Yes–It is August Already!

They make it look easy….the farmers, bakers, cheesemakers, the gatherers of honey, fruit, flowers and mushrooms, the vendors, these alchemists in workboots and blue jeans stand between a truck and a table heavy with sunshine made food…smile and talk about the weather: sure is hot;  bad for machines, people and chickens; no rain, or a flood, then an inch of hail and a hard wind to drive it down.  This is a hard way to make living.

Now, in August, we’ve got a  palette of  great food to choose from: Door County Fruit has cherries, sweet and sour, and apricots that go to only the earliest birds as this fellow explains here. Muskmelons from Green’s Pleasant Springs Orchard, watermelons from Primrose Community Farm, sweet corn from Vree, CountyLine, Prairie Farm Produce, Primrose, Statz and Green’s, blueberries at Flyte Family Farm…your sweet tooth is happy before you’ve visited Madison Sourdough, Dolci Italian American Sweets, Honey Bee Bakery, Ethel Ann’s Savories and Sweets, Murphy’s or Stella’s. (There’s a new baby baker, Oliver Max Winzenried, in the Stella’s baking dynasty.)

As temperatures moderate over the next few days, we’ll feel more like cooking and lingering over a meal outdoors.  Jordandal Farm has a weekly special on their Facebook page–the page is public; you don’t need to be a member to get the news. (Here’s Jordandal’s recipe for Pork Mexicana, a crock pot recipe ready to simply dish up when you get home from work; every ingredient is available at the market, including tortillas from Gitto or the spicy pork would be delicious over linguine from RP’s Pasta.)  Or grill sausages from Pecatonica Farm with roasted root vegetables: blue potatoes from Phia Yang, beets from Happy Valley, carrots from Sai Vang.  So many delicious things at the market  that you’ll need extra bags, and many vendors are happy to help you carry the goodies to your car.

Making a Meal of the Issues?  Here’s a story about resurrecting the family apple tree. Mark Bittman asks what happens when big food makes its own rules and did you see this article about our own Nancy Potter?

Recipes!

All this delicious summer squash and 417 ways to cook it….must be time for pie!  (If you peel the squash in the following recipe, no one will ever guess that it’s not apples. )

Mock Apple Pie

  • 6 -8 cups zucchini (peel, cut lengthwise, remove seeds, slice 1/4-inch thick)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground cardamom
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch or 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar (I have used white and apple cider both are good)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 ready pie crusts, Pillsbury(or a batch of the vodka pie crust recipe from last week!)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar, for topping the crust
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Cook zucchini slices in small amount boiling water until barely tender, about 2 minutes.
  3. Remove from stove and drain very well and cool.Remove as much moisture as you can with paper towels.
  4. In a bowl, toss zucchini with sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cream of tartar, cornstarch or flour, and salt until well coated.
  5. Place lightly floured pastry in a 9-inch, pan.
  6. Fill with zucchini mixture.
  7. Dot with butter, drizzle with vinegar.
  8. Top with crust.
  9. Brush top crust lightly with water and sprinkle crust with sugar.
  10. Bake for 15 minutes at 425.
  11. Reduce heat to 350 and bake about 45 minutes.
  12. Serve hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
  13. Or serve chilled
Warm Potato Salad
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and halved
  • 1/2 pound cipollini onions, peeled
  • 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • 1 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup picholine olives, pitted (2 1/2 ounces)
  • 1 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved (1 cup)
  1. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Add potatoes, onions, and red-pepper flakes. Cook until onions are golden, about 7 minutes.
  2. Add stock, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until potatoes and onions are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove potatoes and onions with a slotted spoon. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
  3. Combine reserved liquid, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Pour over warm potatoes and onions. Stir in olives, and let cool completely.
  4. Add fennel and parsley, and combine. Season with salt and pepper. Top with Parmesan.

To ensure maximum flavor, toss potatoes with dressing while they’re still warm.

Web Extras
*Here’s another recipe featuring roasted veggies and mushrooms in a tart shell.
*I bet that you’ll love this blog “White on Rice Couple, stories of life, food and travel through photography”.  Excellent recipes.

*Mark Bittman’s popsicle recipes are here.