September 2008 Weekly Updates
(Please note: Archived material contains some out-of-date information. Check current portions of web site for details on this year's market.)
September 25, 2008 *Fill The Larder*
Westside Community Market • Saturdays, April 19 to November 8 • 7 am to 1 pm • Hill Farms DoT Building parking lot • Madison, Wis.
Hi Everyone!
Happy Autumnal Equinox (a few days ago). Last Saturday was beautiful, and we spent it at the Food for Thought Festival, so Jen’s mom (a former WCM flower vendor) explored the Market for us and gave us lots of notes about the goings-on at the WCM, which in case you're planning ahead, goes through November 8.
First, hearty congratulations go to mother and son duo Nancy and Peter Potter of Potter’s Crackers (Madison). They received their organic certification from MOSA (Midwest Organic Services Association) last week! Current seasonal flavors include Six Seed, Basil Walnut Pesto, Chili Pepper (with jalapeños from Kevin Lucey at Happy Valley) and Apple Graham. The Apple Graham is a knockout when served with an aged cheddar.
Josie Pradella of of TerraSource Chocolates, http:/www.terrasourcechocolates.com, (Madison) was at the Food for Thought Festival too. She will be back at the WCM this week, and we wanted to make sure we made note of her interesting business. Josie is showing us what it looks like to start a small business in the 21st century. She looked deep into her supply chain and made careful choices about everything: she buys Fair Trade chocolate and uses lots of organic and local ingredients. She even looked at the packaging: her cellophane bags are compostable. Of course the first principle of food is that flavor rules, and Josie’s got that covered in spades— swing in for a sample to check for yourself. Her chocolates are vegan, so even those with dairy intolerance can enjoy them.
Future Fruit (Ridgeway) is back for the Market's third session, and Ellen Warsaw-Lane is sending along her family's amazing Moonglow pears, Harrow Delight Pears, Mountain Royal plums (round, blue with sweet yellow flesh) and Mutsu apples. Mutsus are sometimes called Crispins and are a cross between a Golden Delicious and Indo apples native to Japan. They have a moderately sweet flavor with firm, juicy and creamy white flesh.
Many of the traditionally fall crops are starting to appear at market; their presence makes me feel like a mouse scurrying around to gather all the food I can for winter! I will be sure to gather some rutabagas, celeriac and beauty heart radishes available from the gang from Primrose Community Farm (Middleton). Also on my list is garlic—County Line Plants and Produce (DeForest) has 20 varieties of garlic and lots of info on what kind is good for what application. The outstanding Sun Gold preserves from Tomato Mountain (Brooklyn) will be back in stock this week as will the latest batch of Red Pepper soup. Diana of Dreamfarm (Cross Plains) has a new fresh nettle cheese that I would like to try dolloped on the aforementioned soup. Brussels sprouts are in at JenEhr Family Farm (Sun Prairie). We might have the only eight-year-old in the world who rejoices at those words. Sauteed in olive oil with garlic and salt, Brussels sprouts are one of the true treats of autumn.
Vivian Green of Green’s Pleasant Springs Orchard (Stoughton) is up to her elbows in apples; Honeycrisp, Macintosh, Jonamac, Macoun, Royal Gala and Swiss Gourmet are some of her varieties; look for new varieties as they ripen. Her cider, pressed fresh each week, always sells out fast.
The update always runs “long” at this time of year. We can’t possibly list EVERYTHING available. Squash is in, elk and beef jerky are available, onions are here. Turnips, beets, bok choy, potatoes, buttermilk, beans, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese, yoghurt, chicken and more. Grab a pastry from Madison Sourdough, a cookie from Stella's or a scone from Farmhouse Bakery, wash it down with some free coffee from the Information Tent, and then as you wander the Market, soaking in the possibilities, you won't be too hungry!
See you Saturday.
