The Busy Season
Sliced & whole loaves of Stella's Bakery Sourdough
Hopping. That's the best way to describe market last Saturday, just plain hopping all day long. Part of it was that summertime produce, with nearly everything one could desire from the garden in season. From aronia berries at Yang Family Produce to zucchini at Happy Valley Farm, if it grows in Wisconsin, it's probably in season now. Speaking of zucchini, we had a blast at the 5th annual Zucchini Car Races with well over 100 zucchini cars that were constructed, then raced down our custom Zucchini Speedway during the day. It's so much fun to send off the summer with the races and the big turnout was a great affirmation of a healthy sense of play in our market community. Pushing on into September and the final ten week session of market, we're expecting more hopping days with plenty of summer favorites on the tables, with some fall flavors coming in. One such fall favorite expected this weekend is the first apple cider from Green's Pleasant Springs Orchard! With the start of Session III, we're happy to welcome back B's Honey & Roots Chocolates, who will join us for the remainder of the season. If you're headed off to a Labor Day cookout this weekend, the market is stop number one for loading up on meat for the grill, with great options at Highland Spring Farm, Pecatonica Valley Farm and others. Check out our Session III vendor list below for a full preview of the vendor lineup and their product offerings. Before we send off for the week, we wanted to share some happy news from one of our produce & flower vendors, Lor Farm. Many of you will know Naly, from Lor Farm, who happily just opened up her own flower shop, Naly's Floral Shop, on the northside here in Madison. Check out the story in both the Wisconsin State Journal & the Cap Times! We wish Naly the best of luck with her new shop!
Vendor Notices:
B's Honey & Roots Chocolate return to the market this Saturday, September 2nd for the fall session.
Daily Vendors:
Nami Chips/Fizzeology will be at market Saturday, September 2nd.
Pickle making time!
The 5th annual Zucchini Car Races were a blast. Over 100 zucchini cars made the race down our custom Zucchini Speedway!
Science is Fun & Master Gardeners!
The Science is Fun crew will be returning to the market for their fun & free interactive science demo on Saturday, September 9th. Master Gardeners will be at the market this Saturday, September 2nd. Come by with your gardening questions and learn about the invasive jumping worm.
New WCM Market Totes For Sale
We've got another batch of brand new reusable shopping totes available for sale up at the Information Tent. These bags are a great way to cut down on disposable plastic use all while celebrating the farmers' market. Totes are $2 each. Cash or check.
Session Three Vendor List:
Here's a helpful list of vendors who are signed up for Session Three (September 2nd - November 4th) of the 2017 season.
PLEASE NOTE: Not all vendors are present every week. Check the Vendor Notices section for known absences, added daily vendors, and vendors who've finished vending for the session.
Recipe Corner
Melons and summer squash in celebration in this week's recipe corner.
Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint
(From Tori Avey) Ingredients: - 8 lb. whole seedless watermelon, chilled (about 12 cups of cubed fruit) - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil - 3 whole limes, juiced - 1 1/2 tsp salt - 3/4 tsp black pepper - 1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped - 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese (sheep's milk feta preferred) Directions:
Note: This salad is best made just prior to serving. Prepare one hour or less before your meal. 1. Cut rind from the watermelon, then chop the fruit into 1 inch chunks. Place chunks in a colander to drain as your chop. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, fresh lime juice, salt, and black pepper to create a dressing. 3. Place watermelon in a large salad bowl. Pour dressing and chopped mint over the watermelon and toss gently to coat. Pour the crumbled feta into the salad bowl and stir gently to integrate the cheese into the salad. Serve.
Roasted Baby Patty Pan Squash, Carrots & Potatoes
(From Jennifer Armentrout, Fine Cooking Issue 60) Ingredients: - 4 to 6 baby pattypan squash - 4 to 6 baby red and yellow potatoes - 4 to 6 baby carrots, preferably with tops - Extra-virgin olive oil - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper - Chopped fresh thyme or rosemary Directions:
Heat the oven to 450°F. Wash and dry the vegetables. Trim off any tips or stems that seem extra long, and halve any vegetables that seem a little large. Toss each type of vegetable separately in olive oil (just enough to coat), salt, pepper, and a little chopped thyme or rosemary. Spread the vegetables in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, keeping each type in a separate group so you can easily remove one if it cooks faster than the others. Roast in the center of the oven for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to flip and move the vegetables around, and then continue roasting for another 5 minutes. Pierce each type of vegetable with a fork to check for tenderness. When one type is tender, transfer it with a spatula to your serving bowl or platter, tent with aluminum foil, and continue roasting the other vegetables until they’re tender, checking every 5 minutes. The longest-cooking vegetable—the potatoes—will take about 25 minutes total.
