Restaurant Widow

CSA & Market Report for July 19th

Are these the dog days of summer?  When do those begin?  Because it is hot out.  Already 80 by the time I hit the market at 9am.  I had someone coming to adopt a kitty today, and it wasn't my turn to pick up the Elizabeth Telling CSA, and I had precisely $26 in cash, so I kept things very light by only going to the Clintonville Market.  It was crowded!  Which I suppose is good, because it means there are lots and lots of people out there who are interested in eating locally and supporting our Central Ohio farmers.

So, today I picked up my Wayward Seed farm CSA - the vegetable share included zucchini, cucumbers, cabbage, green beans, mesclun mix, and some red potatoes!  The fruit share included Queen Anne cherries, blueberries! and Lodi apples (above).  They were also selling plums (yum!) but they were really busy and the line was enormous, and I was in danger of becoming hot tired and cranky, so I took as pass on plums.


I stopped by Blue Jacket Creamery for some lemon quark and cheddar curds, and then bought a dozen ears of bi-color sweet corn at Yoder farmers.  I bought some of the last red thumb potatoes until early fall and some Walla-Walla (above) onions from Arbor Hill Organics (I love the kid who sells those; he's very well-spoken; today he asked me if I was "wistful" about the end of the red thumbs) and lastly, a dozen eggs and some Amish donuts from 2 Silos.

What a week I've had!  I don't know about all of this being busy nonsense.  It's really cutting into my nap time.  But, more on that later.  I have missed writing for everyone, and I am happy to be back to regular writing (probably around Tuesday). 

So, what did you get this week?  And what are you planning to do with it?

CSA & Market Report for July 12th

Wow.  A hot morning.  A hot and cranky morning.  These sorts of cranky mornings don't work well for those who have to smile and be nice to people all evening.  But I got through my day and waited on some very nice people!

I also received some very nice veggies!

First up, I hit the North Market, just to run in and pick up my CSA from Elizabeth Telling Farm.  There was a line forming to see the Top Chef demo - I'm curious; to the best of my knowledge, no tickets were ever made available.  Did anyone see the demos or know someone who did?  How did they get their tickets?  I did see Hung walking down High street later in the evening as Husband and I were walking to our car. 

Okay, so at any rate, in my Elizabeth Telling CSA, I received lettuce, cabbage, eggs, Swiss chard, some baby carrots and an onion.

Then I was off to Clintonville, where it was getting very, very hot.  As much as I love the sunshine and consider myself a convert from loving winter to loving summer, I can really see how people turn crazy during heat waves.  I bought some of my favorite red thumb potatoes from Arbor Hill Organics and a loaf of white bread from My Little Farm, who inquired how I used my bounty of currants (why, I made jelly of course) from last week.  I also bought some Amish Donuts at 2 Silos farms - because in addition to Husband in the house, I have another Guitar Hero Partner, Brother in Law, who is 17.  (17 year olds, what do you talk about on the phone all the time?!)  It's funny, half a lifetime ago, Husband I were Nirvana-loving grunge kids, and now so is Brother in Law.  He's going to need a better moniker.  We also would make the worst parents, I've noticed, being that we eat at pretty eratic times of day, and 17 year olds aren't so great at feeding themselves.

At any rate, my Wayward Farm CSA this week included summer squash, cauliflower, pac choi, mesclun mix, napa cabbage, green beans, and baby carrots.  The fruit CSA contained more apricots! cherries, and a few really early apples.  I'll be taking pictures soon; things here in the Waitress household are a little bit crazy and I have a ton of writing to do this week! 

But I also have some good things to make and write about this week.

A reader called me out for a lack of restaurant reviews lately (I'm a waitress during summertime! I'm poor!)   We're going to talk about this week sometime.

And what did you get?

CSA & Market Report for July 5th

Well, it was a very abbreviated day at the market yesterday, so this is will be a short, boring piece, since I was volunteering to help at the cooking class at the North Market!  I stopped by the Clintonville market and finally! got there early enough to buy some currants from My Little Farm!  I bought 6 pints!  They will be turned in to jelly very, very soon.

Then I picked up my Wayward Seed Farm CSA - oh the bounty!  I think Husband and I are going to cook as much of it as possible for dinner tonight!  We received turnips, arugula, broccoli raab, carrots, little red scallions, napa cabbage and green tomatoes!!  The fruit CSA included more apricots! and more sweet cherries!

I also stopped by Blue Jacket Creamery to pick up our weekly supply of cheddar curds and lemon quark (that stuff is seriously good - in fact, I am about to eat some on graham crackers for dessert).

I was happy to see a nice line at Snowville Creamery, and also I heard a lot of people talking about it as I was walking around.  Yay, fellow Columbusites!  I am so glad we are supporting a local dairy!