The Lynch Family for the WCM
P.S. Students from Suzuki Strings of Madison, http://www.suzukistringsofmadison.org/index.htm, under the guidance of cofounder and teacher Diana Popowycz, will perform 9 to 10 am, weather permitting.
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RECIPE CORNER
Panzanella
2 cups cubed toasted bread
2-3 tomatoes, cubed
1/4 English cucumber cut in batons
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup basil\kosher salt and pepper
Assemble all ingredients, except for basil, 5-10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to blend and bread to absorb dressing. Toss with torn basil right before serving.
from Tami Lax, owner of Harvest restaurant, Madison, Wisconsin Woman September 2008
Celeriac Gratin
Ingredients
1 celeriac, peeled
2oz unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ pint milk
5 oz heavy cream
fresh chives, to garnish
Method
1. Carefully slice the celeriac very thinly using a sharp knife or on the fine setting on a mandolin.
2. Gently melt the butter in a frying pan and add the garlic cloves to the pan.
3. Add layers of the celeriac to the pan, seasoning in between each layer.
4. Pour the milk and cream into the pan. Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes or until the celeriac is tender.
5. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with chives. Serve.
from James Tanner: Ready, Steady Cook on the BBC
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September 18 , 2008 *Be Charmed 3rd Session*
Westside Community Market • Saturdays, April 19 to November 8 • 7 am to 1 pm • Hill Farms DoT Building parking lot • Madison, Wis.
Hi Everyone!
We are back from Maine. Visited the Portland Farmers' Market, which was lovely but made us realize how lucky we are to have the diversity of products and the community spirit of the WCM. Many thanks to Vanessa for minding the store for us last week. If you have not looked at her blog, you should do so: http://www.whatgeekseat.com. Her food photography is exceptional and will inspire you. Lots of news this week so let's dive right in.
Beets, peppers, tomatoes and potatoes are abundant right now. Lettuce is back and apples and raspberries have us drooling. The Vrees (Randolph) tell us that last week was probably the last for corn; if they have any for this week you’d better come early to get some. Ka Vang (Madison) has the sweetest little bundles of baby eggplants, along with thin tender green beans. Primrose Community Farm (Middleton) continues to fill almost a double stall to accommodate all their loveliness. They will have fresh edamame again this week. Also known as “poppy beans” at our house, edamame are a delicious and quick snack. Bring a large quantity of salted water to a boil, throw in the beans still in their pods (but plucked from the branches, if attached), bring back to a boil, boil 5 minutes, drain, salt again (coarse is best) and then eat the beans by squeezing them out of the pods and popping them into your mouth. (You can compost the pods.) Andy Hanson of Kindly Kraut (Madison) is sharing the newly expanded Primrose real estate.
Sandy Hunter of DOLCI Italian-American Sweets (Madison), will be selling her biscotti and other delectables Saturday, but then will attend every other week the rest of the season. That sad news is tempered by the fact that the reason she is changing schedules is because she is in pastry school and is very busy with homework. That is good news for her loyal fans—perhaps she'll expand her portfolio next year to include more yummy treats!
Session III of the Market year has begun, and two new vendors have joined the Saturday line-up. Both were mentioned in last week’s Update, but we thought you might like a little more of their stories.
Scott Schroeckenthaler of Pleasant Springs Hatchery (Stoughton) raises yellow perch in a series of tanks and ponds filled with well water and fed by a few natural springs. His favorite way to prepare his fish is delightfully simple: dip in a milk/egg mixture, coat with light breading mixed with a few spices and pan fry.
Mary de Block (Reedsburg) has spectacular mums and ornamental gourds to help you get a jump-start on fall decorating. She also has yummy winter squash, including butternut (my favorite) to make it TASTE like fall. One of my favorite comments overheard last market was “Well, I know it is a cookout, but it is September, so I am making squash!”
Superintendent Dr. Daniel Nerad, the new Madison schools leader, plans to set up an informational table at the Market Saturday, around 9 to 11 am. Former Info Tent volunteer Natalia Thompson wrote that he's genuinely interested in what you are thinking: http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=23531.
