News from the SVGM - July 29th

Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market
July 29th, 2011

In this week's email:

• News From The Market
  
• Seasonal Recipe
  
• On The Website

* * * * *

News From The Market
Summer sure has arrived, and the Growers' Market will be out in it this Friday, rain or shine, heat or... well, it'll still be hot at the end of July. That's probably not going to change, although at least it won't be as toasty as last weekend. It's the peak of summer, and time for all the usual suspects, the tomatoes, zucchini, sweet corn, red beets, fragrant basil, and more. And, of course, fresh meats and cheeses, sweet local honey - try the delicate spring honey, if you haven't yet - freshly baked breads and sweets, and more.

Not sure what to do with sweet summer corn? Probably not, but if you've ever had eyes bigger than your stomach, and worried you won't eat it all before the sweetness fades, you might wish for a better way to keep it. If so, try preserving that summery flavor with a Pickled Corn Pepper Relish. Those with a home-canning setup can set relish aside for the cold months of winter, but it's also fine to make it for the immediate future, and just keep it in the fridge. If you've got the same problem with fresh bread, with too much to enjoy before it starts to stale, you still have options. There's french toast, of course, or a more dessert-appropriate Honey-Raisin Bread Pudding.

We've got live music from A.J. Bashore again this week! He'll be by to perform some fine traditional Appalachian music, making a joyful noise!

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
July 29th, 2011
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/
Check us out on Facebook

* * * * *

Seasonal Recipe
Honey-Raisin Bread Pudding
Adapted from Chicken for Dinner by Heidi Haughy Cusick (Oxmoor House, 1998)
Serves 4-6

Bread pudding is such a simple dessert, a way to use old bread that's beginning to turn stale. Any bread that would match with sweetness would work here, from brioche to cranberry-walnut to a plain ciabatta. (Kalamata olive might not be the ideal choice.) Serve this as dessert, with whipped cream, or as a part of a large brunch.

Raisins may be the year-round reliable addition, although any dried fruit works as well. When in season and available, however, fresh fruits, from blueberries and raspberries to peaches and apples.


Ingredients:

• ½ cup raisins
  
• ¼ cup rum or brandy
  
• 4 cups day-old bread cubes
  
• ½ cup honey
  
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
  
• 3 eggs
  
• 1-½ cups milk
  
• ½ tbsp. vanilla extract
  
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
  
• 2 medium peaches, stones removed, diced

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the raisins and rum. Allow to soak for half an hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish or 4 to 6 ramekins, depending on size.
   
   
2. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet, and bake until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. While the bread is toasting, combine the honey, butter, eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the cooled bread, raisins, rum, and peaches. Give the bread a few minutes and an occasional stir to soak up the liquid, and spread into your baking dish or ramekins.
   
   
3. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Ramekins should be done in about 30-35 minutes; a large dish may take 50-60 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

* * * * *

On The Website
Everything's at the market these days for bright summer salsas, made with ripe tomatoes, peppers, onions, and fresh herbs. Don't overlook the opportunities for sweet-spicy relishes, too, to enjoy with fried chicken, grilled pork chops, or just to top a couple of hot dogs. We've got one for Pickled Corn Pepper Relish, a bright, tangy, and - if you like - spicy condiment that's a fine taste of summer.

Bonus Recipe, July 29th: Pickled Corn Pepper Relish

Seasonal Recipe
Pickled Corn Pepper Relish
Adapted from Seasons of Central Pennsylvania by Anne Quinn Corr (Pennsylvania State University Press, 2000)
Makes about 9 pints

Summer is the season for sweet vegetables, but sometimes there's just too much to eat all at once, when it's all still perfect and fresh. If that's the case, try pickling and preserving, making it last until sometime later, when the summer bounty isn't so bountiful, when the weather isn't so summery.

If you don't have a canner at home, you can still make this recipe. Store the relish in the refrigerator, where it will keep well for a while. Storing your relish in the refrigerator also permits you to make more adjustments to the recipe, to make it more to your taste. While it's always advisable to follow canning recipes closely, to avoid any possibility of food poisoning, when not canning, like in cooking, your options are more open.

