Farmers Market Report: July 13-14, 2013

The weather is going to be hot this weekend, so I recommend getting to the markets as early as possible. The forecast is 102˚ both Saturday and Sunday. Fortunately, it’s a lot cooler out in the country, so the farmers are still managing to grow things – there are plenty of tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, melons, squash, cucumbers, and okra to be had.

In fact, all types of melon are at their peak, and ice cold melon is the perfect summer treat. 2 Happy Children Farm has enormous crates of cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew, and casaba melons, and Johnson’s Backyard Garden has a good number of melons as well. If you haven’t made home made agua fresca with a ripe summer melon, you’ve got something wonderful is store – watermelon juice is the ultimate summer beverage, and when you make it at home it is practically free.

This week I did my shopping at the SFC Triangle Market on Wednesday afternoon (4pm-7pm). I feel like I got a preview of what is going to be for sale over the weekend, and I must say, all the produce at the Triangle Market looked great, even though it was roughly a million degrees outside at that time of day. Hairston Creek Farm had simply stunning heirloom tomatoes and all kinds of onions; Lightsey Farms had tons of young baby okra and sweet figs (and nice tart cooking peaches); Engel Farms had yellowneck summer squash and zucchini, big perfect hybrid tomatoes, and green beans; Milagro Farm had baskets and baskets of sweet Texas 1015 onions; Johnsons’s Backyard Garden had everything you can grow in Texas at this season, and a few things you shouldn’t be able to (such as carrots)– but notably, some of the prettiest sweet peppers I’ve seen this year. But to really blow your minds (and it should!) Animal Farm had mixed salad greens, baby lettuce, and arugula, as well as squash blossoms and leeks. Swede Farm Dairy was at the Triangle this Wednesday as well, and they have two new products this week: fresh goat’s milk ricotta, and goat’s milk Greek Yogurt. The Greek yogurt is plain and refreshingly tart, perfect for use with sweet fruits, or for making raita. I think Swede Farm is the only dairy making ricotta at any area farmers market. Their ricotta is creamy and delicious, perfect for lasagna, calzone, or cannoli. The next two weeks will see the end of tomato season for Johnson’s Backyard Garden. Usually August is too hot for the tomatoes to set fruit. So for the next two weeks Farmer Johnson will be having a bulk tomato sale. Just place as order here, and you can pick up your bulk order at the Farmers Market of your choosing. Large homegrown tomatoes are 50% off ($18 for ten pounds, $30 for 20 pounds), San Marzano tomatoes are $20 for ten pounds, plum tomatoes are $15 for 4 pints, cherry tomatoes are $15 for 6 pints, and green tomatoes are $20 for ten pounds. If you plan to make marinara or salsa to last through the winter, this is the time to get organic tomatoes for cheap. This week at the Barton Creek Market, Celtic Seafare will be selling smoked salmon from the Shetland Islands. If you arrive at the market early enough (because they do sell out), you can catch a quick breakfast at the Celtic Seafare table of smoked salmon/potato hash, with leeks, eggs, feta, and chive remoulade, or a bagel with smoked salmon, cream cheese, red onion, and capers. What is Jesse Griffith serving up at the Downtown SFC Market and the Mueller Market?

French Toast with Walnut and Blueberry Syrup , served with venison breakfast sausage; Quail Fajita Torta with refried beans, queso Oaxaca, avocado, cortido and papalo mayonnaise on a cemita roll; Chaurice Sausage and a Fried Egg, served with cheese grits and tomato pepper gravy;  Migas Taco with chorizo, cheese, chilies, onions, and garlic pasilla salsa;  Cafe a la Olla Mexican coffee with molasses, brown sugar, and spices; and Canary Melon, Lime, and Verbena Agua Fresca 

Dai Due has a new, automated ordering system this week. Just click here to see this week’s items and place an order. You can pay by cash, check, or credit when you pick your order up at either market.  

In abundance this week: tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, watermelons, squash, cucumbers, okra, basil, figs, sweet onions, Bermuda onions, and cantaloupe.

Still around if you look and are lucky: leeks, peaches, potatoes, and blackberries.

See you at the market!