Bloomingdale Farmers Market: the first zucchini of summer Sunday

From: Robin Shuster
Sent: Saturday, June 2, 2018 8:03 PM
Subject: the FIRST Zucchini of summer Sunday

Hi BFM Fans,

                                                

Produce Plus returns Sunday.  Be sure to read about it at the bottom of this email as you scroll through.

Okay, it may rain. It may be over before the market starts.  But it WILL be dry under the tents and it won't be cold like a November rain so be prepared with your umbrella and come get the very first zucchini and yellow squash of the season.  That says summer, doesn't it? And Bernard tells me that he MAY even have the very first red ripe tomatoes. 

REID is excited about their strawberries which they will have this week: Honeoye, Galletta and Jewel and their beloved Earliglow. Ask Kathy REID about them. And they want to remind you to plant herbs and vegetables and flowers now that summer is really starting. This is a traditional week to buy and plant. Think tomatoes and basil, mojitos with mint, carrots and thyme, new potatoes and chives, string beans and tarragon, beans and savory, cucumber and yogurt dill sauce.  Herbs make food sing. 

TIP: Buy parsley and dill to make my favorite green salsa. (You can leave out the egg for a vegan version)

For the first time all of our  produce people will have strawberries Sunday.  You have a huge choice of a dozen varieties and "terroirs" from Northern Neck and Western Virginia, Northern Maryland and Central Pennsylvania.  Mix and Match. Taste them all.  They change every week depending on the weather. Try Strawberry Ripple ice cream or Spinach and Strawberry Salad with poppyseed dressing,  Not that Jeff and I will ever stop eating strawberries and Keswick yogurt).
 
MUSIC: Lawence Liu is back.  He and his group enchanted both kids and adults a few weeks ago. Did you see the kids siting on the ground, "playing drums"?

BIKE HOUSE: summer is here and the riding is easy if you do a check up with Bike House.

DC DIAPER DROPOFF: Bring paper or clean cloth diapers. 

Have you noticed that CUCINA AL VOLO now has 3 restaurants? We get the same pastas. Their kale or spinach infused fusilli makes the very best pasta salad because of the beautiful green color and the way the spirals trap little bits of cooked vegetables, meats or cheese.  It should always be in your freezer for spontaneous pasta salad picnics. Carnivores: the beef brisket ravioli is marinated and slow cooked for 24 hours. Lots of sauces too. This restaurant quality fast food that I can put together in in less than 5 minutes once the water boils.

TIP: Use the Pesto to marinate a chicken, Mateo says.
 

What else is at market?

NUMBER ONE SONS will have asparagus kimchi this week and cucumber pickles are back.  Be sure to score some of the Spring Ramp Kraut which won't be with us much longer. The Rosetido is a curtido fit to dress any pupusa. I love the turnip pickles and the all the various daikon pickles. The kombuchas are back. 3 other kimchi, a variety of krauts and some things i am forgetting.

MOUNTAIN VIEW: I have really fallen for their Gem lettuces. and their spirally garlic scapes. They have a sweet flavor and a nice crunch too. And I love the individual leaves both in salad bowls and as lettuce wraps. Strawberries. Sugar Snap Peas, carrots, lots of their amazing spinach (cooks up so tender and creamy), salad mixes, kaless, swiss chards, pea shoots.

GARNERS PRODUCE: Squash and zucchini. Green tomatoes and the first blush of red ones. Spring onions, beets, lettuce mixeis, kales, Swiss Chard, carrots, Purple and whie turnips, kohlrabi the alien vegetable, bok choi, colllard greens. Strawberries.

WHISKED: Strawberry Rhubarb pies are the best but there are 6 others too. I am also addicted to their asparagus onion quiche (soo harmonious and creamy).Every one of their cookies are there to sample every week. And did you know they have added two Vegan cookies now: Lemon and Chocolate Blackout.

KESWICK CREAMERY: Sarah has a lot of great summery choices: various goat cheese chevre, ricotta, good melting cheeses, fetas and my favorite yogurt. Ask Sarah and Mark to recommend wine and cheese pairings -

TRUCK PATCH FARMS: Arugula, spinach, salad mixes, kales, chard, beets and greens. Asparagus. STRAWBERRIES! Pork in all its forms and soon chicken. Their bacon is famous. And Kristen is excited about her sausages.

PANORAMA ARTISANAL BAKERY:  Two French bakers=lots of baguettes and croissants and breakfast pastries.  A whole bakers rack of French inspired breads including their Rustique, sourdoughs, whole wheat, multi grain, pumpernickel, rye. Sliced sandwich breads and round loaves too.

PRODUCE PLUS returns Sunday.  If you want to help us make this enormously popular food access program available to the hundreds of people who come for it every week at BFM, join the Farmers Market Brigade and volunteer in the PP Program.   We completely depend on our volunteers to make Produce Plus possible. 

See you Sunday

Robin, Teds and Cate and our Produce Plus volunteers