embarrassment of riches

This time of year, farmers markets offer up a true embarrassment of riches. From blueberries to eggplant to sweet corn to peaches, your choices are plentiful and produce bins are overflowing. If you're an eggplant afficionado, you're going to want to try this Grilled Eggplant with Whipped Feta showstopping side. Find eggplants at Halal Pastures Farm and feta at Maplebrook Farm Creamery. 

Dog days of summer getting you down? Do you crave a bit of pampering? This Saturday, we're spoiled for remedy-choice! A visit to the North Winds Lavender Farm tent is always soothing. Ellen offers all things home-grown lavender, from flaky scones to eye masks and lip balms. Neverstill Wines is back with hand-crafted wines from New York's rich Finger Lakes region. This women-led winery produces, among other options, a crisp and classic Chenin Blanc, a vibrant and savory Cabernet Franc, and a seasonal rosé. 

Mary Kate, of Thousand Leaf Gardens Farm reports that they have many flowers coming in right now!.As always they'll offer affordable market bouquets for $15 that are a mix of field annuals like zinnias, cosmos, strawflower and more. Their current specialty flower is a beautiful long lasting Lisianthus. These beauties are native to the Americas and have an impressive fourteen day vase life. She grows over twelve varieties and will have bouquets in varying sizes. Sunflowers should still be booming and hopefully if we’re lucky the first of the dahlias MIGHT make their appearance, but Mary Kate is of the opinion that we’re still a few weeks away from their shining moment. Stay tuned!

Take full advantage of plum season with this NYT recipe for Grilled Pork Chops with Plum BBQ Sauce. Cooking the plums down into a sweet-tart sauce leads to fun, fruity results. You'll find all the plums you need at Mead Orchard, where Shane is always ready with a smile. And a stop at the R & M Farm tent will provide thick bone-in pork chops. Pair with crispy roasted potatoes or a giant salad based on a greens from Titusville Farm. Can't get enough of summer sweet corn? Change up your repertoire with this spicy corn and shishito salad, find your corn at Morgiewicz Produce.

This locally-raised bounty makes it easy to “eat the rainbow;”  to consume foods of every hue and stripe. As we learned in grade school, the colors of the rainbow spell out ROY G. BIV. Here are some suggestions to help you create your own market rainbow:

R is for red tomatoes, which are appearing in sizes from tiny grape to fat Big Boy Beefsteak. Sprinkle wee ones on your salads and slice beefsteaks onto your sandwiches.

O is for the plentiful, succulent and briny olives you'll find at Doc Pickle. Enjoy them on a charcuterie board to kick off your BBQ.

Y is for yellow sunflowers appearing in market bouquets; their sturdy blossoms announce August's advent.

G is for greens; spinach, salad mix, kale, and more!

B is for the blueberries still gracing market tables. Try Alison Roman's blueberry muffin recipe, or simply eat them out of hand.

I is for ice cream, visit Unofficial Ice Cream for your choice of Olive oil ice cream with strawberry ripple and ginger crunch (gf); Butterfly pea flower vanilla ice cream, blackberry ganache, biscotti bits; or melon sorbet.

V is for virtuous; the way you feel after you shop local and eat clean.

Milton's in the music tent, so grab a coffee from 813 Coffee to wash down your DoughCo. Bagel, and start your weekend off right.

See you at the market!