Arts in the Park at the Market on Saturday

Be sure to stop by the market on Saturday (9/19) to enjoy a plethora of arts, going on from 9 am to 7 pm. The market will be in full swing during its usual time - 9 to noon, with lots of additional arts activities during and after market. For a schedule see the ad in Friday's Webb City Sentinel or Joplin Globe.

Our headliners are Missouri Boatride featuring mandolin player Dean Webb who is best known for his guest appearances on the Andy Griffith Show as one of the Darling Family. They play at 2:00.

& bring your friends! If this is a success, we'll do it again next year.

Cooking with Bitter Melon

Bitter melon is a a common ingredient in many Asian cuisines, however many in America not previously exposed to this unique vegetable are unsure as to how to make the most of or in some cases, temper the flavor of this delicious vegetable. Here, we have compiled several tips for preparation of this distinctive vegetable.

Basic Preparation

Cut bitter melon in half, discard seeds and fibrous core. This vegetable is not typically peeled, as the skin is edible and turns a vibrant green during preparation. The seed are also edible, however they are very firm and do not soften well with cooking, so removal is recommended. Like eggplant, bitter melon can be salted and rested to remove some of the bitterness from its flesh. Simply core the melon, dust it generously with salt and let it sit for ten minutes. Rinse the slices and prepare as you wish. Another way to reduce bitterness, is to blanch cut melon slices it in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes.

Lightly pickling the bitter melon also helps to remove the strong flavor. For one bitter melon, bring 1 cup of white vinegar to a boil. Add 2 Tbs. sugar, 2 Tsp. salt, and 1 Tsp Turmeric. Bring all to a boil and add bitter melon slices. Boil for two minutes, remove, drain and cool. Then prepare as you wish.

Bitter melon is commonly stuffed with spiced meats, curried, sauteed with onion or red pepper with scrambled eggs or omelettes. Another common preparation is in stir-frys with fermented black beans, chicken and other meats.

When developing your own recipes be aware that bitter melon is an excellent ingredient to use with strong flavors including spices, rich sauces and fermented flavors. With spicy foods, bitter melon acts as a coolant and with rich sauces such as coconut milk or curry, the flavor balances the natural oils in these other ingredients acting as a palette cleanser.

For many tasty and easy to prepare recipes which enhance the flavors of this unique melon, visit www.bittermelon.org.

Thanks to City Market of Kansas City for this information.

Webb City Sentinel column - 9/18/09

It’s fall and things should be slowing down – but they’re not in the least. We’ve added a new baker to the market. Our long time baker, Kay McLaughlin, has cut down to Fridays only so our Tuesday customers were facing the dire prospect of weight loss. Never fear. We have found a Tuesday baker that will enable you to face winter well fed. Lorraine Yoder had her first market this week and, my oh my, we’re going to like her baked goods. Her table was stacked high with sticky buns, cinnamon rolls, cookies, pies, cakes and country breads.

Like all our bakers, Lorraine bakes in a kitchen certified by the health department. In her case, that’s the kitchen of the Country Cupboard and Bake Shoppe just outside of Stark City. The shop is closed on Mondays so she has full use of the kitchen. (She is also in the kitchen on the other days, but then she is baking for the Shoppe.)

Tomorrow (Saturday) is the Arts in the Park celebration. The market will be in the thick of things with all our usual vendors, plus Countrside View Greenhouse, bringing a big trailer of mums, and the kids at Fredrickson Farms with pansies, pumpkins and produce.

During market we’ll have lots of different music groups, plus a little sword-fighting and Shakespeare. There will be the market breakfast, as well, which will benefit the new Friends of the Webb City Parks (more about them later. BTW, that's the new Webb City Parks and Recreation Department logo).

At noon we’ll transition into full blown Arts in the Park. Several of our vendors will stay for the full day. Amos Apiaries will have honey and do spinning demonstrations on the peddle-driven spinning wheel. Countryside will stay till all the mums are sold. We’ll also have Linda Williams with her hand-crafted aprons and Randi Bachman with her rag rugs.

There will be kids’ art activities all day and children’s workshops in the afternoon. Area artists will be painting, singing and dancing. You’ll find familiar food – hot dogs, smoked sausages and hamburgers from 11 to 6:30 at the food stand, along with snacks like apples and caramel dip, popcorn and nachos.