This Saturday is the venerable Food For Thought Festival, http://www.reapfoodgroup.org/FFTF2008/FFTF08Home.htm, 8 am to 1:30 pm on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, just off the Capitol Square. After grocery shopping at the WCM, head downtown for a fabulous day of speakers, exhibitors and performers. You can enter a raffle and maybe win the WCM tote bag. The point of FFT is to get us thinking about where our food comes from, how it is grown, who grows it and why we should care. Our family is in charge of the kids' activities, and we are guaranteeing a good time. Incidentally, Josie Pradella of TerraSource Gourmet Chocolates will be attending the festival and therefore miss the WCM this week.
Despite the rain last week, the Market was full of happy, chatting customers. Our mood was no doubt lightened by the zippy music of the Moldy Jam Band. We want to extend a huge WCM Thank You for all the music this volunteer house band has been providing. And being westsiders, they shop the WCM. So come get your milk, yogurt, meat, cheese, fruit, vegetables and baked goods along with the band. Marvel at the colors, talk to the producers, get to know their stories and let your imaginations go wild with possibilities.
See you Saturday!
The Lynch family for the WCM
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RECIPE CORNER
Mushroom Ragout
2 Tbs butter
1/2 Tbs. finely chopped garlic
3-4 shallots (makes a generous half cup) finely chopped
4 cups of coarsely chopped mushrooms (mix all sorts of mushrooms for a more complex flavor; Dan Deneen of Black Earth Valley Produce offers many choices)
salt and pepper
1/2 cup red wine (Carbernet Sauvigon works)
1 cup beef broth (veggie broth works too)
First, start off by cleaning the mushrooms and chopping them coarsely. You don’t want to cut them too small as they will shrink quite a bit and it is nice to have something to sink your teeth into once you get to eat them. Chop the garlic and the shallots. In a large flat bottom pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, saute the garlic and shallots for about 3 minutes till the shallots get soft. Add the mushrooms, add salt and pepper and cook for 7 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high and pour the wine. Cook for 2-3 minutes to reduce the wine to less than half what you put. Reduce the heat to low, add the broth and simmer for about 25 minutes. Most of the liquid should be gone. The last step is to add the remaining table spoon of butter and your are now ready to serve and enjoy! It will reheats nicely so you may prepare in advance.
Emmenthaler Souffle
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup whole milk
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg
4 large egg yolks
5 large egg whites
1 cup (packed) coarsely grated Emmenthaler cheese (Bruce Workman of Edelweiss Creamery has award-winning Emmenthaler at his WCM stand)
Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 400F. Butter 6-cup (1 1/2-quart) soufflé dish. Add Parmesan cheese and tilt dish, coating bottom and sides. Warm milk in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming.
Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until mixture begins to foam and loses raw taste, about 3 minutes (do not allow mixture to brown). Remove saucepan from heat; let stand 1 minute. Pour in warm milk, whisking until smooth. Return to heat and cook, whisking constantly until very thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in paprika, salt, and nutmeg. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, whisking to blend after each addition. Scrape soufflébase into large bowl. Cool to lukewarm. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.
Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of whites into lukewarm or room temperature soufflé base to lighten. Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions while gradually sprinkling in Emmenthaler cheese. Transfer batter to prepared dish.
Place dish in oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 375F. Bake until soufflé is puffed and golden brown on top and center moves only slightly when dish is shaken gently, about 25 minutes (do not open oven door during first 20 minutes). Serve immediately.
Makes 4-6 main course servings.
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September 11 , 2008 *Inspire Your Palate*
Westside Community Market • Saturdays, April 19 to November 8 • 7 am to 1 pm • Hill Farms DoT Building parking lot • Madison, Wis.