That said, feel free to play with quantities of herbs and spices to your heart's content. In such small quantities, modifications won't affect the safety of the final relish.

Ingredients:

• Ears of corn, enough for10 cups fresh corn kernels (16 to 20 ears)
  
• 2-½ cups bell peppers, diced
  
• 2-½ cups wax or other hot peppers, diced
  
• 2-½ cups celery, diced
  
• 1-¼ cups onion, diced
  
• 1 tbsp. garlic, finely chopped
  
• 1-¾ cups sugar
  
• 5 cups cider vinegar (5% acidity)
  
• 2-½ tsp. canning/pickling salt
  
• 1-½ tsp. celery seeds
  
• 2-½ tbsp. dry mustard
  
• 1-¼ tsp. turmeric

Directions:

1. Husk and boil the ears of corn until just tender, about 3 minutes. Chill in ice water, and trim from the ears.
   
   
2. In a large pot, combine the peppers, celery, onion, sugar, vinegar, salt, and celery seed. Bring to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring to ensure the salt and sugar dissolve. Ladle out a small portion, and mix in the mustard and turmeric, stirring well to prevent lumps. Return to the pot, along with the corn kernels. Simmer 5 minutes.
   
   
3. Fill hot, sterilized pint canning jars with the hot mixture, leaving ½-inch headspace. Adjust lids and rings, and process in a boiling water canner for 16 minutes. Allow to cool completely, preferably overnight, before removing rings. Store any unsealed or partially filled jars in the refrigerator.

News from the SVGM - July 22nd

Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market
July 22nd, 2011

In this week's email:

• News From The Market
  
• Seasonal Recipe
  
• On The Website

* * * * *

News From The Market
Summer's vegetable bounty is under way at the Growers' Market this Friday! Tomatoes, hot peppers, zucchini, green beans, and sweet corn will be there, along with plenty of others that adore this fierce summer heat more than we do. We're also well into potato season, garlic season, and fresh onion season, when the sweet bulbs have had plenty of time to plump up. Some are spicy, and ideal for a fresh summer salsa; others are sweet, and perfect for raw slices on a juicy hamburger.

Get 'em while they're here! Squash blossoms are a summer delicacy, plucked from the flowering plants in the early morning, best cooked up that day. Stuffed with a little bit of fresh, herb-flavored goat cheese, they're a fantastic fried treat. Try some Squash Blossoms with Goat Cheese as a summery appetizer - the sort you can't help but eat bite by bite, as they're sizzling hot, crispy outside, and ooey and gooey inside. Or if you're one to load up on fresh sweet corn, Sweet Corn Risotto, a creamed-corn-like side dish that gets its delicious, creamy texture from the juice of the corn itself.

Woody Wolfe will be at the market this week! He'll have his guitar, his good spirits, and an enthusiasm for requests. Ask for a tune while you do your shopping!

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
July 22nd, 2011
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/
Check us out on Facebook

* * * * *

Seasonal Recipe
Squash Blossoms with Goat Cheese
Adapted from How To Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman (Wiley, 2007)
Serves 4

Squash blossoms are a delicate summer treat, one that must be picked in the early morning before they open up and begin to fade. They only need minimal cooking, but serve as a fine vessel for a bit of fresh goat cheese, with a thin coating of deep-fried batter for crunch. You can, of course, use any coating that you like for frying these, from one as simple as a dredge in seasoned flour to a light, puffed-out tempura batter.

Ingredients:

• 16 squash blossoms
  
• 2/3 cup fresh goat cheese
  
• 2 cups flour
  
• 1 tsp. baking powder
  
• 1 tsp. salt
  
• 1 egg
  
• ¾ cup beer or seltzer
  
• Neutral oil, such as corn, for frying

Directions:

1. In a deep pan over medium-high heat, add 2 inches of oil for frying. Heat to 350°F.
   
   
2. Combine 1 cup flour with the baking powder, salt, egg, and beer. It should be about as thick as pancake batter. Reserve the additional cup of flour for dredging. Carefully fill each squash blossom with about 2 teaspoons of goat cheese - a piping bag makes this easier - and gently twist the petals to seal shut. Dredge each in the flour, then in the batter.
   