And, with the exception of any food or art you purchase, the whole thing is free thanks to generous grants from the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency, MSSU, Chris Anderson and Sharon Love of Edward Jones, and local artist Rebecca Perry.

Now, about Friends of the Webb City Parks. It’s an organization for folks who appreciate the parks and want to know what’s going on. Members will be on an email or mailing list and receive quarterly information on the parks. For $5, you’re a member of the Friends for one year, you get a free drink at the celebration, you get $5 off your next meal at Chatters and you’re entered in the celebration drawings. The drawings include a basket of goodies from the market, as well as prizes from Wal-Mart, Culvers, Hinkley Ace Hardware and Cardinal Scale. What a deal!

Lunch today is spaghetti, side salad, garlic bread, brownies & drink for $6. The lovely Gospel Strings play between 11 and 1.

On Tuesday, Cooking for a Cause benefits the Chief Sarcoxie Days Committee and Bill Adkins performs from 11 to 1.

Be sure to wave at Suzie and Sammy Scarecrow as you come in off the highway – they’re the ones playing the fiddle and painting a picture beside the Arts in the Park banner.

Ride the Streetcar this Saturday!

The Streetcar will be running Saturday from 9:30 to 5. & rides are Free!

It has been several years since the streetcar has operated. With the support of the Park Board and City, the tracks are now in good shape and the streetcar volunteers have put the car in good order. So come enjoy the Arts in the Park Celebration and ride the streetcar this Saturday.

New Baker on Tuesday!

The Webb City Farmers Market welcomes a new baker on Tuesday. Lorraine Yoder of Stark City will bring cinnamon rolls, white, wheat and cinnamon country breads, cookies, cakes and pies. Lorraine bakes out of the Country Cupboard and Bake Shoppe kitchen between Newtonia and Stark City.

Lorraine is filling the spot previously held at the market by Hazel's Bakery. Kay & Bill McLaughlin of Hazel's have cut down to just Fridays at the market.

Cooking for a Cause on Tuesday benefits Healing the Family, a Joplin non-profit providing therapy and counseling for families affected by child abuse. The Joplin Exchange Club will grill and serve the hot dogs, hamburgers and smoked sausages at the market from 11 to 1.

Suzie & Sammy Get Ready for the Arts Celebration

Suzie & Sammy Scarecrow are all ready for Arts in the Park on Saturday, September 19. Put it on your calendar!!!

Inside News - Comb Honey

Resa Amos will have comb honey at the market today and tomorrow.

Inside News

The Troyers will be back at the market Friday.

Hillside Farms from Carthage has been selling elephant garlic on Saturdays.

The food and nutrition classes from Carl Junction High School have been visiting the market this week. They are learning to cook fresh produce, so shop at the market and then prepare it in school.








My, my. What a downpour we had Friday! Our performer Kelly Lee James had to ditch his electronics and go back to his roots - acoustic guitar. All those electrical cords didn't seem like such a good idea.

Meanwhile, volunteer manager Donna Krudwig (aka Darth Vadar on right) adapted as well. Yes, that's a trash bag draped artistically around her shoulders.

It's great to have the concrete, but we still need to work on drainage on the east side.

Pat Walls wrote on my wall today - "You'll be happy to know that we take our WC Farmers' Market canvas bag with us every time we go to the local markets here in Sarajevo. Hope all is well back home. Cheers...".

Chris Pistole with the Audubon Center was at the market Tuesday filming a couple of segments for KODE's "Together Green Moment". Chris thought the market was a good place to talk about buying locally (as in produce grown within 70 miles rather than trucked in 1,500 miles) and growing chemical free (of which we have several farm and garden examples).

Webb City Sentinel - 9/11/09

I get a lot of undue credit for how beautiful the market often is, so I’m expecting a lot of compliments today. Everywhere you look, the market will be filled with beauty.

Bob McLaughlin called yesterday to say that he’s coming to market today even though he’d planned to be on vacation. His flowers are just too lovely to stay home in his garden. The dahlias are always gorgeous in the fall and with this cool, wet weather, they are glorious. So expect a fabulous display of color at the Urban Gardners’ stand next to the information table today.

