
I steamed them for a few minutes, then sauteed them with some diced bacon, along with a few shallots and some garlic. They were fantastic! I have to admit, I wasn’t a brussels sprouts fan a few years ago, I didn’t like them at all. I think the problem was that I had never had fresh brussels sprouts. Like many vegetables they’re much better fresh from the garden!
What’s your favorite way to enjoy brussels sprouts, or is it not at all?
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Playing Hooky Again
Yesterday was a beautiful day, just perfect! I got up and went to the farmer’s market as I do almost every Saturday morning.
I was excited because I was taking some of my tomatoes to one of my favorite vendors. She told me last week that she lost all of her tomato plants to the late blight that’s going around. She told me that she couldn’t even go out to her garden for 3 days after she had to burn all of her tomato plants. I figured it would brighten her day if I took her an assortment of my heirloom tomatoes. I was right, she was ecstatic!
We went to an auction after that for a little bit and then came home. We enjoyed delicious fresh corn and steamed green beans for lunch and then some friends called to see if we wanted to motor. We took them up on the offer and headed up to West Point Market in Akron to buy some artisan cheeses and other interesting items. We went to a small local dive for dinner and then we stopped at Mary Coyle’s for some ice cream!
There are still weeds in my garden that need pulled, tomatoes that need harvested and tons of other chores that need done. Since I spent the day playing hooky I’ll have to work extra hard this week to make up for it. But I sure had a great relaxing day which is perfect before a long busy week!
What kinds of things do you like to do when you play hooky from gardening?
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National Farmer’s Market Week: Aug 2-8
I found out through The Inadvertent Gardening that next week is National Farmer’s Market week. Celebrate National Farmer’s Market week by heading to your local farmer’s market tomorrow and next weekend (and every weekend in the summer).
If you don’t know about a farmer’s market in your area head over the Local Harvest to find one. Farmer’s markets are such a great way to get involved in your local economy and to encourage people in your community to grow healthy food.
Unless I’m working, I head down to the farmer’s market every Saturday morning. I always buy something from my favorite vendors and I try to buy from all of the new vendors I notice to encourage them to keep coming back.
Our farmers market carries just about everything: veggies, fruit, bread, baked goods, meat, poultry, eggs, crafts, soaps, herbs, teas and plants. Not to mention the produce is the freshest you can find!
I’m always heading home loaded with fresh local goodies for a weeks worth of meals and some canning for the winter.
Do you frequent your local farmer’s market? What do you like about it?
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Corn on the Cob = Summertime
Here in the Midwest (NE Ohio to be exact) the first real day of the summer is the day you see the first local sweet corn on sale at various roadside stands. Sweet corn is one of those things that, despite the globalization of our food system, remains a local thing. Everyone knows which local farmer grows their favorite corn and each year they wait until that farmer’s corn is ready.
When I headed to the farmer’s market on Saturday, I noticed it was finally sweet corn season, so I bought a dozen ears for lunch. Everyone has their own method for cooking sweet corn, some people boil it for a few minutes, some people for 10. I happen to steam mine for 12 minutes and that’s perfect for us.
We enjoy ours with homemade butter and a little salt, it makes for a simple delicious fresh local meal.
Mr Chiots and I were discussing whether or not corn on the cob is a Midwest thing, or if people in other parts of the country enjoy sweet corn as much as us Midwesterners do.
Is sweet corn a big thing in your area of the country? What’s your preferred cooking & eating method?
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The Joys of Summer
One of the great joys of summer is stopping at a little ice cream place on the way home. I grew up in a ice cream loving family, we found ourselves frequently stopping for ice cream at little shops.
Yesterday we went to the local greenhouse with some friends and we met my parents there. My parents decided to come to our house for a visit afterward to see what the gardens looked like, so we took the scenic route home through the little town of New Baltimore.
We stopped by this great little ice cream place that we love. The sizes of the cones are outrageous as well, this is a large with the top scoop almost gone already! They say if you get the jumbo they have to turn it sideways to get it out the window.
They have so many different flavors of ice cream and it’s all made in house.
Their raspberry ice cream is really fantastic (this is what we had) and our friend Missy said their chocolate was really good as well.
My dad & mom went for old-fashioned vanilla, always a safe bet.
This little ice cream is stand is one of the best around so we find ourselves there a few times during the summer.
Do you have a favorite little local ice cream shop you visit?
