Early Bird Gets The Berries
Always something good to be found at Jordandal Farms!
There is something special in the air when the market first "opens its doors" each week. Maybe it's the smell of the fresh herbs from Ka Vang Thao, with the aroma of fresh dill spreading out in all directions. Or it's seeing all the bouquets of flowers from Country Bloomers Greenhouse before they're sold and leave the market to bring beauty to a new home. The early hour is the time when the steam is still rising off those loaves of Stella's Bakery spicy cheese bread. It's the time when you catch the most limited offerings, like the first few available pints of blueberries of the year from Flyte Family Farm. For those frazzled by the busyness and parking of the later morning, the early morning market time is best time with lower traffic to deal with, both in the market aisle and in the parking lots. That peaceful time transitions into the bustling market you can find closer to 10:00am. By that time, the pleasant sounds of Moldy Jam can be heard, and shoppers hurry to and fro to grab that last container of Murphy Farms cottage cheese or the last container of eggs from Pecatonica Valley Farm. We love all our market shoppers, from the early birds, to those searching for the best deals right at the bitter end. There is space for all types at the WCM, though we can't swear the first Door County sweet cherries coming in this weekend will last all day.
Vendor Notices:
Mad Maiden Shrub will be leaving the market at 10:00am this Saturday. Be sure to get down early to grab some of their tasty shrub for all your summer cocktails.
Daily Vendors:
Saturday, July 8th: Sylvan Meadows Farm
Fresh mozzarella from Dreamfarm, perfect for a tasty caprese salad.
Market Events:
Master Gardeners will be at the market next Saturday, July 15th to field all your gardening questions, spread some knowledge about the newest pest, the jumping worm and to serve as the best go-to source for gardening tips. Stop on by! Science is Fun - Science in Motion, the interactive science demo led by UW Chemistry Professor Bassam Shakhashiri will return to the market for another day of learning & fun Saturday, July 29th. This is not one to be missed!
Ka Vang Thao has been bringing in bunches of fresh and flavorful culinary herbs!
Recipe Corner
Every year with get asked what to do with garlic scapes, those curly green tops of garlic available in early summer. A delicious by-product of growing garlic, the fresh scapes make a fantastic pesto and are a flavorful addition to stir-fries or fresh salads. This week, we're including a tasty soup recipe for both the scapes and the green garlic currently available.
Double Garlic Soup
(From Melissa Clarke & The New York Times) Ingredients: - 3 fat bulbs green garlic, root and green parts trimmed, outer layer removed - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter - 3 cups sliced garlic scapes (about 3/4 pound) - 1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, more for garnish - ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste - Ground black pepper to taste - 1 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced - 1 quart chicken or vegetable broth - 1 cup half-and-half or whole milk - 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste - Freshly grated nutmeg
Directions: 1. Chop green garlic. In a soup pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add green garlic and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add scapes, thyme, salt and pepper, and sauté for 5 minutes. 2. Stir in potato and broth, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until scapes and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add half-and-half, and purée soup with an immersion blender or pour into a regular blender. Stir in the lemon juice and season with more salt and pepper. Garnish with nutmeg and thyme leaves, and serve hot.
Black caps, or wild raspberries, from Vang Family Farm
Fresh Raspberry Lemonade
(From Once Upon a Chef) Ingredients: - 1-3/4 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice, from 8-12 lemons, strained - 1/2 pound (8 oz.) raspberries, plus more for serving - 5 cups water - 1 cup sugar - Lemon wedges, for serving - Fresh mint, for serving Directions: Combine the raspberries and ½ cup of the lemon juice in a blender; purée until smooth, then pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a large bowl to strain out the seeds (the fastest way to force it through is by pressing a ladle against the strainer in a circular motion). Add the remaining lemon juice, water, and sugar to the bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Taste, then and add more sugar, lemon juice or water if necessary (keep in mind that ice cubes will water it down). Pour into glasses with ice cubes and garnish with lemon wedges, raspberries and fresh mint, if desired. The lemonade will keep in the fridge for a few days.
