News from the SVGM - May 28th

Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market
May 28th, 2010

In this week's email:

• News From The Market
  
• Products This Week
  
• Seasonal Recipe
  
• On The Website

* * * * *

News From The Market
It's time to load up on food for Memorial Day weekend at this week's SVGM! The weather forecast - perhaps a tad unreliable this far out - is calling for both heat and sun, and there's hardly a better reason to get out of the kitchen and enjoy grilling season. From burgers to chickens to fresh asparagus, there's plenty at the market that tastes great with nothing but a grill, some friends, and a cold beverage.

Of course, it's strawberry season, too, and we have recipes this week matching up those delicious spring berries with some locally made goat cheese. For an easy side dish while grilling out, try a Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad, or go all out with a Goat Cheese Souffle with Strawberry Sauce. They won't last for long, so enjoy them while you can!

Pass the newsletter along! If you've received a copy from a friend, and would like to get one each week during the market season, send an email to: svgmarket@gmail.com

Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market
May 28th, 2010
2pm - 6pm
Ard's Farm Market
4803 Old Turnpike Rd, Lewisburg
(Between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg, on PA 45)
Visit our website at http://growersmarket.blogspot.com/

* * * * *

Products This Week
Following is just a partial list of what you can expect to find at the market this week:

• Fresh herbs
  
• Strawberries
  
• Farm-fresh eggs
  
• Asparagus
  
• Hothouse tomatoes
  
• Radishes
  
• Salad greens
  
• Freshly baked artisan breads
  
• Sweets and baked goods
  
• Whole wheat pancake mix
  
• Dried herbs, blends, and teas
  
• Pasture-raised poultry
  
• Grass-fed beef
  
• Pasture-raised veal
  
• Farm-fresh pork
  
• Freshly cut flowers
  
• Raw milk cheeses
  
• Fresh goat cheeses
  
• Salsas, barbecue sauces, and hot sauces

* * * * *

Seasonal Recipe
Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad
Serves 4 as an appetizer, or 2 as a light meal

Strawberries are somewhat unusual among fruits, in that they taste best when either raw or thoroughly cooked, but aren't always great in between the two. Here's a simple way to enjoy them fresh, without having to wait until dessert. The more variety you have in your salad greens mix, the better this salad will be.

Ingredients:

• 1 large bag mixed salad greens
  
• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese
  
• 1 pint fresh strawberries
  
• 1 fresh, crusty baguette
  
• Olive oil
  
• Salt and black pepper

Directions:

1. Hull the strawberries, and cut into small bite-size pieces. Small berries might not need trimming. Slice the baguette into thin, angled slices, and toast gently.
   
   
2. Arrange the greens, torn into bite-size pieces, in individual bowls. Arrange the strawberries over the top, and crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese over each. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with the baguette toasts.

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On The Website
Feeling adventurous? Try turning some fresh goat cheese into something special with a Goat Cheese Souffle with Strawberry Sauce. Both sweet and savory, it's the sort of treat you can enjoy now, when berries are fresh, or long past strawberry season if you set a few aside in the freezer.

Bonus Recipe, May 28th: Goat Cheese Souffle with Strawberry Sauce

Seasonal Recipe
Goat Cheese Souffle with Strawberry Sauce
Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison (Broadway, 1997)
Serves 4

Souffles are simple dishes, built from a thick sauce and beaten egg whites. In the oven, they puff up tremendously, then immediately start falling, so when a recipe says to serve immediately, it means it! Here, goat cheese serves to provide a great deal of flavor - after all, the air that makes the souffle rise doesn't taste like anything - but you could always substitute another cheese of your choice.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups strawberries
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  
• 1-¼ cups milk, cream, or a combination
  
• 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
  
• 3 tbsp. flour
  
• 4 egg yolks
  
• 6 egg whites
  
• 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
  
• 3 tbsp. butter, plus more for the dish
  
• Cream of tartar
  
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Make the strawberry sauce. Hull the berries and chop into pieces. Cook them in a saucepan over medium heat with the sugar, balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt, stirring occasionally. After about 10 minutes, when the berries are breaking down, you have the option of pureeing and straining the sauce to smooth it and remove seeds, or you can simply leave it coarse. Set aside and rewarm gently just as the souffle finishes cooking.
   
   
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 6-cup souffle dish or an 8-cup gratin dish; since the latter is larger, that's your best choice if you love crust.
   
   
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan. As the foam subsides, stir in the flour and cook over low heat for a few minutes. Whisk in the milk and stir until it thickens. Add ¾ tsp. salt and some fresh pepper, then remove from the heat. Let cool for 5 minutes. One at a time, beat in the egg yolks thoroughly, then the crumbled goat cheese.
   
   
4. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar and a pinch of salt, until you get firm peaks. Fold a quarter of the whites into the cheese base first, then gently fold in the rest. Add to the prepared dish and place in the oven. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until golden on top and slightly wobbly at the center.
   
   
5. Serve immediately, with strawberry sauce at the table to drizzle over each serving. Alternately, you can bake the souffle in individual ramekins. Open up the centers with a pair of forks and pour a little strawberry sauce inside for a tasty surprise.

News from the SVGM - May 21st

Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market
May 21st, 2010

In this week's email:

• News From The Market
  
• Products This Week
  
• Seasonal Recipe
  
• On The Website

* * * * *

News From The Market
Now that the weather's warming, it's the perfect time for getting to work outdoors, and the SVGM has plenty of hearty, healthy plants to decorate the house and fill the garden. From hanging baskets of flowers to ready-to-plant vegetables and herbs from lettuce to tomatoes, there are a range of choices in colors and flavors. You can also look forward to lots of good food and more, too, including some new things: handmade sticky buns from Gemelli Bakers; fry pies, raisin bread, and old-fashioned doughnuts from Anna Peachy's Bakery; early strawberries from Bowes Farm; and lupines, valerian, flowering catmint, and peonies to add to bouquets from Clara's Meadow.

With plenty of mint to bring to market, White Frost Farm has offered us a fine Mojito cocktail recipe this week, for a bright, refreshing cocktail to complement the warming weather. It's a perfect match for sandwiches made from Cuban-style Mojo Pork, on fresh market bread. Or, perhaps, as a cool relief after an afternoon's work in the garden.

Wild For Salmon has officially "gone fishing" for the season; look for them to return with this summer's catch once the Alaskan wild salmon season is over!

Woody Wolfe of Heart to Hand Ministries, is back again this week, with his guitar and good spirits. Come listen while you shop!

Pass the newsletter along! If you've received a copy from a friend, and would like to get one each week during the market season, send an email to: svgmarket@gmail.com

Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market
May 21st, 2010
2pm - 6pm
Ard's Farm Market
4803 Old Turnpike Rd, Lewisburg
(Between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg, on PA 45)
Visit our website at http://growersmarket.blogspot.com/

* * * * *

Products This Week
Following is just a partial list of what you can expect to find at the market this week:

• Fresh herbs (including mint for mojitos)
  
• Strawberries
  
• Farm-fresh eggs
  
• Asparagus
  
• Hothouse tomatoes
  
• Radishes
  
• Salad greens
  
• Freshly baked artisan breads
  
• Sweets and baked goods
  
• Whole wheat pancake mix
  
• Dried herbs, blends, and teas
  
• Pasture-raised poultry
  
• Grass-fed beef
  
• Pasture-raised veal
  
• Farm-fresh pork
  
• Freshly cut flowers
  
• Raw milk cheeses
  
• Fresh goat cheeses
  
• Salsas, barbecue sauces, and hot sauces

* * * * *

Seasonal Recipe
Mojito cocktail
Makes one cocktail

With mint, lime, and rum, lightly sweetened and carbonated, the mojito is a a fine cocktail for enjoying an evening sunset. This recipe comes to us from White Frost Farm, along with a few tips: "If you have no muddle you can use the back of a wooden spoon to muddle against the side of the glass." And for cracking ice, "putting ice in a dish towel, suspending it in the air like a pinata, and whacking with a sturdy wooden spoon handle, works well." You can even use the same wooden spoon.

Ingredients:

• 12 - 15 White Frost Farm mint leaves
  
• 1 tsp. natural turbinado sugar (or more to taste)
  
• Wedge of juicy lime
  
• 2 ounces white rum
  
• Club soda

Directions:

1. Muddle the mint leaves, sugar and lime wedge in the bottom of your glass until the mint leaves are gently bruised. Add the rum, and let the mixture sit while you crack the ice. Add cracked ice to fill the glass, then top with soda water. Stir gently and enjoy!

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On The Website
If you're thinking of taking home a bit of pork to cook up this weekend, you might consider trying this week's Mojo Pork recipe. It's excellent for making pulled pork with Cuban flavors, though you can also use the marinade to season up a pork loin, a roast chicken, or even as the base for flavoring up some spring vegetables!

Bonus Recipe, May 21st: Mojo Pork

Seasonal Recipe
Mojo Pork

Pork shoulder is both rich and richly flavored, and takes well to strong flavors, especially if you can give the marinade plenty of time to do its work. This recipe uses shoulder to make pulled pork, which can be used for a variety of dishes, including with mustard, pickles, swiss cheese, and ham for the classic Cuban sandwich. The marinade is also delicious with chicken or other cuts of pork, and can be readily adapted to become a bright, garlicky sauce for anything you can imagine.

Ingredients:

• One 4 lb. pork shoulder roast, bone-in
  
• 12 cloves garlic
  
• 1 tsp. black pepper
  
• 1 tbsp. fresh oregano leaves, or 1 tsp. dried
  
• ¾ cup orange juice
  
• 5 tbsp. lime juice
  
• 5 tbsp. lemon juice
  
• Salt

Directions:

1. In a food processor, combine the garlic, black pepper, and oregano. Add enough of the citrus juices to process into a smooth paste, then stir in the remaining juice.
   
