Carpe Frutus! Finding Inspiration at the Farmers Market!
I went to the farmers market in my area this week (this time of year you can pretty much find a farmers market somewhere in the county any day of the week). The place was hopping with shoppers and sellers. I had set out to find the fixings for a nice barbeque dinner for a hot summer night. I picked up some local raised pork and some nectarines to grill along with a yummy loaf of bread and some salad greens, and dinner was set. I wandered the rows a little more and a vender with a mound of cherries caught my ear and eye as he called out “last week for local cherries, they won’t be back ‘til next year” as he offered up a sample. The cherry I tasted was perfection; a deep red all the way through, the flesh was firm with a sweet, tart flavor that is the true essence of early summer. Cherries are so fleeting. Like most fruits and veggies these days you can get things long before and long after their local season, but don’t it’s always a disappointment, and long distance cherries are no different, they don’t hold up, taste and texture are lost in transportation. Somehow we have decided to live with tasteless tomatoes in January and hard green grapes in April, but why? To taste that last local cherry this week just reminded me that everything has it’s moment, physical and metaphysical, and that moment should be tasted, savored and praised, right here, right now. Something is ripe and ready where you are don’t miss out! Go on, taste it!
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Valerie Komkov Hill
A friend in Yoga is bringing me fresh tomatoes from her garden to class. What a treat! I’m off to our own farmer’s market tomorrow, although the drought here is making things tough.
lisathorpeartist
Tomatoes already, it’ll be a month until we have a good warm garden tomato, I can’t wait!
MaryAnne
North Carolina has wonderful Farmers’ Markets of which I have been taking advantage this summer. My own garden yields tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers but the markets have the best snap beans,peas, squash, white corn and sweetest peaches and cantaloupes.Our local county market even has fried pies or “jacks” for sale. Yesterday in remembrance of my Grandmother who lived on a farm, I cooked 10 pounds of collards! The connections with the rural way of life are part of the harmony I seek in life.
lisathorpeartist
I love your reference to the connection between family and food and comfort! Also i think i’d love to try “fried pie”!
MaryAnne
Fried pies or ” jacks” are similar to turnovers except the dough is thinner and the “pie” is fried. Fillings usually are apple, peach , sweet potato or pumpkin. they are great with ice cream and/or whipped cream and good warm or cold. I will send you a recipe if you are interested.
MaryAnne
An additional comment about fried pies…if anyone is interested in the recipe, please note that there is a multitude of “Southern fired pies” recipes on the Internet – just Google “Southern fried pies!”
lisathorpeartist
Thanks, I think I just might do that!