July 2006 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(Please note: Archived material contains some out-of-date information.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.)
Date: Fri, 7 Jul 2006
Subject: [WCM-Friends] Westside Community Market Update - Saturday, July 10th
Hello all,
I would be willing to bet that there will be green beans at the
market tomorrow - I picked just a handful this week and oh my, soooo
good. It is hard to know what to eat first these days, there is just
so much to choose from. You will know my conundrum as you walk
through the market tomorrow.
To highlight just a few things:
New red potatoes: These first early potatoes are so sweet and
creamy. Easy to throw on the grill or roast or steam whole.
Black Earth Valley Farms have their Santa grape tomatoes - perfect on
grilled kabob skewers. I also noticed they had some Brandywines
last week.
Wisconsin Cheesecakery will have all 3 flavors of breakfast
cheesecakes throughout July. They also have no-sugar added
cheesecake, cowboy bars and cranberry oatmeal cookies, along with a
variety of other things.
And oh, the beautiful cutflowers - I saw so many beautiful flowers
last week. Sweet peas, snapdragons, sunflowers, lillies, so colorful
and the list just goes on and on...
Did you know Blue Marble Family Farm is now offering chocolate milk?
It works great as a bribe if you want your little ones to pick up
their toys. Be careful, though, they may become addicted...fast.
My four-year-old finished his cup without taking a breath, then
handed it to me and said "more". I made him say the magic word of
course, then we finished the quart together.
Along with all the staples, you will see tart cherries, blueberries,
strawberries, zucchini, currants, kohlrabi, bok choi, herbs and
perhaps even some cauliflower. I almost forgot, there will be some
yellow transparent apples too!
Don't forget we are a one-stop shop: we offer a wide variety of
meats, bakery, cheese, honey, dairy, farm fresh eggs, blooming
plants, perennials and annuals, and more.
So, c'mon, grab a cup of free hot coffee and check out the new
vendors this week as our second session begins.
See you tomorrow,
Joan for WCM
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Recipe Corner
(Easier than pie, and almost as good)
Cherry Dessert:
CRUST: 1 cup flour
5 Tbsp. confectioners sugar
1?2 cup butter or margarine
Blend all ingredients together and press into a 9 x 13 pan
Bake 15 minutes @ 350?.
TOPPING
2 beaten eggs
1 cup sugar
1?4 cup flour
3?4 tsp. salt
2 cups fresh pitted red tart cherries.
Mix all topping ingredients and spoon onto crust
Bake 35 minutes longer (@ 350?)
May be served warm or cool with whipped cream or ice cream.
Oven Roasted New Potatoes (from JenEhr Family Farm)
2 lbs. new potatoes, small whole or cut in lg. chunks
1/3 c. olive oil or vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a plastic bag, add all
ingredients. Close bag and shake until potatoes are evenly
coated. Empty potatoes into shallow baking or roasting pan;
discard bag.
Bake, stirring occasionally, 40 minutes or until potatoes are
tender and golden brown. Garnish, if desired, with chopped
parsley. 8 servings.
Consider:
? Sprinkling 1 env. Lipton onion soup mix or course
kosher salt over the potatoes
? Adding chunks of fennel or kohlrabi to the roasting pan
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Date: Fri, 14 Jul 2006
Subject: [WCM-Friends] Westside Community Market Update - Saturday, July 15th
Good morning all,
Looking for a nice breeze on a hot day? Come to the "market on the
hill" as we are often called. Oh, and there will be so much at the
Westside Community Market tomorrow. And by the looks of the
forecast, Saturday will be the "cool" day of the weekend!
Raspberries, cherries, blueberries, currants: Get 'em while you can,
it will be a short quick season with the continued heat.
We got your beans: green, yellow, purple, french filet, italian roma
- what's your pleasure? And all good for you.
So many other things in abundance: already lots of different
varieties of tomatoes (I saw Sungolds last week!), cucumbers, summer
squash, fresh herbs, even beets aren't just beets any more. Along
with lettuce, greens, cabbage, onions, potatoes, broccoli,
cauliflower, peas, and, as always, a terrific variety of flowers and
plants.
Some things you may not be aware of: apple season is starting, Lodi
and Yellow Transparents tomorrow. And you may find some black caps
(wild black raspberries), fingerlings, and I would be willing to
wager, with this heat, that some sweet corn and green peppers might
squeak in.