Hello Everyone,
Last week's Market was an aromatic delight. The sweet scent of ripe melons, apples, and raspberries lingered in the air. The sun, noticeably angled into its autumn light, was warm and everyone had big grins on their faces. It's hard not to be happy when surrounded by so much good, local food.
I saw a lot of tomatoes, onions, garlic, greens like lettuces, kale, chard, some beets, cucumbers, corn, melons, apples, plums, pears, potatoes, beef, pork, bread, jams, cheese, milk, yogurt, eggs ... at this time of the year it's one-stop-shopping and there is no need to waste precious time going to a grocery store too.
What will Saturday bring? Scott Schroeckenthaler of Pleasant Springs Hatchery (Stoughton) will be back this year with farmed perch and later on pumpkins. And despite the capricious nature of our weather lately, the Greens of Pleasant Springs Orchard (Stoughton) were able to harvest enough apples to supply their cider house for the first pressing; buy early to partake of this week's limited supply. Vivian Green said she should also have her first Honeycrisp apples of this year, as well as an increasing number of other favorite varieties. JenEhr Farm (Sun Prairie) will have more of their beautiful kale and chard plus cauliflower, tomatoes, onions, and maybe beets. Kindly Kraut (Madison) will have some traditional Korean-style KimChi in about two or three weeks. I'm marking my calendar for that one. Flyte Farm (Coloma) hopes to have acorn squash next week and may still have some corn. Their tomatoes and cucumbers are grown in greenhouses so we can safely count on those for a while. Eric Johnson from Jordandal Farms (Argyle) will have more onions, fabulous garlic, and beef, pork, and chicken. Diana from Dreamfarm (Cross Plains) has the best feta cheese, I suggest you pick up some to go with those tasty late season tomatoes.
I also want to welcome Josie Pradella and her fabulous TerraSource Chocolates (Madison). I love her chocolates for four reasons: their exquisite flavors, she sources only fair trade chocolate, she's local, and I adore chocolate. Stop by and say Hi to Josie.
Refrigerator pickles are the lazy way to pickle. They're as simple as they are pretty and I have to confess ... I can't stop eating them. My favorite is pickled beets but I'm also in love with spicy green beans, the perfect accompaniment to a Bloody Mary. Zucchini also pickles nicely and is a unique addition to an antipasto.
See you Saturday!
Vanessa Balchen (filling in for the vacationing Lynch family) for the WCM
Note to readers: Vanessa shows WCM food cooked and ready to serve, with recipes and commentary, on her blog at http://www.whatgeekseat.com/wordpress/ .
P.S. For music, blues guitarist Dr. Eric H. will swing by 9ish; Moldy Jam band has lately been regularly spreading home-grown sounds throughout the Market.
P.P.S. Two WCM Board members are separately celebrating nuptials this week with their mates and business partners: Cassie Wyss and Mike Noltner (Primrose Community Farm) and Bob Klebba and David Waugh (Morningwood Farm). We hope you will join us in wishing them well! We asked Bob and Cassie for specifics. In their own words:
From Cassie:
Getting hitched on the 13th of September. Ceremony is at the First Lutheran Church (these days a historic site) on Old Sauk and High Point. Our reception will be in our barn on Pioneer Rd. Mike and I will be riding our bikes back to the farm from the church. Dinner and then the band Andy's Automatics. Our friends at Underground Catering are making the meal - using produce from our farm and some Italian sausage from Jordandal Farms. We're having lasagna with tomatoes and veggies from the field and the Italian sausage; homemade raspberry swirl ice cream with raspberries from our farm; an heirloom tomato appetizer; roasted veggie sides; and a buttermilk celeriac side dish.... It's going to be a delicious meal! About 150 people - Mike has an enormous family - mom has eight siblings; dad has 5. Crazy time of year to do this (heavy harvest time; I teach one section on environmental issues at downtown campus of MATC), but we wanted to get married when we could feed our families well!