And then I was off to the North Market to assist in the cooking class with Chef Chef (David Tetzloff)!  It was pretty cool and definitely worth the $45 charged to market-goers.  I highly recommend the series.  There was a ton of food.  Chef made tuna tartare, seared scallops on napa cabbage slaw, lamb chops on Tuscan bread salad, and pork tenderloin on polenta (yum!) with broccoli raab with bourbon-laced sweet corn, and panna cotta with berries for dessert.  The food was killer; it made me miss the days when I used to work with him and graze on the polenta after work every night!  Alas I was working (admittedly, not very hard), otherwise I might have taken some pictures.  I really learned a lot, and listening to the questions from the "students," I got a ton of ideas of posts I can do and educational things to write about.

As I was leaving the market, I stopped by Rhoads' and picked up a nice quart of black raspberries, which I forsee becoming syrup or jelly before the day is out.  I also picked up a few zucchini, and even a few ears of sweet corn!  (Thanks Ms. Rhoads!)

And what did you get this week?

CSA & Market Report for June 28th

I'll tell you something - between ComFest, Pride, and the Origins Gaming convention going on, there is some very interesting people-watching in the Short North this weekend.  If I didn't have to work, I think I'd prop myself up on some patio on High St. with a really big latte and take pictures of people all day long.  Alas, I do have to work.

I overslept this morning and missed out on all the currants.  That's what I get for not getting out of bed at 7am when I first woke up. 

I have so much food in my fridge right now I was determined not to buy anything other than dairy products.  It was my turn to pick up the Elizabeth Telling CSA this week!  (Pictured at the top of post)  It contained cabbage, an onion (yay for onions finally being here!), dill, mint, lettuce, and eggs! 

The I zoomed off to Clintonville to pick up my share from Wayward Seed Farm - I had 2 pounds of peas - I've been eating a lot of peas this year.  Last week I used my homemade ricotta to make a sort of peas paneer with curry sauce; it was pretty tasty!  At any rate, there were also some little red scallions, some cute red turnips, some napa cabbage which the cats found fascinating, and lettuce (by the way, for anyone who is interested in our 1 year old kitty Fergus, she is in the foreground, the black kitty with the giant tail):

the fruit CSA contained apricots!  We never get local apricots - there were 2 glorious boxes and I very sacrificially let Husband take one with him to work, along with a box of cherries, most of which I consumed on the drive home, and a pint of raspberries:

I also stopped by Arbor Hill Organics for some yummy red thumb potatoes; those will go into another pea-related curry, methinks.  I went to the lunch buffet at Bayleaf Indian Cuisine this week and now I've been craving curry.  And then I stopped by Snowville Creamery for some Whole milk which was only $2!!!  I was very happy to see a lot of people excited to see them there and to hear they might soon be available at the Clintonville Giant Eagle.  If it does become available there, please go and buy it so that they will keep it in stock. 

I also swung through Blue Jackeet Creamery for some cheese curds (we love those - cooked or right from the container, they are delicious) and I also bought their new product, Quark!  Quark is a soft cheese with a texture similar to ricotta; it's actually quite similar to really good ricotta.  I bought the lemon flavor which is very pleasant; they were sampling it on graham crackers and when I arrived home I immediately spread it on some Trader Joe's cinnamon grahams.  Very tasty, indeed.

And what did you get?

CSA & Market Report for June 21st

What a beautiful start to the day!  I said I was going to keep things light this week and I kept my promise.  I popped into the North Market just to see how the grilling fest was going and see if I could find any currants, but it's been a cool week and they just didn't ripen.  But I did buy some sugar snap peas and dill - I have lots of buttermilk leftover from my butter-making adventures, so I think I'm going to make some buttermilk dill sauce for some salmon or something this week.

I stopped by Rhoad's farms, where Ms. Rhoads showed me picture of their straberry season-ending hail storm which happened on Monday.  Alas, they did have red raspberries and sugarsnap peas this week.  I think I am going to go out to their farm for a tour sometime soon.  I will, of course, write all about it.

It wasn't my week to pick up the CSA, so I'll have to wait until I hear from my friend to see what was in this week's box, but it looked like there might have been beef this week.  Now that I have my freezer, I'll be able to stock up on local beef from happy cows.

And then I was off to Clintonville, where my friend Jen was passing out samples of Snowville Creamer milk!  I drank some 2%, marveled at how sweet it was and how it tasted nothing like grocery store milk, and was pleased to see they had run out of milk to sell (you can, however, buy it at the Clintonville Co Op, the Greener Grocer in the North Market, and at the Pearl Alley Market.  They will only be at the Clintonville Community Market when there is room.  I ran into an old friend from high school, who grew up to be a preacher with tatoos and a Vespa, and I saw one of the guests from my dinner, who has begun making her own butter (Yay MB!)