Don't forget the staples:
- farm fresh eggs
- all kinds of meats and chicken
- cheese and all kinds of dairy
- honey
- jams and jellies
- cut flowers
- blooming annuals and perennials
- breads and bakery
Second session has started and that means some new vendors: I will
try to highlight a couple each week.
Country Bloomers Greenhouse: Cheryl has absolutely beautiful mixed
planters fresh and ready for your front step. Also, scented
geraniums, coleus, wave petunias and lots of other potted annuals.
She might have a few "proven winners": those are frost tolerant
planters that last well into fall - it's funny to think of frost
today! And she also has beautiful fresh bouquets.
Happy Valley Farms: Kevin Lucey is back with his certified organic
smorgasbord: a nice variety of beets, beans, peapods, potatoes, and
more!
Ok, that's it. Oh, I almost forgot - Happy Birthday to us, Happy
Birthday to us!
Tomorrow is Westside Community Market's 1st Birthday! Come, enjoy a
cup of free hot coffee or cold lemonade, and a cookie to help us
celebrate. Thank you all for making this venture a success and a lot
of fun; we are committed to many, many more birthdays and providing
the best local products you will find anywhere in the area.
See you tomorrow,
Joan for WCM
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Recipe Corner
Festive Green Beans and Bacon
(This is a great side dish, or could be the whole meal! Enjoy.)
7 slices bacon (diced)
1 lb. or a little more green beens
6 medium carrots
2 T. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. pepper
In a large skillet cook bacon, uncovered, over medium heat for 8 to
10 minutes or until just crisp. Remove bacon bits, reserving 2 T.
drippings in skillet; drain bacon on paper towel.
Add green beans, carrots, butter, and garlic to reserved drippings in
skillet. Stir-fry over medium-high heat about 5 - 8 minutes or until
vegetables are crisp-tender.
Stir pepper into vegetable mixture. Remove from heat. Top with
crumbled bacon.
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Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2006
Subject: [WCM-Friends] Westside Community Market Update - Wednesday, July19th
Hi all,
Just a quick reminder that the Wednesday market just keeps growing...
and growing all kinds of stuff. You will find great variety
tomorrow at the Westside Community Market not limited to, but including:
-beans
-new potatoes
-cauliflower
-onions
-beets
-kohlrabi
-cucumbers
-broccoli
-raspberries
-summer squash
-lodi apples
-greens
-meat
-eggs
-bakery
and of course, dairy, dairy, dairy!
Take a break and enjoy a nice morning shopping stroll - as always we
are located behind Dunham Sports at Westgate Mall, 7:00a.m. - 1:00p.m.
Joan for WCM
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--
Recipe Corner
Just a couple of ideas this morning.
Try a simple stir fry of sweet onions, sugar peas and summer squash.
Sprinkle on some of my favorite one bottle seasoning "Jane's Krazy
Mixed-up Salt. Yummmm.
Have you tried the vanilla yogurt from Blue Marble Dairy? Try mixing
up a quick fruit salad and use the yogurt as a dressing. Or, how
about my little boys' favorite dessert. Vanilla yogurt topped with
M&Ms, or mini chocolate chips - ok, it might be my favorite too!
If anyone has a favorite seasonal recipe or tip you'd like to share
with the group please email it to me. Thanks.
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Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2006
Subject: [WCM-Friends] Westside Community Market Update - Saturday, July 22nd
Good Morning to all,
SWEETCORN IS HERE! No "it might be here" or "some may sneak in."
You will have a choice of several sweetcorn vendors tomorrow! Ahhh,
finally, we can eat at the picnic table in true fashion, with grilled
sweetcorn.
TONS of other fresh produce too! Sweet and tart cherries,
raspberries, blueberries, Lodi and Yellow Transparent apples,
cucumbers, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini, beans
of every kind and color, fresh herbs, salad greens, sweet onions,
beets, mushrooms, and more...even some green peppers this week.
I want to emphasize farm fresh eggs this week, as eggs can make such
a great easy summer meal without turning on the oven. And don't
forget to hard boil some and slice them on top of that great german
potato salad made with new red potatoes.
Also honey, a great variety of BAKERY, meat, chickens, cheesecake,
processed goods, cheese, lots of blooming annuals, perennials, herbs
and hanging plants, cutflowers, dairy and so much more.
