Farmers Market - Early Summer's Bounty

Hi everyone! Have you been visiting your local farmers market or green market this summer? My market is small but fun, and each week the produce  becomes more plentiful and inspiring.

This week we had the first of the summer squash. These deep yellow squashes are so delicious, what a treat. I simply slice them and steam therm in a Ziploc Steamer bag, with a smidge of butter and black pepper. They come out hot and perfectly cooked. 3 minutes.

Drain well and sprinkle chipped asiago  or parm on the top.

These are the little baseball squashes, also deep yellow or pale green. This weekend I am going to make a spicy rice / ground beef casserole, save half to make stuffed squash with these cuties.

Beautiful colors!

golf ball carrots, adorable!
For pot roast!

I love to see how the vendors show their wares, often very creative. Though truly the veggies from the guy who tosses the crops on a painted plywood table---his things are just as tasty.

chic galvanized buckets with chalkboard labels.

rustic market baskets

Herbs.

Strawberries.

Mo's weekly treats.

Spices. Gonna make pickles soon, when the cukes come in.

Cookies---"Cowboy Choc chip"---light and crispy, buttery, with cherries added. No clue what makes them ''cowboy''.

I am also still treating myself and my friends to a tasting from the Big Cheese each week, for weekend wine & cheese on my deck.

            Sheep.                                 Goat.

This week I chose a very ripe, runny, odiferous! sheep's milk Camembert. [good]; and a truffled goat cheese Camembert. This cheese is a little floury or dusty in texture, maybe is not ripe? And I for one cannot taste the truffles. [interesting. will wait to eat the rest of it, see if it ripens into a fuller flavor?]

It's also fun to meet the vendors. These beautiful radishes were from a pair of young women who sold only the rads and cut herbs. This was their first ''real'' crop, as in not an herb.

They were so proud of their radish crop! I bought a bunch of assorted white--crispy and HOT! / peppery; and also a bunch of assorted reds, milder but flavorful.

Farmers market sopping is, to me, a treat, like maybe going out for drinks or to a movie?---because it is a very expensive activity! Ten bucks for radishes? Five for four cookies!

If I view the market as entertainment my wallet doesn't shriek as loudly or painfully.
So--stop at the ATM tomorrow and find a  fun market. Try something new?

love

lizzy

gone to the beach