And then I stopped by the Scooter place in Clintonville (next to Yao Lee) and looked at some scooters because, listen up:  the Widow household is getting scooters.  That's right.  We are in the process of scoping some out and hope to buy some before gas goes to $5.  That being said, hooray for a 3 mile commute!!  We've driven a grand total of 150 miles this week, and that's only because I drove out to Sawmill Rd and Husband drove to Worthington.  Hey, if you own a store which sells scooters and you'd like to sponser me with one, and I promise to take a picture of it and put it on my website with a link to your website and tell everyone where I got it, send me an email and we'll talk.  This didn't work for my camera purchase, but who knows.

CSA & Market Report for June 14th

Wow.  Could you believe those storms last night?  Our electricity went out - strangely, after the storms were over - so I took the oppurtunity to sleep in a few minutes longer, and didn't get to the markets until after 9.  I don't plan to do a ton of cooking this week, so I tried to keep things really light this week.  That usually proves to be easier said than done.

Just to back up a few seconds, I visited the Pearl Alley market again yesterday and was pleased to see that Blue Jacket Creamery was there, so I bought some Gretna Grillin' Cheese and a container of cheese curds.  We are in love with those cheese curds.  I also swung by Paige's Produce for a box of peas (pictured above) which I shelled, boiling briefly and ate with just a bit of butter and salt.

But! On with today!  First off I stopped into the Clintonville market for my some white bread from This Little Farm (I love that bread; it's very similar to the soft bread I grew up eating in Amish restaurants, which is still my favorite soft-crust breads) and my Wayward Seed Farm CSA.  The Wayward Seed fruit CSA this week included 3 quarts of giant strawberries, which I plan to share with coworkers.

The Wayward Veggie CSA included French Breakfast radishes, Heliotrope radishes, white turnips, another kind of purple radish whose name I can't remember, more of those luminous white turnips, bag of lettuce mix, chinese broccoli, tat soi, another braising green whose name I'm not sure of, and little red scallions:

Last night, I had a dream that I was eating red thumb potatoes and today I was a little bit surprised to see the Arbor Hill Organics was at the market with their delicious red thumb potatoes!!!!  It's one of my most favorite times of the year, and I was surprised by how early they are this year:

Then I was off to the North Market to pick up my week of the Elizabeth Telling Farms CSA:

which included lettuce (I'm going to have to eat some salad this week; it's a good thing I still have buttermilk-herb dressing left!), lovely white turnips, scallions, stinging nettles (they're dangerously delicious!), strawberries, and sweet pea tendrils.  Could there be anything prettier:

I also bought my weekly allotment of Toby Run Shitakes, a few sugar snap peas from Comb's Herbs, and then went inside to buy a good-sized flatiron steak for the grill this week at Blues Creek Farms.

I stopped off at the Greener Grocer and discovered my friend Jen there passing out free milk from Snowville Creamery!  In case you haven't tried the milk, it is very tasty.  I used it make butter, and I hope to use it to make some cheese sometime soon.  They were only asking that if you like their milk, you request your local grocery store to carry the milk for you. 

Where, for keeping things light, I sure did get a lot.  I even made it home and trimmed and scrubbed all of the radishes and turnips and strawberries so they would be available for eating out of hand.

And what did you get this week?

Pearl Alley Market

 

One of my favorite lunch spots - El Arepazo, right at the Gay St. Entrance of the market.  They are so busy they expanded their outdoor seating for the summertime.

The Pearl Alley Market began last Tuesday with a visit from the Mayor.  The market, which is located downtown Columbus on Pearl Alley between Gay & Broad streets, was taken over by a new group this year.  So far, it seems to be an improvement.  The Downtown Columbus website does not yet have a full listing on their site, but they informed me they will be adding a searchable list in the next few weeks. 

Although it was threatening rain, I was so busy last week that I couldn't make it over, so today I decided to stop in and see how things were going.  I went right at the opening of the market, found parking to be a breeze (except that it takes like 6 quarters for 40 minutes.  Okay, 4 quarters, but still), and got out the camera.  (A side note on parking - I can almost always find meters on Long St, if you don't mind walking a block and a half.)

There were a few farmers - please keep in mind we are still early in the growing season - to be found this week were still some asparagus, lots and lots of strawberries, broccoli, kohlrabi (yay!) and lots of tomato plants and cut flowers:

A few new vendors this year, and a few changes.  First of all, there are now vendors on Broad Street, which is pretty cool.  As you enter the market, there is a sign which tells you what sort of produce you might find today:

There was an Italian ice spot, which will be really nice on hot days:

The kettle corn people were also there (I love that stuff).  I missed seeing My Mama's Sweet potato pie; hopefully they were just scared off by the rain.  Also, my friend works for Snowville Creamery and she told me they were doing the market this year, so keep an eye out for them.  It would be really nice of you to buy some of their yummy 1/2 and 1/2 for coffee station in your office!

This year, there was also a meat purveyor, Mohr Animal Acres.  They had the basics (chicken, beef & pork) as well as lamb and goat!  Yes, I said goat!  I know there are a few of you out there looking for goat sources.  They were also selling goat's milk cheeses and lots of goat's milk beauty products, including unscented products (I have sensitive skin, so I am always on the lookout for unscented products).

