Sweet corn arriving - load up the wagon.

July 24, 2008     *Sweet Corn Arriving*


Hi Everyone!

It is hot. Some days, really hot. This is the time of year when unfussy food becomes one of our primary pleasures. Things are growing well and abundantly – and we are hot. It is good to be able to lay around, read fluffy books and pop one Sungold after another into our mouths. We are so grateful to the farmers and vendors who make this heat-induced laziness possible.

The first local sweet corn of the season arrives this week, and shucking it is hardly work considering the payoff. Jay Vree (Randolph) sends son Doug to unload it from the truck just as fast as folks snap it up.

Kevin Lucey of Happy Valley Farm (Black Earth), who registers "industrious" on our lazy-meter, settled back into his organic vegetable stand kitty-corner from the Info Tent last week. Kevin is a busy school teacher most of the year; and like many successful market farmers, summers he and wife Kate employ a cadre of local youth. It was exciting to see his current crop of beans (yellow and green), beets, dill and more. Even more exciting is what all he has planted: seven different kinds of eggplant, including a neon green one. He plans to have the small, globe eggplant Oriental Express at the Market. Kevin also planted over twenty kinds of peppers and lots and lots of tomatoes including Big Zebra, Pink, Red and Yellow Brandywines and Oaxacan Gold. As we have heard from many farmers, tomato growing conditions have been challenging this year. Stop by Kevin’s booth each week for something new.

The folks from Eplegaarden (Fitchburg) also made their first '08 WCM appearance. Their raspberries are succulent and delicious. If they sell out by the time you get there and you fancy a trip to the country, go pick your own at their fabulous Fitchburg farm. Info at: http://www.eplegaarden.com/.

Bob Klebba of Morningwood Farm Nursery (Mt. Horeb) – also decidedly NOT lazy – has an amazing selection of blooming shade and sun perennials, re-blooming roses and ornamental shrubs. At this time in the summer Bob tells us that hanging baskets can be trimmed back if they’re too leggy. All baskets should be fertilized regularly for optimal performance and should be kept in a location where they do not dry out by the end of the day. I am not so good at this part, so I am glad Morningwood sells plants throughout the season! Remember when watering newly planted perennials and shrubs that a long deep soak is required to get all of the surrounding soil moist as well. If you have to start over as I did, Bob helpfully shared that containerized plant material can be planted any time of year that the soil is workable. In the heat of the summer, extra mulch should be added to keep soil moisture loss to a minimum. The Pinky Winky hydrangeas and the Trumpet Lillies were two of the most spectacular plants at Morningwood; get plants for all places and good advice to go with them.

More “new and exciting” are: blueberries abound at Flyte Family Farm; currants from JenEhr Family Farm (Sun Prairie); gorgeous statice from the Bauman Family (Athens); and the first Lodi apples of the year from Vivan Green of Green’s Pleasant Springs Orchard (Stoughton). Vivian also plans to have bell peppers Saturday. Both apples and peppers appear in this week’s recipes below (though not together).

Congratulations to birthday basket winners Kate Brown and Eric Greiling. We hope you all found the birthday puzzle fun and interesting: Based on comments to Info Tent staff, a good number did! If you did not win this special puzzle drawing, remember the regular raffle bestows five gift certificates weekly (box emptied weekly).

Also congratulations to the Espe family of Hawk’s Hill Elk Ranch (Monticello). The latest edition of Sustainable Times has a cover story on Hawks Hill Elk Ranch with a few pages of pictures. They are also the first game farm in the state to be included in the Something Special From Wisconsin program through the Dept. of Agriculture. WCM is proud to have them.

See you Saturday!

Jen Lynch for the WCM

P.S. Two solo musicians return this week: Dr. Eric Heiligenstein, acoustic blues/roots guitarist and singer, is back mid-morning Saturday. Also look for young violinist Emily Lutz again serenading the crowd.

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RECIPE CORNER

Super Slaw

We eat this at least 3 times a week, it is daughter Evie’s absolute favorite dish.

6 tablespoons rice vinegar
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

5 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
2 large red or yellow bell peppers, cut into matchstick-size strips
2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips
8 large green onions, cut into matchstick-size strips
Preparation
Whisk first 7 ingredients in small bowl to blend. (Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.)

Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

From Bon Appetit, July 1998

Apple Turnovers

This is a fast morning treat or dessert. This faux puff pastry has great flavor and texture, but is quick and easy to prepare. We’ve used it for both sweet and savory pies.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup cold butter + butter for filling
1/2 cup sour cream (available from Sugar River Dairy)

4 apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced (how about the Lodi apples from Green’s Pleasant Springs Orchard!)
8 Tbs. sugar
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
Egg wash—1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, slat and baking powder. Cut in the butter, leaving it in pea-sized bits, larger than you would for a normal pie crust. If you have a food processor, a few quick pulses is all it takes. Stir in the sour cream; the dough won’t be cohesive at this point. Turn it out onto a floured work surface and bring it together with a few quick kneads.

Pat the dough into a square and roll it into an 8 x 10 rectangle. Dust both sides of the dough with plenty of flour, fold in three (like a business letter), flip the dough over and give it a 90-degree turn, and repeat the process. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. After chilling, roll out dough to make approximately 12, 4-inch squares of pastry

Toss apple slices with the sugar, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla--it should sit for 15-20 minutes so that it gives up some juice, but no longer or the apples will get rubbery. Pile apple slices over one half of a pastry square, leaving a border of 1/2 inch or so, and add 1 pat of butter. Flop the empty half of the pastry over the top of the apples until the edges meet, and seal them with the tines of a fork. Brush gently with egg wash and bake at 400˚ for 25 minutes.

Pastry dough and method from King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion