News from the SVGM - August 27th

Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market
August 27th, 2010

In this week's email:

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

* * * * *

News From The Market
August is slipping away from us, but you can still find plenty to enjoy at the Growers' Market as the summer's heat starts to fade. Fresh edamame (soybeans in the pod) are here to enjoy, simply boiled, salted, and with a cold beer; sweet grapes have joined the peaches and nectarines; and the new taleggio cheese from Stone Meadow Farm is well worth seeking out for cheese lovers. And this will also be the first week for White Frost Farm's very own garlic jelly!

Combining a strong aroma and a mild, creamy flavor, the taleggio cheese is something fans of camembert and brie will undoubtedly enjoy. Try it on some Bruschetta with Taleggio and Tomato, using some of the colorful and flavorful heirloom varieties from our vendors. It's a best-on-the-grill sort of recipe, so you might want to consider a few Grilled Peaches while the coals are hot, too.

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
August 27th, 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:

• Wild-caught Alaskan salmon
  
• Edamame
  
• Melons
  
• Concord grapes
  
• Nectarines
  
• Peaches
  
• Eggplant
  
• Cucumbers
  
• Green beans
  
• Ripe tomatoes
  
• Zucchini and summer squash
  
• Wheat berries
  
• Whole wheat flour
  
• Potatoes
  
• Swiss chard
  
• Onions
  
• Garlic
  
• Farm-fresh eggs
  
• Freshly baked artisan breads
  
• Sweets and handmade chocolates
  
• Pasture-raised poultry
  
• Grass-fed beef
  
• Pasture-raised veal
  
• Farm-fresh pork
  
• Raw milk cheeses
  
• Freshly cut flowers

* * * * *

Seasonal Recipe
Bruschetta with Taleggio and Tomato
Adapted from How To Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman (Wiley, 2007)
Serves 4

The best-tasting bruschetta starts with good, crusty bread browned over a grill, although a broiler, or even a toaster, if you're really strapped, will do. Any artisan-style bread you like will do, as long as the holes in the crumb aren't so large that food will fall through.

Ingredients:

• 8 thick (up to an inch) slices crusty bread, such as a baguette
  
• 2 cloves garlic
  
• Olive oil, as needed
  
• 4 oz. taleggio cheese
  
• 2 medium tomatoes
  
• Salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Core the tomatoes, and slice into rounds. Arrange on a rack and sprinkle with salt, allowing any excess liquid to drip away. Meanwhile, preheat a charcoal or gas grill to moderately hot.
   
   
2. Lay the slices of bread on the grill grate, checking frequently until the first side is lightly browned. A few charred spots or grill marks are a good, flavorful thing. When the first side is ready, remove briefly to a plate. Rub the toasted side with the garlic cloves, drizzle with olive oil, and top each with cheese as thin as you can slice it. Return to the grill to toast the other side and melt the cheese a bit.
   
   
3. Top the finished bruschetta with the tomato slices, and serve immediately. They're best while still warm, before the tomato juices have a chance to soften the bread.

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On The Website
There's hardly anything to them, really, but some sweet, warm Grilled Peaches are a nigh-irresistible summer delight. (They work under the broiler, too, but peach season is outdoor cooking season anyhow.)

Bonus Recipe, August 27th: Grilled Peaches

Seasonal Recipe
Grilled Peaches
Adapted from Jane Grigson's Fruit Book by Jane Grigson (University of Nebraska Press, 2007)

A word to the wise: this recipe comes from a British source, meaning that Ms. Grigson's use of the term "grill" is probably not the same as yours. (It means a broiler.) That said, peaches grilled over hot charcoal can be excellent, though you need to watch them closely.

Ingredients:

• 6 ripe freestone peaches
  
• 4 tbsp. butter
  
• ¼ cup brown sugar
  
• ¼ cup bourbon, rum, or brandy
  
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
  
• Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Directions:

1. Combine the butter, brown sugar, bourbon, and cinnamon in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
   
   
2. Preheat your grill to fairly hot. Halve and stone the peaches. Optionally, you can skewer the peaches like kebabs, running a pair of parallel metal skewers through each half, which will make maneuvering them over the hot grill much easier.
   
   
3. Cook the peaches until they brown nicely, about 3 or 4 minutes per side, while basting them with the bourbon syrup. Serve immediately, drizzling any extra syrup over the top, with vanilla ice cream.

News from the SVGM - August 20th

Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market
August 20th, 2010

In this week's email:

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

* * * * *

News From The Market
Is it almost the end of August, already? Near the end of summer, the start of a new school year? For the Growers' Market, it also means the return of Wild For Salmon! They've returned from this year's fishing season in Alaska's Bristol Bay with plenty of wonderful, wild-caught salmon.

With that in mind, we have a pair of recipes for those excited to take home some delicious fish! Take some freshly-dug potatoes and combine them with salmon - fresh or smoked - to create some Scottish Salmon Fishcakes. Or, to beat the heat, try serving some simple and elegant Cold-Poached Salmon with Cucumber-Mint Sauce.

He dropped by for a surprise visit last week, and he's back again this Friday! Woody Wolfe, of Heart to Hand Ministries, will be at the market 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
August 20th, 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:

• Wild-caught Alaskan salmon
  
• Nectarines
  
• Peaches
  
• Eggplant
  
• Cucumbers
  
• Green beans
  
• Ripe tomatoes
  
• Zucchini and summer squash
  
• Wheat berries
  
• Whole wheat flour
  
• Potatoes
  
• Multicolored beets
  
• Swiss chard
  
• Onions
  
• Garlic
  
• Farm-fresh eggs
  
• Freshly baked artisan breads
  
• Sweets and handmade chocolates
  
• Pasture-raised poultry
  
• Grass-fed beef
  
• Pasture-raised veal
  
• Farm-fresh pork
  
• Raw milk cheeses
  
• Freshly cut flowers

* * * * *

Seasonal Recipe
Scottish Salmon Fishcakes
Adapted from The Scottish Farmers' Market Cookbook by Nick Paul (Angels' Share, 2004)
Makes 4 fishcakes

Half a world away from Alaska's Bristol Bay, Scottish fishermen have been pulling their own wild salmon from the icy waters of the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. This recipe combines cooked salmon with potato to create an easy meal that's excellent with the season's vegetables. You can cook salmon directly for this recipe, use leftovers from another evening's meal, or even use some of Wild For Salmon's excellent hot-smoked salmon for part or all.

Ingredients:

• ½ lb. cold, cooked salmon, flaked
  
• 2 medium leeks or onions, thinly sliced
  
• 2 shallots, finely diced
  
• 14 oz. potatoes, cooked and coarsely mashed
  
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  
• 1 egg
  
• Oil, for frying
  
• Flour, for dredging
  
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Over medium-low heat, cook the leeks, shallots and garlic until softened but not browned, about 8 minutes. In a bowl, combine the salmon and potato with the cooked leeks. Mix together gently, adjusting the seasoning to taste. Divide into four parts, and shape each into a round cake.
   
   
2. Beat the egg in a bowl, and put a good bit of flour in another. One by one, dip each cake into the egg to coat, then in the flour. Shallow-fry in oil over medium heat until well-browned, about 5 minutes per side. Serve immediately.

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On The Website
Salmon's an all-around excellent cooking (and eating) fish, and it's worth considering cold serving options in the dog days of summer. A dish of Cold-Poached Salmon with Cucumber-Mint Sauce, served with fresh bread and some fresh vegetables, is a perfect way to celebrate a season of plentiful food.

Bonus Recipe, August 20th: Cold-Poached Salmon with Cucumber-Mint Sauce

Seasonal Recipe
Cold-Poached Salmon with Cucumber-Mint Sauce
Adapted from How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman (Wiley, 1997)

Salmon can be cooked in many ways; after all, it's one fish that can reliably stand up to the grill, which is more than one can ask of a lot of other seafood. When you plan to serve salmon cold, or at room temperature, though, it's best to take care to ensure a moist, flavorful result. Poaching takes care of this, and can reliably be done ahead of time, enabling you to cook it when you have the time.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole salmon fillet, or salmon fillet portions
  
• 1 medium cucumber
  
• 1 cup yogurt
  
• 2 tsp. minced shallots
  
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
  
• 3 tbsp. fresh mint leaves, minced
  
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Place the salmon, skin side down, in a pan large enough to accommodate it without overlapping. cover with cold, well-salted water. (You can also use stock, wine, or any flavorful liquid you like.) Cover the pan tightly. Bring to a boil, and immediately shut off the heat. Allow the salmon to rest in the hot water until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Check for doneness with a thin-bladed knife, taking care to avoid overcooking. Remove from the water, drain, and chill until needed.
   
   
2. Peel the cucumber and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds, and chop into ½-inch dice. (Or you can grate it.) Combine in a bowl with the yogurt, shallots, olive oil, mint, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until needed, but it's best when used the same day. Serve alongside the poached salmon, with fresh bread and raw vegetables.

News from the SVGM - August 13th

Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market
August 13th, 2010

In this week's email:

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

* * * * *

News From The Market
Whew, is it ever a hot and dry August this year! It might be the sort of weather that sends you running for ice-filled drinks, shade, air conditioning, or a little of all three, but it's not all rough times. This year seems to be especially good for producing especially sweet melons, like those from Dreisbach Greenhouses. They're delicious, and so we have two melon-centric recipes for this week: a simple Melon and Ginger Jam that's lovely with green-fleshed melons like honeydew, and a refreshing Melon and Cucumber Salad that's excellent with any ripe melon.

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
August 13th, 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:

• Melons
  
• Nectarines
  
• Peaches
  
• Plums
  
• Eggplant
  
• Sweet corn
  
• Cucumbers
  
• Green beans
  
• Ripe tomatoes
  
• Zucchini and summer squash
  
• Wheat berries
  
• Whole wheat flour
  
• Potatoes
  
• Multicolored beets
  
• Swiss chard
  
• Onions
  
• Garlic
  
• Fresh herbs
  
• Farm-fresh eggs
  
• Freshly baked artisan breads
  
• Sweets and handmade chocolates
  
• Dried herbs, blends, and teas
  
• Pasture-raised poultry
  
• Grass-fed beef
  
• Pasture-raised veal
  
• Farm-fresh pork
  
• Raw milk cheeses
  
• Freshly cut flowers

* * * * *

Seasonal Recipe
Melon and Ginger Jam
Adapted from Jane Grigson's Fruit Book by Jane Grigson (University of Nebraska Press, 2007)

Melons are known, and rightly so, for the fact that a few ripe wedges in season are just about the best dessert around. Their season is a relatively short one, however, and here's a way to extend your enjoyment a bit. This simple refrigerator jam combines melon and ginger with a bit of lemon for an excellent breakfast spread. Use crystallized ginger for a sweet jam that's perfect for toast and tea; try substituting fresh ginger for a spicier version that can match well with some of the fine soft cheeses from Stone Meadow Farm.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. green-fleshed melon, such as honeydew
  
• 2 lb. sugar, about 4 cups
  
• Zest and juice of 4 lemons
  
• 5 oz. ginger, either crystallized or fresh, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Cut the melon into cubes, and place in a large bowl with the sugar. Cover and rest in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, transfer the juicy, melon-y mixture into a large saucepan. Add the lemon zest, juice, and the ginger. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the melon becomes transparent, about 30 to 45 minutes.
   
   
2. Bring to the boil again, cooking until the jam reaches your preferred setting point. You can test this by chilling a plate, and dropping a bit of the jam on it to cool. When thickened to your taste, remove from the heat. Refrigerated, the jam should keep well for several weeks.

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On The Website
Melons and cucumbers are botanical cousins, and can complement each other well. Use whatever varieties you like, from cantaloupe to honeydew to watermelon, in this summery Melon and Cucumber Salad, which makes a fine alternative to that picnic staple, the fruit salad.

Bonus Recipe, August 13th: Melon and Cucumber Salad

Seasonal Recipe
Melon and Cucumber Salad
Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison (Broadway, 1997)
Serves 4

This salad is a simple appetizer, balancing the fresh flavors of melon and cucumber with the brightness of lime juice and the gentle spiciness of pepper, mint, and arugula.

Ingredients:

• ½ melon - honeydew, cantaloupe, watermelon - peeled and cut into narrow wedges
  
• 3 cucumbers, peeled and cut lengthwise into sixths
  
• 2 cups arugula, watercress, or other greens
  
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Lay down the greens as a bed, and arrange the melon and cucumber pieces on top, alternating to show off their color. Drizzle with the lime juice, and season very lightly with salt, and generously with pepper. Serve immediately as summery finger food.

News from the SVGM - August 6th

Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market
August 6th, 2010

In this week's email:

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

* * * * *

News From The Market
August is here, and the tomatoes are ripe and delicious, the corn is sweet, and there's some fine tree fruit for snacking and baking. Cow-a-Hen Farm and Anna & Ezra Peachy are back from vacation this week, so keep an eye out for them, as well as wheat berries and flour from White Frost Farm and new Chambord truffles from Fleur & Chocolat.

Or combine some fresh plums from Bella's Gardens with a fresh chicken from Beaver Run Farms for some Plum-Barbecued Chicken. For dessert, why not enjoy a Peach Upside-Down Cake, warm and topped with fresh whipped cream?

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
August 6th, 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:

• Peaches
  
• Plums
  
• Eggplant
  
• Sweet corn
  
• Cucumbers
  
• Green beans
  
• Ripe tomatoes
  
• Zucchini and summer squash
  
• Hungarian wax peppers and banana peppers
  
• Wheat berries
  
• Whole wheat flour
  
• Potatoes
  
• Multicolored beets
  
• Swiss chard and beet greens
  
• Onions
  
• Garlic
  
• Fresh herbs
  
• Farm-fresh eggs
  
• 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
  
• Raw milk cheeses
  
• Fresh goat cheeses
  
• Freshly cut flowers

* * * * *

Seasonal Recipe
Plum-Barbecued Chicken
Adapted from Seasons of Central Pennsylvania by Anne Quinn Corr (Pennsylvania State University Press, 2000)
Serves 6 to 8

Plums are sweet and super-juicy, as likely to end up dribbling down as the best peaches. Given that, they can be tough to cook with, unless their natural juiciness can be put to good use. This recipe combines sweet plums with some of the other treats of summer, including some hot chillis, for a sweet-spicy sauce that's excellent for grilled chicken.

This recipe calls for a habanero pepper, which lends both a wallop of heat and a lovely fruitiness to the sauce. If that's too much heat for you, however, you can always substitute another pepper that won't send you running for a cold drink. Just be sure to wear gloves when handling them; getting the fiery capsaicin in your eyes is quite a shock.

Ingredients:

• 2 plums, stones removed and chopped
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
  
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 1 habanero pepper, seeded and chopped
  
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
  
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
  
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
  
• 2 tbsp. molasses
  
• ¼ cup brewed tea
  
• 2 whole chickens, cut into 8 pieces each
  
• Salt and back pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic, and habanero until softened, then add the plums and tomatoes and cook another few minutes, until they begin to break down and release their juices. Add the vinegar, molasses, and tea, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes. Puree in a blender until smooth, and season with salt and pepper.
   
   
2. Set aside 2/3 cup of the sauce. Marinate the chicken pieces in the remaining sauce, and allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour, if possible. Cook over a medium-hot grill - not too hot to avoid burning the sugars in the sauce - until the chicken is fully cooked through. Just before taking off of the grill, brush the chicken pieces with the reserved sauce. Serve immediately.

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On The Website
Peaches make an excellent cobbler, a delicious pie, and are pretty hard to beat just eaten out of hand. But with just a few good ones, a little time, and some rich whipped cream, there's nothing quite like a Peach Upside-Down Cake.

Bonus Recipe, August 6th: Peach Upside-Down Cake

Seasonal Recipe
Peach Upside-Down Cake
Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison (Broadway, 1997)
Serves 6 to 8

Pineapple upside-down cake may be an American classic; it's certainly been a popular dessert since at least the 1920s. But unless you live in Hawaii, they hardly qualify as a local fruit. Instead, why not try a peach version, to make the most of a Pennsylvania summer? Peaches also make a great substitute for mangoes in many recipes, with their tender sweetness and (sometimes) golden flesh.

Ingredients:

• 5 peaches, preferably freestone
  
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
  
• ½ cup plus 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
  
• ¾ cup sugar
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla
  
• ¼ tsp. almond extract
  
• 3 eggs
  
• 2/3 cup almonds, finely ground (a food processor makes this easy)
  
• 1 cup flour
  
• 1 tsp. baking powder
  
• ¼ tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat 3 tbsp. butter in a 10-in. cast-iron skillet with the brown sugar until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat. Peel and halve the peaches, and place, cut side down, on the sugar.
   
   
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and expanded in volume. One at a time, add the eggs, beating until smooth, then the vanilla and almond extracts. Stir in the nuts. Mix together the remaining dry ingredients in a bowl, and add to the butter mixture. Spoon the batter over the fruit and smooth the top.
   
   
3. Bake until the center of the cake is golden and springs back when pressed, about 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes, then place a cake plate or other flat dish over the pan. Holding both tightly, flip the pan and plate over and lift the pan away. If any peaches stick, help them off with a spatula. Serve warm, if you can, with whipped cream or some good vanilla ice cream.