   
3. Add the blossoms directly from the batter to the hot oil; a bit of batter on the fingers helps protect from any splashes of hot oil. Fry in batches to avoid crowding, turning once. They're done as soon as the crust is golden brown. Drain on paper towels, and eat immediately.

* * * * *

On The Website
Fresh sweet corn is now at the market, and should be around - weather permitting - until the fall frosts put an end to the season. Enjoy it boiled, steamed, grilled, or stock up and trim a few ears for a Sweet Corn Risotto. The starchy sweetness of fresh corn, when cooked up thickens into a risotto-like dish that's seasoned with fresh onions, hot peppers, and the bright flavors of fresh herbs.

Bonus Recipe, July 22nd: Sweet Corn Risotto

Seasonal Recipe
Sweet Corn Risotto
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma: Risotto by Kristine Kidd (Time-Life, 1998)
Serves 6

Risotto implies rice, and this recipe has none - but it does achieve the same creaminess and texture. The sweet starchiness of freshly picked corn adds thickness and body, with a bit of onion, pepper, and paprika to bring round out the flavor. While sweet corn is always best shortly after picking, this is one recipe that's still good with corn that's been in the refrigerator, forgotten for a few days. If you find your corn is leaning starchy, rather than sweet, simply add a pinch of two of sugar and a little extra lemon juice to brighten up the dish.

Ingredients:

• 18 ears fresh sweet corn, husked, silks removed
  
• 6 tablespoons butter
  
• 1 large onion, diced
  
• 2 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock, or water
  
• 6 jalapeno or 2 hungarian wax peppers, seeded and diced
  
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
  
• Juice of a lemon, or to taste
  
• Fresh basil, to garnish

Directions:

1. Trim the kernels from 6 ears of corn, and, with the back of a heavy knife, scrape along the cobs to extract all of the juice. Grate the remaining ears on the coarse side of a box grater, collecting the shredded corn in a bowl with the cut kernels. Add the smoked paprika, and stir to combine.
   
   
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Cook the onion and diced pepper until the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat slightly and add the corn and stock, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender and the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, and taste for seasoning. Garnish with the basil, and serve immediately.

News from the SVGM - July 15th

Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market
July 15th, 2011

In this week's email:

• News From The Market
  
• Seasonal Recipe
  
• On The Website

* * * * *

News From The Market
The sun is out, once more, and this Friday you can expect to see just about everyone back at the Growers' Market! After a rainy Friday last week, with a few of our vendors unable to attend, we're back to full strength this week. White Frost Farm and Dreisbach Greenhouses are back from their time off, with fresh vegetables and other treats; Bella's Gardens is hoping to arrive with fresh peaches and plums; and Cow-A-Hen Farm will be bringing plenty of freshly cut pork.

In addition to that, expect to find Bill Vint with lots of gorgeous, sweet, and large blueberries; Gemelli Bakery with fresh breads; cheeses from Stone Meadow and Broadway Acres; a fine selection of fresh vegetables, including green beans, zucchini, and new potatoes, from Green Meadow Farm; local honey from Dawg Gone Bees; flower bouquets and handmade truffles from Fleur et Chocolat; and fresh chickens and pork from Beaver Run Farms.

With freshly dug potatoes at the market, you might consider serving them with a roast pork loin, like in this recipe for Roast Pork with Herbs and Potatoes. The sweet, tender flavor of early potatoes is wonderful this time of year, though this is the sort of recipe that'll be welcome any time of year. Try serving the pork with some fresh green beans (or wax beans, or purple beans, depending on your color preference) dressed with creamy homemade mayonnaise and fresh garlic, as in Green Beans with Garlic Mayonnaise. The mayonnaise is rich and tangy, and goes well with the less pungent flavor of freshly dug garlic.