From Bob:
The owners of Morningwood Farm Nursery, Bob Klebba and David Waugh, were recently married in California and are celebrating their wedding on Saturday September 13th. They met almost 10 years ago and soon recognized their shared love for gardening, travel and family. When Bob was laid off from his corporate job in 2002, David and Bob decided to research starting a nursery. Bob gained experience at another nursery for a year before opening Morningwood Farm in 2004. They are proud of their producer-grown annuals and perennials and are passionate about their selection of unique woody plants at the nursery.
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RECIPE CORNER
Refrigerator Pickles
(makes two quarts)
Pickling Brine
1 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
2 - 4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ cup sugar
Allspice, whole. 4-6
cloves, whole, 2-6
Vegetables to Pickle
Beets, cooked whole, peeled, and slice
Green beans, washed, heads snapped off
Zucchini, washed and sliced
Seasoning Vegetables
1 onion, sliced and then separated
1 -4 jalapeño peppers
2 one quart canning jars with lids
Put all the ingredients for the pickling brine into a pan and heat to a boil. The quantity of garlic, allspice, and cloves is up to you. If you like big flavors add more, if you have a shy palate perhaps you might like less.
Prepare the vegetables you are using and then arrange them in the jars, alternating layers of the vegetable with the onions and the jalapeños filling the jar to the top. Pour the hot pickle brine into the jars. Tightly lid the jars and place in the refrigerator for 7 to 14 days before serving. Once you open the jar you should eat its contents within 2 weeks.
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September 4 , 2008 *Buy Here To Eat Local*
Westside Community Market • Saturdays, April 19 to November 8 • 7 am to 1 pm • Hill Farms DoT Building parking lot • Madison, Wis.
Hi Everyone!
Making plans, making lists and making appointments always seem to fill up our early September days, and this year is no exception. The actual autumnal equinox isn’t for another few weeks, but gone are lazing by the lake and packing picnics for the park.
The first plan of note for September is to participate in the Wisconsin Eat Local Challenge, http://www.eatlocalwisconsin.com/, from September 5-14. Starting tomorrow, Wisconsinites are challenged to spend at least 10 percent of their food budget on local food. This project is very dear to our hearts, as we dedicated a whole month last year to eating all local food and blogged about it. Purchasing local food keeps your dollars circulating in your own community, helps reduce the miles your food travels and gives you a chance to support the farmers who grow your food. A local food system is key for sustainable community and, of course, as we all know from shopping at the WCM, local food is DELICIOUS! Visit the website today and sign the pledge.
Next on the schedule would be a Saturday morning at the Westside Community Market for wonderful food that makes eating locally a dream come true. Peppers are in their full glory now. The Bauman Family of Real Foods (Athens) have orange, red and yellow peppers; Kevin Lucey of Happy Valley Produce (Black Earth) has purple, green, yellow and white peppers; and County Line Plants & Produce (DeForest) has Cubanelle peppers, green salsa peppers and Looks Hot But Not peppers. These beauties look like a standard jalapeño but have only the flavor, not the kick. They also have a few of the regular “knock-your-socks-off” jalapeños for those who like it spicy.
To cool your palate, why not try some melon? I counted over 10 different types of melon last week. Cassie Wyss at Primrose Community Farm (Middleton) recommends the small, yellow Spanish Sugar Nut as her farm’s favorite. Red and yellow watermelons and several types of cantaloupe and muskmelon are available.
There is one more type of melon to note and that is bitter melon, available from Lor Chang (Madison). It is actually from the cucumber family and is widely used in Chinese, Indian and Southeast Asian cuisines. Its flesh is watery and crunchy and becomes increasingly bitter as it ripens. I think it is an intriguing addition to stir fries, and the Internet has hundreds of delicious-sounding recipes using this interesting fruit. It is extremely high in Vitamin C and is currently under investigation for its wide-ranging and potent medicinal effects.