Other standouts were the delicious samosas (above) and iced chai from Nellie's Samosas (seriously, I raced home to write about them for any downtown workers on Columbus Underground, would could make it there by the end of the market; you can read the full thing there).  There were also some super cute handbags (CW Bags; alas, no website, but I do have an email address which I'll email if you'd like).  I'm a little light on funds at the moment, but maybe when I get my stimulus check, I'll be buying one.

I look forward to making the Pearl Alley a weekly (at least) venture, and I encourage others to do the same.  The more support the vendors receive, the more beneficial it will be for them to come out.  The more vendors come, the more money they make, and the more other vendors will want to come.  It's a win-win situation for everyone.  Having a great downtown resource like this is just another thing which will make Columbus attractive to visitors, conventions, smart young people, etc. etc.  Support it!

CSA & Market Report for June 7th

What a weekend I'm having!!  I woke up at 6am on the nose, primarily due to a dream in which I woke up and it was Sunday afternoon and I hadn't prepared for my dinner.  Yes, I'm one of those people.  Then I started thinking about all of the things I still had to do, and sleep was out the window.

I made it to the North Market practically before the market was open.  Fortunately, those market folks are early birds, and I was able to get everything I need to get in to the market tomorrow and get a peek at the prep kitchen and coolers.  I then bought everything I had pre-ordered - lots of strawberries from Rhoad's, 3.5 pounds of Shitake mushrooms from Toby Run, meat from Blues Creek (I can't tell you everything we're having!!) greens, radishes - all sorts of things. 

It was a great morning at the market - not too hot but humid, a weather condition I actually enjoy, because I have really dry skin and get peely and gross in the winter time (I know, too much information).  As soon as the humidity strikes, I get my usual, glowingly dewy visage back.

I met a reader! and helpful commenter, and we discussed butter making.  I chatted with the nice Wayward Seed Farm people for awhile; today was their fist CSA pickup (more on that later).

It wasn't my turn for my Elizabeth Telling CSA this week, but I met my CSA-sharing friend for lunch at Zen Cha, and she received strawberries (Sandy always has the best strawberries, hands down) lettuce, baby red onions, cilantro, braising greens, eggs, and maybe radishes?

I tucked everything into the cooler at the North Market (where I hope it stays, otherwise we're having wine and canapes only tomorrow), was disappointed to see that the Greener Grocer was out of Snowville Heavy Cream (you better be making a lot of butter out there!), but nonetheless, it was time to dash out to Clintonville market . . .

where I picked up a share of the Wayward Seed Farms fruit and vegetable CSA.  (see below)

Wow, you kids are lucky!  I was pleasantly surprised by the amount, considering how early we are in the growing season.  The fruit share included 3 quarts of a-ma-zing strawberries.  The vegetable CSA included French Breakfast radishes, purple something or other radish (eaten with fresh bread and fresh butter immediately upon returning home), a clamshell of mesclun mix, one of arugula, a bag of lettuce, asparagus, and these amazing luminous turnips - I ate a few raw and then put the rest into my lazy market dinner.  They also included a Wayward Seed canvas tote bag, which Fergus the Cat immediately claimed as her own, ensuring that it has to be washed for cat hair removal before being used at the market.  The Wayward Seed folks, like Elizabeth Telling, are very organized.  Each shareholder is assigned 2 boxes.  You take one home and bring it back next week, when you pick up your next box, and the cycle is repeated (don't forget to take your clamshells back, too!).

Since I was in the process of culturing cream at home and was planning to make some the second I arrived home, I knew I needed some fresh bread, and so I bought some from My Little Farm (Clintonville), where I learned that the bread was baked at 4:30 this morning (farmers!  Who can live that way?!).  The bread was very tasty, although I have discovered that making and eating nothing but butter for a week straight is a good way to gain 4 pounds in 5 days.  Okay, I lied, I've had a bit of Jeni's ice cream thrown in for good measure.

Whew! And then I was off to Worthington!  I only swung through for some potatoes from HW Organics and for a chat with the boys from Wayward Seed, Worthington edition.

I'm sure I missed something, and now I have to write my recipes for tomorrow!

And what did you get?

CSA & Market Report for May 31st

What a perfect day!  Actually, it got really hot by the time I left the Worthington market at 11am.

It was an early start at the North Market, where the fine folks from Wayward Seed were back!  (They have a new website - aren't the pictures lovely?)  They had heirloom radishes, mesclun mix both for salads and for braising, along with microgreens and I'm sure something I am missing.

I had my first CSA pick up from Elizabeth Telling Farm!  (I love that all of these farmers are getting websites!)  This week's share included: 1/2 dozen eggs, lettuce mix, radishes, asparagus (beautiful asparagus), spring onions, oat grass, dill, cilantro, and pea shoots.  I donated my cilantro to a nice couple who was also picking up their share, and was on my way!

