Happy Tuesday, friends! Yes, another week has come around and Market Day is almost here. (I know. I’m smiling, too.) You’ll smile even more as you survey the luncheon menus on the tables – pulled pork sandwiches, incredible veggie wraps, Asian inspired noodle salads, and fresh pasta and sauces that Cynthia learned to make while living in Italy. And then…there’s dessert. I think you all know my feelings on that subject.
Saturday will roll around soon enough and you can enjoy the delightful tunes of Cassie Krebs floating from the gazebo. So grab your coffee and orange almond biscotti from Teresa’s Italian and spend some time with us. It may be a little early for St. Joseph’s Day, but why wait? Teresa always bakes up a treasure trove of Italian cookies – seed cookies, anise cookies, fig cookies, biscotti – perfect for dipping. Man, they’re good enough to make you forget all your troubles. But, if you’re still chasing the blues after that, Southy’s Soup will be in the demo tent serving up a Lenten favorite, Gumbo Z’Herbes. Then, check out Coast Roast’s international coffee of the week – just the thing for dipping cookies.
Miss Betty’s back at the Saturday market and she brought her lovely bougainvillea bushes with her. Staghorn ferns, spider plants, bromeliads, all conspire to bring a smile with their bright colors and blossoms. Soon Dennis’ trees and shrubs will begin blossoming as well, after all, winter can’t last forever, can it? (Pu-leeeeze don’t say yes.) Alton and Sandra had tomato bushes last week and should have Creole and Roma tomato plants ready soon…maybe even this weekend. I guess tomatoes are like lemons; just mentioning them immediately brings that taste to your senses.
Produce tables seem to bloom as well with the spring crop of veggies coming in. Nick’s baby carrots were a big hit last Saturday and cabbages on John’s table reminds us St. Patty’s Day will soon be here. With Brandon and Marietta visiting family, Jordan will be taking care of the farm. He had an assortment of salad flowers (tendergreens, baby broccoli, and arugula) AND dandelion greens. Doesn’t he know that people try to rid their lawns of that invasive plant? He rattled off all the benefits but I’m afraid I just stood there, not writing anything down. So, I had to look it up. Dandelion greens offer enormous health benefits providing more calcium, Vitamin A, and Vitamin K than broccoli, more iron and riboflavin than spinach, and make for a very delicious green in your smoothie. Who knew….well, now we both do!
Norma Jean will be honoring Louisiana foods by adding several new items: a Muffaletta veggie wrap (her marinated veggies w/ herbed cheese in spinach tortilla) and small bags of decadent Louisiana style sugared bourbon pecans (as if the Italian cookies weren’t enough!). Right next door, Sam has a sprout & greens salad with a delightfully light dressing. He also mentioned he will have sprouted pea and bean flours and bags of golden pine pollen. I don’t have to say much about the Kombucha Girls. I see jars of that effervescent liquid stroll past me all the time. Still, it’s well worth taking the time to speak with Susan and Liz about why you should be strolling past with a jar as well.
Everything seems to be blooming these days. Tiffany (Farmhouse Dairy) tells me that with all the new baby goats born this February, she will have feta and goat’s milk again. Althee’s table is blooming with fruity jams and jellies – mayhaw, kumquat marmalade, mango jam, fig preserves and canned figs (why wait until the end of July?). Rebecca (Spanish R Us) is back with spicy salsas, empanadas, and tamales. The market landscape is again dotted with Amanda’s popsicles of strawberry, pineapple, coconut, chocolate…. To top that off, more than a few of Lolly Marie’s candied apples passed me by, all dripping with chocolate and caramel and… (I’m sorry; give me a minute). Now that I’ve destroyed all MY resolve, can YOU possibly resist a day at the Market? Join us, won’t you?
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
