Apples by Linda E. Nelson

Dear WCM Shopper,

Temps are down, back-to-school sales are on and it’s feeling a bit like fall. So, if you’re in the mood for apples and pears, you’ll find them this week at the Market.

Jean Statz of Cross Plains will have Bartlett pears this week, and many vendors will have apples, including Vivian Green of Green’s Pleasant Springs Orchard of Stoughton, who provided the Apple Bundt Cake recipe below.

Like Green’s, Eplegaarden of Fitchburg, owned by Vern and Betty Forest, also has had a nice selection of apples earlier than usual. Eplegaarden expects to add Wealthy, a good baking apple, and McIntosh, a great sauce apple, to the list that included Ginger Gold (crunchy and sweet), Akane (dense and richly flavored) and Zestar (crisp, juicy and sweet) last week.

Other fruit not to be missed are the peaches from Jim and Crystal Barnards’ Barnard Farms of Egg Harbor. This is tree-ripened fruit, which will be firm so if you prefer it softer, set it out on the counter for a day – and keep the rest refrigerated. These are freestone peaches – as in the pit is easily freed from the fruit versus cling peaches with the flesh clinging to the pit.

Those who’ve taken the Eat Local challenge will be especially happy that Josh and Noah Engel of Driftless Organics, Soldiers Grove, will bring sunflower oil, as well as potatoes this week. Potter’s Crackers owned by Peter Potter of Madison, will debut grilled corn and onion crackers this week – and they always bring one graham version, which would be great layered as a parfait with Ron and Chris Paris’ yogurt from Sugar River Dairy of Albany and honey from B’s Honey owned by Brad and Elizabeth Moore of Mazomanie or Bonde Bee owned by Andrew Bonde of Randolph.

Finds from last week include Schroeder Cheese choices of green olive Cheddar and Cheddar dill pickle cheese from Bryon Schroeder of Rewey; organic sweet, crunchy Carmen peppers from Mike and Cassie Noltnerwyss’ Primrose Community Farm of Cross Plains, that were great for snacking raw; and strawberry-rhubarb pie filling from Barnard Farms (all you need is crust for a double-crust pie).

New favorite recipe: Honey Ginger Rainbow Trout, a recipe from Artesian Trout of Westfield. Thank you, Jenny and Chuck Anderson!

And here’s another kale tip from Sarah Orlikowski, who staffs the JenEhr Family Farm of Sun Prairie stand: If you don’t like the consistency of cooked kale, before cooking shred it in a food processor and then use it in a quiche, omelet or flavorful scrambled eggs.

Shoppers this week likely will find apples, beans, beets, bread and other bakery, broccoli, butter, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, cheese, chicken, crackers, cucumbers, dry beans, eggplant, eggs, fennel, fish, flowers, fresh-cut herbs, garlic, green onions, greens, honey, ice cream, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, meats, milk, muskmelons, okra, onions of all sorts, pasta, patty pan squash, peaches, pears, peas, plants, plums, potatoes, radishes, raspberries, summer and winter squash, sunflower oil, sweet and hot peppers, tomatoes, turnips, watermelons, yogurt, zucchini and specialty products.

With all these apples available, think about your favorite apple recipe. Any shopper sharing a recipe – using apples or other Market items — will receive a $5 Market gift certificate, which can be picked up at the Information Tent at the Market. If you have a recipe using Market products, send it to kalliosandra@yahoo.com or leave it at the Information Tent with your contact information.

Help wanted: Volunteers are needed to staff the Information Tent for two-hour shifts between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturdays this fall. If you’re interested, stop in at the Info Tent or send a note to: cewellenstein@gmail.com.

The Recipe Corner

Honey Ginger Rainbow Trout

This is a quick-fix recipe from Artesian Trout Farm.

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime
• 2-3 tablespoons oil
• 1 to 1 ½ pounds trout fillets
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Lime slices (optional garnish)

Whisk together the honey, mayonnaise, ginger and lime; set aside. Heat nonstick pan on medium with oil. Place trout skin side down and drizzle most of the mixture over fish, retaining about 1 tablespoon. Season with salt and pepper. Pan-fry 4 minutes, turn and fry 4 more minutes or until lightly brown and crispy on the edges but not overdone. Turn back over onto serving plate and drizzle with remaining mixture. Serve immediately, garnished with lime slices.

 Apple Bundt Cake

This is a recipe from Vivian Green of Green’s Pleasant Springs Orchard.

• For the cake:
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 cups sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups peeled chopped Jonamac apples  (2 pounds)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• For the topping:
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup milk
• ½ cup butter

In a large bowl combine eggs, cooking oil, sugar and water. Beat well. Sift together flour, salt and soda. Add to creamed mixture. Add vanilla, apples and nuts. Bake in a greased and floured Bundt pan at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Combine topping ingredients and cook in pan for 3 minutes over medium heat. Poke holes in the bottom of the cooled cake with a toothpick. Spoon ½ the topping over the bottom of the cake. Invert on a plate. Let stand 5 minutes and remove the pan. Spoon the remaining topping over the cake. It can be served with sweetened whipped cream. Enjoy.

Happy shopping – and spread the word about the Market to your friends and neighbors: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at Hill Farms State Department of Transportation parking lot at the corner of Segoe Road and Sheboygan Avenue, one block south of University Avenue and one block west of Hilldale Shopping Center. Make sure to tell those with young children to come and play along with the Moldy Jam Band, which usually performs when the weather is good (and not at the crack of dawn).

Until next week,
Sandy Kallio
for the Westside Community Market

Send recipes to: kalliosandra@yahoo.com