Of course, there were shitake mushrooms from Toby Run - anyone coming to my dinner June 8th will get a healthy dose of those, don't worry!  I also picked up some strawberries from Rhoads Farms!  Oh, the intoxicating aroma from the strawberries met me a few stalls away!  I've already eaten a quart, along with a few of my coworkers, and I intend to consume the other quart very soon.  Note to dinner attendees - expect a lot of these strawberries, too!

And then I was off to the Worthington Market.  On the way, I stopped by Clintonville to pick up some flowering chives from My Little Farm (which will go in the dehydrator today, for my dinner) and a perusal of what was growing and available there.  I was happy to see Blue Jacket Creamery there, and bought a container of squeeky cheddar cheese curds, which I have discovered make a great snack!

At Worthington, I met up with an online friend, Double-Vay, and her cute son, Spiderman!  We talked about blogging, advertising, Spidey's interest in bugs, editors, BlogHer, and all kinds of things, it was great fun - thanks Double-Vay, let's do it again sometime (you can read her account here)!!  I made an unsuccessful hunt for some rhubarb (but don't worry, RW Sunday Supper attendees, I bought it all last week and put a giant bag in the freezer!), I picked up a few delicious-smelling thyme plants at Good Start (organic) growers, and some lamb chorizo at Northridge Organics.

Since I probably won't be doing a lot of cooking this week, and Husband & I have opposite schedules, I kept things pretty light.  It was fun to get out there and talk to the various farmers about what they are going to provide for my dinner - I even met an attendee, whilst buying some Lake Erie Creamery Goat Cheese!

and what did you get this week?

Market Report for May 24th

What a lovely day for marketing!  My parents are in town (my grandmother turns 90 today!!), so my mom joined me for marketing today!  We had a lot of fun, and she got to see a lot of the farmers and landmarks of my website for herself.

Today, I met a new bee keeper at the North Market, Ikes Bees!  The honey was delicious - they had a mild, treacly summer honey, and a fuller-flavored, more robust autumn honey (below, note the color difference), which I picked up, along with a beautifully-packaged, perfect for host-gifting rosemary-infused honey (top of post).  I took some pictures of the bees, but it was really bright out and the bee display case was reflective, so it didn't really turn out very well.

Of course I stopped by Toby Run for some mushrooms and Toad Hill for some eggs.  Today was our first CSA pick up!  This year I chose to split my CSA with a friend, but I can tell you that this week we had: radishes, ramps, and lettuce.  Also, this year we can buy grass-fed beef!

Then we were off to the Worthington Market, where Mom picked up lots of rhubarb (she can't get it in North Carolina, so she's been stocking up) at Pop & Judy's Farm.  I also bought some rhubarb and also finally some of their dried beans - Black Turtle and Red Rider:

I stopped by Oink Moo Cluck after receiving their email regarding a new product - homemade weiners in natural casings.  I love hot dogs, and actually, they are very difficult to make, so it's pretty cool they found someone to make them.  I didn't take a picture, but I'll update you when we cook them up.  This was such a popular item for OMC that they were sold out by 10am!

And then it was off to Blue Jacket Cheese, where I bought two packages of Gretna Grillin' Cheese and a ball of hand-pulled fresh mozzarella:

It was a great day of marketing, and I loved spending it with my mom!  (Thanks for joining me, Mom!!)

And what did you get this week?

A Few Things to Look out for at the Markets this Week

Dear Readers: When I originally posted this, I wrote that Halloumi is a Greek Cheese.  It is, of course, indigenous to Cyprus.  I regret the error; please forgive my ignorance!

Also, Fred mentioned in the comments that Blue Jacket cheese is also represented at the Worthington Market, it the Graeter's parking lot!\

There are a few things I've been buying at the market that I haven't really documented.  Well, here's a picture of a sandwich I made - maybe not the healthiest sandwich ever, but still tasty.  It is completely stolen from the Rossi's Ham & Gruyere with a fried egg.  My version is sourdough toast doused with a pinch of salt and olive oil (instead of mayo), tavern ham (Boar's Head, from Weiland's) and Swiss cheese from Thurn's, all topped with 2 over medium fried eggs from Toad Hill, the star of this post.  These eggs are really tasty, especially if you are a yolk fan.  They have huge, dark orange yolks almost as dark as duck egg yolks.  They are great, so pick some up this week.

The next thing is the "Gretna Grilling Cheese" from Blue Jacket Cheese (you gotta love their perfunctory website).  This is similar to Halloumi, a Greek cheese with a pleasant squeaky texture which doesn't melt, making it perfect for the grill.  Blue Jacket produces farmstead cheese - meaning they make cheese from their own cows.  Weary from a long night of work, Husband fried up the cheese Saturday night - just sliced it up and sauteed it without salt or anything.  The cheese releases a little fat (but doesn't melt), and it browns beautifully.  The exterior gets nice and brown and crusty; the cheese is delightfully salty.  Husband was in love.  This will definitely be on my weekly list of must-buys.

