A nice day today - not as hot as yesterday, which was nice. I have to admit something - something which you might have noticed. I haven't been feeling the cooking lately. Too hot? Too tired? Too much work? Too lazy? Yes, that's probably it. However, despite my lack of cooking, and my desire to keep my shopping light this week, I have found time and again that I am powerless over produce. 
It's tomato time (above, green zebra, and below, Black Prince - from Quiver Full farms at the North Market). I think this year's tomatoes are heads and shoulders over last year's - just my opinion, of course, but last year's tomatoes were all soggy, and this year's tomatoes are firm and tasty - one small benefit of not having any rain. 
So today began with a brief trip to the Worthington Farmer's Market, just long enough for some Arbor Hill Organic potatoes (red and yellow fingerlings) and a basket of multicolored cherry tomatoes from Garden Patch Produce, and then a few bags of kidney beans (below) from Scioto Gardens - I just love those, boiled with a little salt and olive oil (alas, just like everything else). Lastly, a giant bag of basil from Mead Acres.
Then it was off to the Clintonville Market, where I procured 3 dozen Poulet eggs for next week's food-passing-out at the Clintonville market.
Then I was off to the North Market, where the boys from Wayward Seed plied me with jowl bacon (more on that later, with pictures), arugula (above) so pungent I could smell it throughout the car on the drive home, along with this root vegetable - Yellow Mangel, a beet relative, which is supposed to be delicious (it's funny and hairy):
This week's CSA basket included cabbage, zucchini, eggs, haricots verts so lovely even I might eat them (below), an eggplant, and sweet corn! Thank goodness for that jowl bacon! And greens.
Then, I visited the new Jeni's in the Short North which was cool - it's nice and light and clean - like a gallery - with a giant Boos Block table in the back room surrounded by yellow milk stools.
And then, I came home and made white beans smothered in fresh tomatoes and olive oil, topped with fried duck eggs, and now it's off to work. I'm ready for my day off. . .