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
July 15th, 2011
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/
Check us out on Facebook

* * * * *

Seasonal Recipe
Roast Pork with Herbs and Potatoes
Adapted from How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman (Wiley, 1997)
Serves 6 or more

The best cut of pork for oven roasting might be the loin, which is a good combination of tender and flavorful, although you can use anything that you like. A tenderloin will cook more quickly, and so requires more vigilance to avoid drying out the lean meat. Shoulders and butts, while much more forgiving, tend to leave a fair bit of fat in the pan, and so should be roasted in a separate pan from any potatoes or other vegetables. (In this case, consider buttered, boiled new potatoes to accompany a shoulder roast.) Regardless of the cut, you can use bone-in or boneless, as you prefer. The latter is easier to carve, but the former tends to remain juicier after cooking.

Ingredients:

• One 2-3 lb. boneless pork loin roast (or 3-4 lb. bone-in)
  
• 2 lb. potatoes, cut into 1-½ inch chunks, smaller ones left whole
  
• 3 tbsp. fresh garlic, finely chopped
  
• 2 tbsp. fresh herbs, such as sage, rosemary, or parsley, minced
  
• 2 tbsp. olive oil, or as needed
  
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Mix together the garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. Combine about ½ tbsp. of the garlic mixture with the olive oil, and toss with the potatoes to coat. Place the potatoes in a roasting pan, and slide in the oven while preparing the pork.
   
   
2. Use a thin knife to pierce the pork all over, rubbing the garlic mixture into the slits, and over the roast. Nestle the pork among the potatoes in the roasting pan, and drizzle a bit more olive oil over the top. Roast for 30 minutes, then stir the potatoes - scraping up any that stick - and baste the meat with any juices. Reduce the oven's heat to 325°F, and continue cooking until the pork is done, another 45 minutes, checking and stirring the potatoes every 15 minutes or so. Remember that the pork's temperature will rise another 10°F or so while resting, so you may wish to pull it before it's 100% done.
   
   
3. Check the potatoes when the pork comes out of the oven. If they could use a little more cooking, either for tenderness or extra browning, place them under the broiler as necessary; if they're perfect, turn off the oven and let them keep warm inside while the pork rests for 10 to 15 minutes. Carve the meat, and serve immediately with the potatoes.

* * * * *

On The Website
Green beans are delicious when simply prepared, be it blanched, steamed, or stir-fried. A half-step more complicated is to dress them with a simple sauce, as in Green Beans with Garlic Mayonnaise. There's nothing better than a sauce that comes together in the time it takes to the green beans to boil, and this combination of mayonnaise, fresh garlic, herbs and lemon juice really can take less than a minute. Depending on your garlic-chopping skills, of course.

You can also check the website for a recipe for homemade mayo, made with oil and fresh eggs. It's rich and flavorful, and well worth the effort if you've got a little extra time.

Bonus Recipe, July 15th: Green Beans with Garlic Mayonnaise

Seasonal Recipe
Green Beans with Garlic Mayonnaise
Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison (Broadway, 1997)
Serves 4 - 6

Fresh green beans - or yellow wax beans, purple beans, or multicolored heirloom snap beans - are excellent when fresh and simply prepared. The addition of a simple sauce, like a garlicky mayonnaise, and some fresh herbs, elevates them to something special. For the best version of this you can have, try making your own Homemade Mayonnaise, a sauce that's better than any store-bought version available. This recipe uses fresh garlic, which is available at the market now, but is just as delicious in a few weeks when this year's garlic reaches its familiar, dry, cured state.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. green, yellow, or purple beans
  
• ½ cup mayonnaise
  
• Juice of 1 lemon
  
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
  
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. To prepare the garlic mayonnaise, chop the garlic coarsely and grind to a smooth paste in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt. If you don't have a mortar, chop finely with the salt on a cutting board. Mix with the mayonnaise in a small bowl. Add lemon juice to taste; storebought mayo may need more than homemade.
   