And lastly, the asparagus at Anderson Orchard (usually right next to Toad Hill) is picked the morning of the market, washed, and bagged in one-pound bags, all ready to cook or eat in the car on the way home, I was recently advised by Farmer Steve.  It also has an intensely asparagus-y, almost floral grassy flavor.  It is also usually the least expensive asparagus at the market.

Just thought I'd let you know what to keep an eye out for if you will be visiting the North Market this week!  I'll see you there!

Pearl Alley Market Coming Soon!

For those of you who find it hard to get to Saturday markets after working all week and toting the kids to their Saturday morning soccer games, take heart.  The Pearl Alley market is here to rescue you (if you work downtown).  I really enjoy this particular market, because it offers an urban spot to pick up a few basics - especially if you forgot them on Saturda - and while you are there you can always enjoy a slice of My Mama's Sweet Potato Pie and lunch at El Arepazo.  When all of the vendors are there and a band is playing, the market has a great feel.  Pearl Alley takes place Tuesdays & Fridays throughout the summer.  Here's the official press release - I'll see you there on June 3rd!!:

Join us on Tuesday June 3, 2008 as we open Pearl Market for the 2008 season!

The Market will open at it's usual 10:30a.m. with our Opening Ceremony featuring Mayor Michael B. Coleman to begin at 11:00a.m. After June 3, Pearl Market will be open every Tuesday and Friday through October from 10:30a.m through 2:00p.m.

Whether you’re one of our regulars or an occasional shopper, I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the changes we have in place for you this year. Some highlights include, an expanded farmers market offering a larger selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, more lunch and snack offerings, and farmers and merchants positioned on Broad Street to serve you.

Please feel free to forward this to your friends and colleagues to help spread the word.

For more info:

Adam Schroeder
www.downtowncolumbus.com

Market Report for May 17th

A nice and breezy morning.  Sunny with just a threat of rain.  I got up really early to get to Worthington because I got a few emails about Pop & Judy's farm and their dried beans.  Unfortunately, Pop & Judy had a little car trouble this morning, and they only had rhubarb and popcorn.  No worries, we just ran out of popcorn here at Chez Widow, and I need a lot of rhubarb for my RW Sunday Supper!  (don't get scared, you'll like it, I promise!)

I stopped by Up the Lane Cattle for some hamburger patties (it is grilling season, after all).

and then it was off to the North Market.  Where I forgot it was Race for the Cure day.  It was impossible to get a car within 7 blocks from the Market in any direction.  After a very roundabout trip, I found a parking space.  The Market wasn't exactly hopping.  This is the third of forth time I've gone to the market on Race for the Cure day and I don't remember it ever being so crazy.  At any rate, I was very happy to see Fresh Water Farms were back this week! I picked up a pound of smoked trout (swimming & smoked all within the past 48 hours, thank you very much), and discovered that they will be there on their free Saturdays; the next one will be June 14th, so mark it down and be there! 

I also stopped by a new vendor this year, Blue Jacket Cheese - they make three kinds of cheese; squeeky, salty cheddar curds (confidential to Chef Ben - any chance you'll teach me how to make putine?), tasty fresh mozzarella (somewhere between fresh in brine and sliceable; certainly a good pizza mozz), and the cheese I purchased - Gretna Grillin' Cheese, a pleasantly salty Greek-style cheese (like halloumi) which also has a slightly squeeky texture and doesn't melt.  For this reason, it goes great on the grill and also makes a really nice vegetarian entree.  It is really good with lemon juice and/or chili flakes.  The folks from Blue Jacket were very nice, offering me sample after sample of their cheese with various condiments.

Next week my mom will be joining me for my adventures!  She can't wait to buy some rhubarb of her own!

And what did you get this week?

And now, I'm off to get ready for the Aprong Gala!  I'll see you there!

Market Report for May 10th

A beautiful sunny morning.  I got up at the crack of 7:45 because I really wanted to get to the market early enough to buy some morels after someone let me know about them last week, and b, Husband is at Wine Tasting Boot Camp today, so I had to take the bus.  Since I get off the bus about 7 blocks from the North Market, it made for a nice walk this morning with all of the flowers blooming and the sun shining; a great start to the morning.  The only drawback to busing to to the market, aside from the fact that later in the year you really can't buy more than you can easily carry, is that it puts me on a really tight timeline.  Since the buses only run about every 50 minutes on Saturday, if you miss the 8:57 back to SoHud, you're sitting around until 9:43.  Fortunately, I made it in, through, and out in time to catch the bus and get yelled at for standing too close to the crosswalk instead of at the bus stop proper.

