Hi, friends and Happy Wednesday! I’m sure you’re all excited; after all it is Wednesday Market Day! Get your tasty buds ready for some incredibly delicious food. What will it be this week? Spicy West Indian cuisine, traditional Vietnamese fare, smoky barbecue, delicious wraps, or tacos served with Mexican dirty rice (what a taste sensation that must be)? Better yet, get some of each and treat yourself for the rest of the week.
Start exercising those toes this week ‘cause on Saturday the Black Bottom Bog Stompers will be in the gazebo at 9:30. There’ll be lots of toe-tappin’ music so make sure yours are in shape. Sounds like a great time to me. To top that off, we’ll have Lena Brannon of 7Grain in the demo tent to show you different ways of incorporating her products (whole grains and more) into delicious recipes.
Squash abounds at the market at this time of year and there are lots of varieties from which to choose. So what do you do with it – other than roast it or stuff it? No worries, Melanie (Herbs and Spice) has the perfect seasoning that will tantalize those tastebuds! Take any squash (yellow, Delicata, butternut, Nician) and cut it (them) in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash face down in a baking dish with an inch of water. Bake at 350°F until soft. Turn the squash over (with tongs). Combine a packet of Sweet Cinnamon Sprinkle (Herbs and Spice) with ¼ cup softened butter (Mauthe’s is best) and spread over the top of the squash (don’t forget the cavity). This will be an especially good recipe when acorn squash and pumpkins start appearing.
I did a lot more socializing at the market this past weekend and found out quite a bit (I’ll have to have my granddaughter watch my table more often). Did you know that folks from as far away as Mississippi and Alabama come to our market to buy Trudy’s beautiful Japanese Maples? She has several varieties and is well known (by those who grow them) because her maple trees are not only reasonably priced but they live after they’ve been planted. Impressive, Trudy! You go, girl! I know we have a great market and it’s nice to hear that others find us special as well. Lolly Marie’s chocolates make exquisite gifts for birthdays or thank you’s or just cause you need to feel special (hmmm, I think I feel a birthday coming up). She hand makes them with creamy Belgian chocolate and a variety of melt-in-your-mouth centers.
Our vendors just never quit coming up with ingenious new products. OK, so maybe Althee’s fig preserves and fig jam are not necessarily ingenious (but very tasty) but her tomato jam will have you thinking of ways to use it – perhaps spread half a block of cream cheese (or Farmhouse Dairy’s goat cheese) with the tomato jelly and the other half with one of her pepper jellies. Party time! Ask Althee for a taste; you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Spanish R Us has a coconut flan that is sure to delight. Farmhouse Dairy now offers special cuts of goat meat in addition to their cheeses. Two Kids Farm makes an amazing zucchini bread! Bushwood Farms has a sweet potato marmalade which makes a delicious glaze when spread over a pork loin and baked!
How many more reasons do you need to be at the market each week? My thoughts exactly!
Lots of love,
Charlene LeJeune
Abundant Life Kitchen
The Covington Farmers’ Market is open each Wednesday, rain or shine, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Covington Trailhead, 419 N. New Hampshire and every Saturday from 8a.m. to 12p.m. on the side lawn of the Covington Police Station, 609 N. Columbia St. Call (985) 892-1873 for information or visit www.covingtonfarmersmarket.org