   
2. Season the roast well with salt, then rub the marinade all over. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least for an hour or two. If you can, fit the pork inside a large zip-top bag with the marinade, and squeeze out any air.
   
   
3. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the pork in a roasting pan, and cover with foil. Bake for 4 hours. Remove the foil and continue to roast, basting from time to time, until the meat is fork-tender. (This may take 2 hours or so.)
   
   
4. Remove the pork from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes. Using your fingers or a pair of forks, pull the meat away in strips, leaving behind the bone and any excess fat.

News from the SVGM - May 14th

Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market
May 14th, 2010

In this week's email:

• News From The Market
  
• Products This Week
  
• Seasonal Recipe
  
• On The Website

* * * * *

News From The Market
The sixth year of the Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market starts this Friday! For those who haven't heard the news, the market has changed locations for 2010's market season. You can now find us, every Friday afternoon, in the parking lot at Ard's Farm Market, between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg along PA Rt. 45. From 2pm until 6pm, you can expect to find plenty of vegetables, fresh meats, cheeses, breads and other baked goods, all grown and made by local farms and artisans.

May is asparagus season, and so we have a pair of quick and easy asparagus recipes to enjoy this sweet spring treat. Use the tender tips for Asparagus Guacamole, then keep the trimmings for an easy Cream of Asparagus Soup.

We have music this week, too: George Gould and Friends will be coming by, with a range of fun end eclectic tunes to entertain us throughout the afternoon. Stop in and listen!

Pass the newsletter along! If you've received a copy from a friend, and would like to get one each week during the market season, send an email to: svgmarket@gmail.com

Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market
May 14th, 2010
2pm - 6pm
Ard's Farm Market
4803 Old Turnpike Rd, Lewisburg
(Between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg, on PA 45)
Visit our website at http://growersmarket.blogspot.com/

* * * * *

Products This Week
Following is just a partial list of what you can expect to find at the market this week:

• Farm-fresh eggs
  
• Asparagus
  
• Hothouse tomatoes
  
• Radishes
  
• Salad greens
  
• Freshly baked artisan breads
  
• Sweets and baked goods
  
• Dried herbs, blends, and teas
  
• Pasture-raised poultry
  
• Grass-fed beef
  
• Pasture-raised veal
  
• Farm-fresh pork
  
• Freshly cut flowers
  
• Raw milk cheeses
  
• Fresh goat cheeses
  
• Salsas, barbecue sauces, and hot sauces

* * * * *

Seasonal Recipe
Asparagus Guacamole
Adapted from From Asparagus to Zucchini by The Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition (Jones Books, 2004)
Makes 2 cups

Guacamole, of course, is a great way to enjoy avocados, but they have an awfully difficult time growing here in central Pennsylvania. Here's a version that makes use of sweet, local asparagus for a green dip that's perfect with tortilla chips, in tacos, or even as a sandwich spread. Better still, it won't turn brown as it sits!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked asparagus, chopped
  
• 2 tbsp. yogurt or sour cream
  
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
  
• 2 tbsp. green onions, finely chopped
  
• 2 tbsp. tomato salsa or diced tomato
  
• 1 tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped
  
• 1 tsp. garlic, finely chopped
  
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
  
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Place the asparagus, yogurt, and lime juice in a food processor. Process to a smooth puree. Stir in the remaining ingredients, and adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until needed.

* * * * *

On The Website
If you have tough asparagus ends, don't just throw them out into the compost. They may be too much for a tender side vegetable, but still have plenty of flavor that you can use to make a delicious Cream of Asparagus Soup. See our website for the recipe.

Bonus Recipe, May 14th: Cream of Asparagus Soup

Seasonal Recipe
Cream of Asparagus Soup
Adapted from Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book by Jane Grigson (University of Nebraska Press, 2007)

Asparagus ends have a habit of being just a bit too tough and stringy to be worth eating on their own, but that doesn't mean they're only good for next year's compost. Still full of fresh asparagus flavor, they can be used to make an excellent soup. If you don't have enough this week, keep them sealed in a bag in the freezer until you've accumulated enough. (Or even keep them aside to enjoy once asparagus season is over once more.)

Ingredients:

• Asparagus trimmings from 1 large bundle, cut into ¾-inch lengths
  
• 1 medium onion, diced
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced
  
• 4 tbsp. butter
  
• 1 tbsp. flour
  
• 1-½ cups asparagus cooking liquid, stock, or water
  
• ½ cup white wine
  
• 6 tbsp. cream
  
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Soften the onion and garlic in butter, until translucent but not beginning to color. Add the flour and cook for a moment before adding the asparagus, wine, and liquid. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the asparagus is tender, but not overcooked.
   
   
2. Puree the soup in a blender, and pass through a strainer to remove any stringy bit of asparagus. Warm over low heat, adding the cream along with salt, pepper, and any additional liquid necessary. Serve warm, with plenty of good, crusty bread to wipe the bowl clean.