I did make it to Wishwell Farms in time for the on of the last remaining pints of morels.  This year's crop is proving to rival that of the fabled 2003 harvest, when Chef Chef got in white morels the size of my hand (and I have big, piano-playing hands).  I've been indulging in quite a few morels this Spring as I can afford them.  The pint was $10, making it about the same price as I bought them at Weilands ($55 on Wednesday), although these are quite a bit bigger:

they even still had a bit of moss still attached:

I also got more asparagus, of course:

And my favorite mushroom man was back with shitakes this week!  Yay for Toby Run!  (Pictured at top of post).  So, look for a shitake/morel recipe sometime this week.  Since the sage in our little garden is getting huge (and flowering), I foresee some sort of pasta with mushrooms, sage and chives.

I stopped at Comb's herbs for a few ramps, and then it was over to Toad Hill Organics, where I snapped up the bit of flowering bok choy, which bears a striking resemblance to kai lan (Chinese broccoli):

and more yummy chives, they should be flowering by next week maybe!!

And some spinach, which I plan to saute up with some red pepper flakes for lunch, to add to this frozen ravioli I bought from Pastaria Seconda - spinach and feta, and pink striped mascarpone (could they be prettier?)

And what did you get this week?

Market Report for May 3

Come rain, come thunder, I still try to make it to the markets.  Of course, I had a meeting at the market this morning, and then there were tacos, so there was not choice.  But imagine my delight when I walked into the North Market farmer's market and saw asparagus!  I even risked being late to my meeting so that I could stop and buy some from Wishwell Farms.  It will be worth it, or course, when I roast some up for lunch!

Today was Cinco d'Ohio at the North Market, a celebration of all things Ohio along with a salsa competition and a taco-making competition.  As part of the day, there was an Ohio Proud marketplace, so my delight at seeing the year's first asparagus was second only to my delight at finding the nice folks from FreshWater Farms at the market!  I first heard about FreshWater whilst eating at the Winds Cafe in Yellow Springs a few years ago.  They have been serving trout from FW for years.  I had a chance to sample some of the FW smoked trout (below) later at a Local Matters event and it is very tasty.  I have been planning to visit the farms pretty much ever since I started this website, but have never made it.  But Husband and I are planning a field trip to Urbana very soon.  I snagged a pack of 2 smoked trout filets and a whole (filleted) fish to cook up for lunch tomorrow.  I promise a full report. 

I suggested to the FreshWater Farms people that they should come to the market more often, so maybe we could start a campaign.  Fish is one of the things which can be difficult to source locally here in Central Ohio, so we could start a campaign.

I also picked up some chives and lettuce at Toad Hill; I neglected to get another tempeh, but I will get one next week to try out another recipe.

My glee at the market would have been made complete if only Toby Run Farms would have been there with a crop of shitakes.  Next week, for sure!

Don't forget that tomorrow is the first Artisan Sunday at the North Market, starting at noon!

And what did you get?

Market Report for April 26th

The morning dawned drizzly and warm; actually, my favorite kind of weather, except that my hair will turn into a crazy halo.  It's quite charming.

Lazily, I didn't get to the North Market until around 10, and because I was meeting friends, I got some coffee and sat on the porch of the market until it was apparant that if I didn't buy something soon, there would be nothing left.  A brief shopping trip - I stopped by Comb's farms to buy a few more catnip toys for the kitties, and was pleased to hear they had begun the morning with a ton of product, and were nearly sold out.  It's always good to see people come out to support local farmers, even when it's raining.

I then stopped by Toad Hill Farms, to pick up some arugula and the last bag of watercress (above).  I also bought a dozen eggs, and Mr. Toad Hill suggested I try his homemade tempeh (tempeh is a fermented cake of partially cooked soybeans).  I remembered a few readers buying it last year and asking my opinion on what to do with it, so I thought it would be a good thing to give a try.  I have lots of greens in the fridge and have been itching to stir fry.  Tempeh is made by innoculating soy beans with a friendly mold, so it has a bloomy exterior, similar to an aged soft cheese.  It is incredibly good for you:

and what did you get?

When are the Markets Starting & What's Available When?

It's hard to believe that it's time again to talk about going to the markets, but here we are.  The sun is shining, it's over 70 degrees out, and we have charcoal waiting to be used up.

I've received a few emails about when the markets open, and what to expect at various markets, and I thought I'd answer market related questions all at once, for everyone.

North Market: There are already a few vendors at the North Market, so I suppose it's safe to say they have already begun.  Again, it's mostly herbs, greens, and plants at this time.  The first major market event will be Cinco d'Ohio, which takes place May 3rd.  Cinco d'Ohio is an event which highlights all sort of great Ohio products.  And the next day, Sunday May 4th, is the first of a new event at the market: Artisan Sundays.  The market will be teaming up with local Ohio craftspeople on the first Sunday of each month.  It's a great chance to get out and buy some super cool locally-made items.  And, of course, May 17th is the Apron Gala, the Market's annual fundraiser which includes lots of local food, beer and wine. 