The crisp nights of early September always get me thinking about food preservation. Primrose Community Farm has 10- and 20-pound boxes of tomato seconds, both heirloom and slicers, available for canning. Murphy Family Farms (Soldiers Grove) has bread-and-butter and sweet chunk pickles all ready to stock your pantry shelves. Andy Hanson of Kindly Kraut (Madison) has sauerkraut and kimchi. And Tomato Mountain (Brooklyn) can keep you in salsa, jam, and soup for a whole winter! Vendors are excellent sources of information when it comes to canning and preserving; you might even get a secret family recipe just for asking.
Does all that canning make you tired? Well, why not take a break and go out to eat? Mark your calendars for the newly expanded Local Night Out, September 9-11. Go to http://www.reapfoodgroup.org/BFBL-LNO.htm for more information about participating restaurants, including menus. The yearly event is sponsored by the Madison-based Research, Education, Action and Policy on Food Group (REAP). By enjoying a great meal at a Local Night Out restaurant, you get a terrific local meal, you show your support for businesses that buy local foods, and you contribute to building a more sustainable food system. Each restaurant donates a portion of proceeds back to REAP's Buy Fresh Buy Local program, which helps restaurants and farmers connect. At press time, these seven WCM vendors will participate: Blue Moon Community Farm (Stoughton), Jordandal Farms (Argyle), Flyte Family Farms (Coloma), Edelweiss Creamery (Monticello), Black Earth Valley Produce (Mazomanie), Primrose Community Farm (Middleton) and Blue Marble Dairy (Barneveld). Also mark your calendars for REAP's 10th Annual Food for Thought Festival September 19 & 20. Read future Updates for more on that.
Corn is still available (probably not for long), and early eating apples are here. It's cool enough for lettuce again, and some spring crops like pea shoots from Blue Moon Community Farm are having another go-round. Session III starts this weekend, so in the coming weeks look for Josie Pradella of the fair trade TerraSource Chocolates (Madison) and Ellen Warsaw-Lane of the renowned organic orchard Future Fruit (Ridgeway).
Eating local doesn’t get any better than this!
Jen Lynch for the WCM
P.S. Due to our jam-packed month, the Update will be penned next week by a guest writer who's also a frequent WCM shopper and blogger. Can you guess who?
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RECIPE CORNER
Eggplant Caponata
Excellent with crusty bread as an appetizer, or as a side dish or salad.
1/4 cup golden raisins
6 cups diced peeled eggplant (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup diced seeded plum tomato
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
2 teaspoons capers
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
Place raisins in a small bowl; cover with hot water. Let stand 15 minutes; drain. Set aside. Place eggplant in a colander; sprinkle with salt. Toss well. Drain 1 hour. Rinse well; pat dry with paper towels. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant; sauté 9 minutes or until well browned. Spoon eggplant into a large bowl; set aside. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes or until golden. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add tomato; sauté 2 minutes. Add tomato mixture to eggplant. Return pan to heat. Add sugar and vinegar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Stir in raisins, olives, and capers. Add eggplant mixture, stirring to combine. Remove from heat; stir in parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature. Note: Caponata will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; bring to room temperature before serving. Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1/4 cup)
from Cooking Light, April 2005
Tri-Pepper Salad
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
3 sweet bell peppers (any colors; preferably 3 different)
1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
About 1/2 tsp. salt
About 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 small red onion, peeled and sliced very thinly crosswise
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1. In a large bowl, combine garlic and vinegar; let sit 15 minutes. Meanwhile, halve peppers. Remove seeds and white membranes. Cut peppers into bite-size chunks and set aside. Separate parsley leaves from stems; discard stems (you should have about 1 cup leaves). Finely chop leaves and set aside.
2. Whisk olive oil, salt, and pepper into garlic-vinegar mixture. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
3. Toss peppers, parsley, and onion with dressing. Add feta and toss gently. Serve at room temperature, or cover and chill for up to 2 hours. Yield: 6 servings
from Caroline Lindley, Cupertino, CA , Sunset, September 2007
