The Kids Garden Club is back this week! In
fact, it will be at the market both tomorrow and next Saturday. Tomorrow is
Butterfly Day. The children will make a butterfly craft and plant “Butterfly
Weed”. It’s really milk weed but gets a fancy name to remind us that it is the
only plant that the monarch butterfly can lay eggs on. Nationwide there is an
effort to plant milk weed along the monarch’s migration path because its
numbers have been decimated primarily because of loss of habitat, in order
words, loss of milk weed plants. And as always there’s learning for adults at
the Kids Garden Club – you’ll be learning how to plant a butterfly garden at
your home.
Our Market Lady Carolyn Smith is back tomorrow
as well. She will demonstrate Asian Kale Slaw with Ginger Peanut Dressing.
And The Includers are back too! This folksy
eclectic band featuring Jeremy Moss and Jason Brown was a real crowd-pleaser
when they were at the market a few weeks ago. We’ve added some benches so more
folks can join the fun tomorrow.
And Redings Mill Bread Co.is back after a long
absence. Artisan bread baked in a wood-fired brick oven. We’ve missed you Jamie
and Kris. And Red Tamale is back too.
It’s that time of year when absent friends
start to return. Misty Morning Farms, the Lee Family Farm, Nature Valley Farm
all returned to the market this month.
In fact, we’re gearing up for the regular
season which begins on Saturday, April 22. Cooking for a Causes are being
scheduled as are musicians – and recruiting volunteers. Stop by the information
table to sign up to help.
The days and hours will be the same this
year: Tuesdays from 4 to 7 pm, Thursdays
from 11 am to 2 pm, and Saturdays from 9 to noon
Stewart’s Bakery will serve meals on the
Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Saturdays breakfast will be Cooking for a Cause and
that wonderful Linda Stewart decided that this year she’s going to volunteer in
the kitchen to help prepare it. Phil, who ramrods the benefit meal, couldn’t
get any better help than that!
However, until we open for the regular season
Linda will be serving breakfast. Tomorrow is biscuit and gravy, scrambled eggs,
sausage, and hash brown casserole. Linda plans to continue her eat-in or take-out
Saturday meal year-round. Tomorrow it’s potato soup and bread.
I discovered a new vegetable at the market
last week. Actually we’ve had this vegetable for several years but I didn’t
know what it was. The Asian growers just called it Asian Broccoli but Karen
Scott of Oakwoods who is also growing it now tells me that it is actually
Broccoli Raab. I have seen that as an ingredient in recipes many times but
never made the connection – and it’s while it is certainly found it Asia now,
it originated in the Mediterranean where it is called Rapini.
As I learned this week, the stems, leaves,
buds and flowers are all edible. It has a slight bitter flavor, which frankly I
didn’t notice. What I noticed was the nutty flavor. I found it very tasty and
invite you to try it.
Here’s the recipe I made for Carol Parker on
KSN this week. Like all greens, this cooks down so don’t be intimidated by the
volume of greens before they’re cooked.
Broccoli
Raab with Honey and Grapes
2 bunches
broccoli raab
2 tsp olive
oil
1 clove
garlic, minced
1/4 tsp
chili flakes
1/2 tsp
cumin
1 cup
grapes, cut in half
2 Tbs honey
Salt and
pepper
Microgreens to garnish
Trim ends
off broccoli raab and coarsely chop. Wash.
Heat a large
skillet over medium heat. Add oil, add garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until
aromatic. Add the spices and cook for 1 minute more to toast them.
Add the
raab, stir in frequently until it turns bright green. If the pan seems dry, add
¼ cup of water.
Remove from
heat. Stir in grapes and honey. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish
with micro greens.
Adapted from The
Farmers Market Cookbook