Worthington Farmer's Market: there is one more Worthington Winter market.  The last scheduled market is April 26th.  The regular market begins Saturday, May 10th with the Plant Fest.  This is early in the season, so usually you might expect to find a lot of greens and herbs, and tons of plants for planting.

Clintonville Farmer's Market: there is a preview of the market on Saturday, May 3rd, where farmers will be bringing plants to start your own garden.  There will also be some early Spring veggies.  The regular market begins Saturday, May 24th.

Pearl Alley Farmer's Market: there have been some shake ups at the Pearl Alley Market over the past year.  I'm not quite sure what is going on, because their website hasn't been updated since 2007, but last year they started June 1st, so let's just say it's they'll maybe begin the first Friday in June.  If you know that to be otherwise, please let me know.  The Pearl Alley Market is a weekday market - it takes place from 10:30a - 2p on Tuesdays and Fridays.  This market includes artisans as well as farmers and food producers. 

Westerville Farmer's Market: takes place in downtown Westerville on Wednesday afternoons from 3p - 6p.  The first market will take place on Wednesday, May 7th.

The Bexley Farmer's Market: takes place across from Capital University on Saturday mornings beginning at 10am.  Again, the website is not updated, but last year in began on July 14, so, let's say a reasonable guess is July 12th?  Again, if you know, please let me know.

Again, if you have any additional information, please let me know.

This is a reprint from last year - What's Growing When:
This is, of course, just a guideline, so don't get bitter when it's July 10th and there are no tomatoes  yet.  For a listing of specific (average) dates, please visit the Pick Your Own Ohio website.

May:  Asparagus, Broccoli, Greens, Peas, Radishes, Rhubarb and maybe Strawberries (late)

June:  Asparagus, Beans, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Green Onions, Greens, Lettuce, Peas, Radishes, Rhubarb and Strawberries

July:  Beans, Beets, Bell Peppers (late), Blueberries (late), Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Celery (late), Cherries, Cucumbers (late), Eggplant, Grapes, Green Onions, Greens, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Peaches, Radishes, Raspberries, Squash, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Watermelon

August:  Apples (late), Beans, Beets, Bell Peppers, Blueberries, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumber, Eggplant, Grapes, Green Onions, Greens, Onions, Lettuce, Peas, Peaches, Pears, Potatoes, Radishes, Squash, Strawberries (second, smaller season), Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Watermelons

September:  Apples, Beans, Beets, Bell Peppers, Blueberries, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Grapes, Green Onions, Greens, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Radishes, Raspberries (second season), Squash, Strawberries (second season), Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watermelons

October (with most things decreasing rapidly in their availability except greens, which are just getting better):  Beets, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, Green Onions, Greens, Lettuce, Peas, Pears, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Radishes, Squash, Turnips

First Market Report for 2008!!!

Saturday morning was the Columbus Half Marathon.  Nothing like waddling through a bunch of whisper thin runners early on a Saturday morning . . . just kidding, of course; congratulations to all of those who ran (to be true, when I was arriving at the market, the winners were finishing or were at least very close; I don't know the exact route).

There were a few farmers out at the North Market this morning - Toad Hill Organics, where I bought some eggs and arugula (which will make a great salad with some nice bacon I bought this week at Weiland's); I also bought a few catnip toys from someone else, who I can't remember right now (I'm rusty, folks!!)  The kitties were very fond of the toys, and began rubbing them on their faces from the moment I stepped through the door.

I went into the Market, just for a few minutes - the house is clean, and we are having a wine tasting Sunday night, so cooking is restricted at Chez Widow until everyone is gone!

I stopped into the Greener Grocer to see if they had morels (not yet, but soon!) and discovered they are carrying Snowville Creamery Milk!  Which is delicious, and local.  It's also less expensive than the Ohio Organic Milk, which is about $5 a half gallon.  Snowville was $3 for a half gallon:

I also bought some hot sauce from the Sauce Cartel.  I love hot sauce, and I had heard of them but hadn't tasted it yet.  I made the mistake of tasting the first variety which sounded good to me, it of course turned out to be the hottest, and I loaded it on; it was a slow burn, but tasty - nothing a little sample of ice cream from Jeni's couldn't calm.  The guy from the Cartel was telling me how they like to use a lot of fruit for the sugar content and flavor, creating a hot sauce which has a strong, full flavor first and then goes into a slow burn.  it was pretty good, and I have a few good ideas for it . . . (right now I've just been pouring the mild sundried tomato & chipotle on anything that will sit still long enough)

And then it was off to Worthington for a brief stop, where I saw my favorite mushroom man! (Jim Rockwell from Toby Run Mushrooms; he'll have shitakes first week of May, FYI) and bought the oyster mushrooms, pictured at the top of the post which Husband is currently turning into bruschetta to go with our vino tonight (18 wines! Yikes!)