beating the heat at today's Bloomingdale Farmers Market

Date: August 26, 2016 at 8:48:18 PM GMT+2
Subject: Beating the Heat at BFM

Hi BFM Friends,

We got back yesterday to find that our AC system is broken and the nearest part is in TEXAS, so no cool, dry air for us until early next week.  My husband has fled to an air conditioned coffee shop and I am thinking cooling thought on the ground floor of our house while I finish up the market email. It is only 83 in the dining room and if I don't move anything but my fingers, I can pretend it is 78!

So, I am all about cooling foods this week.  Drinks like Eric's fresco sodas from last week's chef demo. Or a watermelon cooler a friend served us a week ago.  She just blended watermelon and lime -- it was a gorgeous color and so refreshing. Gazpacho, of course, won't raise the temperature.  Cucumber drinks are equally refreshing and I love Cucumber Agua Fresca.  Tomato salads with mint and chives and cheese taker about 3 minutes to make..   Lightly boiled green beans or young lima beans (American edameme!) and dress them in olive oil and lemon or that pesto you made the other day.  And if you did not, make it this week. If you have some steamed potatoes, you can go Italian and add them to the green bean salad with pesto.   Whisked's pies and quiches are a meal maker.  Mixed fruit salads from Reid are my favorite hot weather dessert, topped with ricotta or yogurt from Keswick.  Add mint or basil.

Here are some other ideas:

http://www.foodandwine.com/cool-food-for-hot-weather.
Glamming up melon with sparkling wine mades not cooking look and feel and taste elegant.
Marinate some toybox tomatoes for a different tomato salad inspired by Shaw's Hazel.
Panzanella was a huge hit at several dinners I went to in Provence.  Tim Carman had a Panzanella revelation.

NEWS:

• Mountain View has a fill -the -basket sale on all tomatoes--big discount!
• Garner may have figs this week!  If so, stuff them with some ricotta and drizzle some honey over them.
• Reminder: Truck Patch has greens all season -- instant salad.

MOUNTAIN VIEW ORGANIC: Did you know that Attila was trying out California dry farming tiny Early Girl toms? They are tomatoes that are not watered because stressing them (denying them water) sweetens them.  Check out the Asian varieties of eggplant and bicolor yellow and green squash. Attila, the Hungarian pepper whisperer, loves his hot and sweet peppers.  Blues, Red Gold potatoes. Shallots. Onions in yellow, purple and white. Squash and zucchini. cherry tomatoes and beets. Mountain View loves growing unusual varieties and everything is certified organic.

NUMBER 1 SONS: Caitlin writes: NEWS for Chileheads:  Special fermented green sauce! Hotter than Salsa So Verde. NEW: Sour Green Tomatoes The loveliest mini green tomatoes from Amish farms in PA. They're fermented with purple + white onions and smattering of carrots. A bit of Italian spicing. Delicious! This is a small batch that we'll only have this summer.  On the pickle front: Half Sours + Crispy Koshers are back!

REID: Peaches and Peaches and Nectarines and Apples and berries!

KESWICK: Cold meals start here with yogurt and ricotta and lots of great cheeses.  

WHISKED!:  Oven-roasted corn, sliced cherry tomatoes, and freshly chopped basil are mixed into their creamy egg filling, tucked into a flaky crust, and baked until golden. We're moving into late summer produce (think tomatoes, sweet corn, and blackberries), and here at their flavors. Blueberry Lemon. Bourban Pecan. Peach. Peach Raspberry. Salted Caramel Apple. Sea Salt Chocolate Chess. Bacon Cheddar Onion. NEW Roasted Corn, Tomato & Basil. Kale and Feta. Tomato, roasted Garlic & Goast Cheese.

CUCINA AL VOLO.  Have your heard that Daniele and Mateo and Roland have opened Osteria Al Volo in Adams Morgan in the old Pasta Mia space? James (MyColumbia Mushrooms) was thrilled with the pasta dish they made with his mushrooms and I can't wait to eat there tonight .And because they now have their very own kitchen again (no more sharing space at Union Kitchen), they will start to bring more soups and prepared foods (and maybe even ice cream in the future) as well as their superb Florentine pasta. On the 14th street side of the market. 

TRUCK PATCH FARMS:  Bryan prides himself on his tomatoes. Many, many varieties of Heirloom tomatoes, okra, green beans, many varieties of summer squash. Arugula, mesclun, spinach, kale, chards, eggplants, bunches of basil, cukes.

Meat Department:  Pork: a dozen different sausages, bacons, pork chops, salt pork, chops, pork sirloins, pork steaks, country ribs, spare ribs, butt roast, boneless shoulder roast, boneless and bone-in loin roasts to grill or barbecue.,

A Tip worth repeating: I salt pork and chicken (and all meats) 24 hours in advance, an easy dry brine.  It does not make the meat salty just deeply flavorful.  Add other herbs or a dry rub of spices as well.  Grill.

GARNER: Cantaloupes.Gala Melon. Watermelon in yellow and seedless reds. Corn. Many varieties of eggplants, 7 different summer squash, peppers in green and rred, okra, basil, potatoes, primo red tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers for slicing and pickling, beans, chard, garlic, candy onions. green beans. Greens. The Lima beans are American edamames. Bicolor "awesome" sweet corn. Red, white and Yukon spuds. Parsley, Basil and Cilantro.  Make Pesto with them. 

PANORAMA: French breakfast pastries like palmiers, almond croissants plus the plain and chocolate crosisants, baguettes, the olive oil buns that grace the 25 dollar hamburgers at Central and the Rustiques they serve you at Citronelle and Cityzen.  Sandwich breads, too.  If they are out of a bread you crave, ask them to save one for you for next week.  Late risers:  they have lots of whole wheat, multigrain and sourdough boules and loaves that sell out early.  So reserve what you want!  Email if you do not see something you want, please.

PLEASE REMIND everyone you know that Produce Plus continues and if they have not signed up, they only need to bring their DC picture ID plus a SNAP, WIC, SENIOR FMNP, TANF or MEDICAID card to get $10 of free fruits and veggies.  We are still signing people up.

Teds, Danielle and Robin