And, you will actually be able to enjoy that cup of free hot coffee
(compliments of Westside Community Market, provided by Java Bay
Coffee Bar), and shop with leisure this week without MELTING! It
felt so great to turn off the air conditioning last night, and
tomorrow looks absolutely perfect; sunny, 80 degrees and low
humidity. Thanks again to all who joined us last week despite the
heat. We sure do appreciate it.
See you tomorrow,
Joan for WCM
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Recipe Corner
Oyster Mushroom Omelet (from Lee at Black Earth Valley Produce)
1/2 c. cashews
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
8 eggs
1/2 lb. fresh oyster mushrooms
1 c. cheddar cheese
2 T. Tamari (Bragg's or soy sauce)
1/4 c. water
2 T. canola or olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Mix the eggs and water in a large bowl and beat well. Saut? the
mushrooms in a frying pan with oil over medium heat until dry. Add
onions and garlic. Cook for one minute, then add cashews. In a
medium-sized skillet, put a thin coat of oil or butter, add egg
mixture, and cover for one minute. add a layer of cheese. Pour
mushroom mixture over the layer of cheese. Fold over and cook for
2-3 minutes.
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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2006
Subject: [WCM-Friends] Westside Community Market Update - Saturday, July 29th
> Good morning all,
>
> First off, I want to welcome Dana Hoffman of REAP (Research,
> Education, Action and Policy on Food Group -
> www.reapfoodgroup.org) who will be be promoting REAP's 2006 Food
> for Thought annual recipe contest with sampling from several past
> winners. She will be in our "congeniality tent" next to Green's
> Pleasant Springs Orchard stand. She will also have flyers with all
> the contest details. She will be there from approximately 8:30
> till 10 a.m.
>
> So many goodies at the market tomorrow. Of course first and
> foremost SWEETCORN! There should be a good supply this week. Oh,
> and so many things to go with it...cherries and berries, potatoes
> and onions, beans and broccoli, summer squash and zucchini, carrots
> and beets, garlic and mushrooms, and so many other fruits and veggies.
>
> As usual, a wide variety of meat and chickens - most grillable.
> And farm fresh eggs, cheese, bakery, dairy, honey, cutflowers and
> lots and lots of blooming plants and herbs. Country Bloomers will
> have their famous Hardy Hibiscus starting this week.
>
> Check out another returning vendor for our second session: Jay
> Vree - Vree Farm will have lots of sweetcorn this week along with
> onions, peppers and a limited supply of rhubarb. In coming weeks
> they will have melons, cauliflower and more.
>
> I've also been rediscovering some of our full season vendors:
>
> Murphy Farms: Of course I have to have my cheese curd fix each
> week, but recently I've discovered their little breads. Have you
> had these yet? They are fabulous and come in about 100 flavors.
> Ok, not quite that many, but lots. So far I've tried White
> Chocolate Macadamia Nut and Orange Chocolate Chip - I will call it
> a tie. Yummy. I may have to try two a week to get through them
> all. Check it out.
>
> Saturday is going to be the "cooler" day of the weekend. So, come
> join us for a cup of free coffee (or cold cup of water), meet your
> neighbors and shop for great food and lots more!
>
> See you tomorrow,
>
> Joan for WCM
>
> -----------------------------------------------
>
> Recipe Corner
>
> Apple Strudel Muffins
> (from allrecipes.com)
>
> 2 cups all-purpose flour
> 1 teaspoon baking powder
> 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
> 1/2 teaspoon salt
> 1/2 cup butter
> 1 cup white sugar
> 2 eggs
> 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
> 1 1/2 cups chopped apples (Lodi and Yellow Transparent work great)
>
> Topping
> 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
> 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
> 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
> 1 tablespoon butter
>
> DIRECTIONS:
> 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 12
> cup muffin pan. (I use muffin papers)
> 2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and
> salt.
> 3. In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar and eggs until
> smooth. Mix in vanilla. Stir in apples, and gradually blend in the
> flour mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan.
> 4. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in
> butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over tops of
> mixture in muffin pan.
> 5. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick
> inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to sit 5
> minutes before removing muffins from pan. Cool on a wire rack.
>
>
> Grilling Sweetcorn
>
> Using a kitchen scissors, trim excess silk from the end of the
> corn. Soak corn in cold water for a minimum of 1 hour. Before
> placing on grill, shake to remove excess water. Grill for
> approximately 25 to 30 minutes over medium heat, turning
> frequently. The husk (will be charred) and any remaining silk is
> removed after grilling, but be careful, it is very hot when you
> open it up.
>
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