   
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Trim the beans and boil, uncovered, until they are bright green and still have a bit of resistance to the bite, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the beans.
   
   
3. While still warm, toss the beans with the mayonnaise; the heat of the beans will thin it to a saucelike consistency. Add the parsley, toss again, and check the seasoning. Serve immediately.

News from the SVGM - July 8th

Susquehanna Valley Growers' Market
July 8th, 2011

In this week's email:

• News From The Market
  
• Seasonal Recipe
  
• On The Website

* * * * *

News From The Market
Another summer Friday for the Growers' Market is here! The hot weather is bringing out the vegetables, and Green Meadow Farm will be at market this week with plenty to get excited about. White Frost and Dreisbach Greenhouses are both away this week, but will be back on the 15th with some more fine, ripe, delicious food. Look for fresh beets, sweet carrots, tasty greens, and mild but lovely summer squash.

Zucchini are here for the season, and there's more to do with them than grilling and zucchini bread. Add some onions, a bit of local honey, and balance everything with a bit of heat for some Sweet and Spicy Squash. Or let a bit of low heat start to caramelize and intensify the sweet squash flavor with Slow-Cooked Zucchini with Feta, which is simple, easy, and hard not to love.

Woody Wolfe will be at the market this week! He'll have his guitar, his good spirits, and an enthusiasm for requests. Ask for a tune while you do your shopping!

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
July 8th, 2011
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/
Check us out on Facebook

* * * * *

Seasonal Recipe
Sweet and Spicy Squash
Adapted from From Asparagus to Zucchini by The Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition (Jones Books, 2004)
Serves 4 - 6

Summer squash and zucchini are here, and these prolific vegetables ought to stick around until frost. Though they come in different shapes, sizes, and colors, they're all essentially interchangeable in recipes. Except for those times when a larger squash is necessary for stuffing, try to select smaller ones. With less water, they tend to hold their shape better, and have a more pronounced - though still mild - squash flavor. This recipe works well with squash of all sizes.

Ingredients:

• 3 - 4 cups summer squash, cut into ¾-inch pieces
  
• ½ cup onion, diced
  
• 1 leek or 3 - 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
  
• 2 Hungarian wax peppers, or other hot pepper, diced
  
• 3 tbsp. honey
  
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
  
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add the oil. Saute the onion and peppers until softened, then add the squash and leeks, stirring occasionally. When the squash is tender, drizzle with honey, and adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat, cover, and rest 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

* * * * *

On The Website
Zucchini's here, with its familiar dark green skin and straight shape, but you never know what other sorts of squash will find their way to market as the weeks pass. Summer squash arrive in a range of greens and golds, sometimes striped, sometimes pale white. They can be long and straight, crooknecked, or fat and saucer-shaped like the patty pan varieties. Regardless of that, they'll all cook up about the same, so use what you have in your favorite recipes. One more to try is a Slow-Cooked Zucchini with Feta, which turns coins of fresh squash into a flavorful, lightly caramelized dish with minimal effort.

Bonus Recipe, July 8th: Slow-Cooked Zucchini with Feta

Seasonal Recipe
Slow-Cooked Zucchini with Feta
Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison (Broadway, 1997)
Serves 4 - 6

Any summer squash works in this recipe, but it's best with long, straight squash like zucchini, if you have them. Try to find some that are a bit on the small side, if possible, as their firmer flesh holds its shape better through the cooking and the final toss with herbs and cheese.

Ingredients:

• 1-½ lb. zucchini, thinly sliced into coins
  
• 3 tbsp. olive oil or butter
  
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
  
• ¼ cup fresh herbs, chopped - basil, dill, cilantro, parsley, etc.
  
• ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
  
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat a wide skillet over low heat, and add the oil or butter. Add the zucchini and garlic, seasoning lightly with salt. Cook for 20 - 30 minutes, stirring every so often, until the squash is turning golden, caramelized a bit in some places. Remove from the heat, and toss with the herbs and feta cheese. Serve immediately.