Heidi Stoller will be at the market with her beautiful mums – a big one is only $8. Heidi has been raising mums for our market since she was a young teenager. She will soon be joined by two other growers, Alexandria’s and Countryside View Greenhouse. Both nurseries had at least 800 mums when we dropped by on inspections last month.

Shoal Creek Gardens and Greenhouse are bringing pumpkins, both the large orange ones and smaller decorative ones with pale skin and orange and green ribs. The Agees have decorative Indian corn and other fall decorations. They also have wonderful flavored vinegars which will make great presents as the holiday season nears.

Of course, the produce is also beautiful – Broken Wire’s brilliant hot and sweet peppers (above), Der and Mai Lor’s lush lettuce, the piles of corn at Circle E and Fairhaven’s stands, John Pate’s baskets of apples, the Troyer’s table loaded with onions, tomatoes, and winter squash, the Vang’s potatoes and green beans.

In fact, we’ll celebrate beautiful stands next week by having a voting station on each market day so customers can vote for the vendor with the most beautiful display. Stop by the information table for your ballot.

Next Tuesday we have our new baker for the first time. Kay McLaughlin of Hazel’s Bakery is cutting down to just Friday, so we advertised for a new Tuesday baker, received some applications and did some tasting trials. I know, it’s a tough job but someone had to try the samples. Our Tuesday baker is Lorraine Yoder. If you’ve ever enjoyed the baked goods from the Stark City Bakery, then you have already tasted her wares. She plans to bring pies, cinnamon bread and country white and honey wheat breads.

Lunch today is Baked chicken, stuffing, mixed vegetables, banana pudding & drink for $6. The Plainsfolk play Irish tunes between 11 and 1.

Tomorrow (Saturday), the always-popular Ninth Hour Quartet performs. The Benefit Breakfast supports the Friends of the Webb City Public Library. Biscuit, gravy, sausage and drink cost $3. Two eggs, fried or scrambled, is $1. You get a free refill on the biscuit and gravy is you’re feeling especially hungry. And there’s butter and jelly if you’re not the gravy type.

Next Tuesday, Cooking for a Cause benefits Healing the Family. The Joplin Exchange Club provides the workers and always match their Cooking for a Cause profits, so the good cause receives twice the benefit when the Exchange Club is involved. Gary Kyger will play and sing during lunch.

If the gardens we saw planted during our second round of inspections last month are any indications, the market will soon be overflowing with green beans. It will be a great time to buy in bulk for preserving. If, however, you want to sit down to green beans now, here is a recipe that I’ll be doing on KOAM-TV next Tuesday morning.

Green Bean Salad with Walnuts and Shaved Parmesan in Lemon Dressing

Serves 4 to 6

1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 pound green beans
1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, thinly shaved (about 1/2 cup)

1. Toast the walnuts in a dry, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat until they start to brown in spots & become fragrant. (Take care not to overtoast them, as they will burn very quickly once toasted.) Immediately transfer nuts to a dish to cool.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the beans and salt; cook until tender but still firm, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Transfer the beans to a colander in the sink and run cold water over them. Trim the beans if necessary.

4. Toss the beans and walnuts in a large bowl & season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice and olive oil until well combined. Pour this mixture over the beans and toss until well coated. Transfer the salad to a serving platter or to individual plates. Scatter the Parmesan shavings on top.
From: Farmer John’s Cookbook

All right, I’ll confess it. I’ll be sound asleep when this recipe airs on Tuesday. KOAM is kind enough to let me tape several recipes at a go so I only have to do one early morning for a whole month of segments. Bless ‘em.

Don’t forget to check the blog for the latest news – like the visits to market by the Carl Junction high school food and nutrition class, the elephant garlic on Saturdays, the note I received today about our Farmers Market bag in regular use for shopping in Sarajevo, and the TV segments filmed at the market Tuesday.

Sentinel Column - 9/4/09

It’s Labor Day weekend, and we don’t know whether to expect a big or a sparse crowd. We’re going to be optimists and hope for a big crowd, even though rain is forecast.

So, why come to the market today, Saturday and Tuesday? Because our farmers are bringing in loads of produce which you’ll want on your table for the holiday. Because the pavilions are covered and high and dry even in wet weather. Because we have good meals and good causes. Because you’ll enjoy the music and see friends. And you probably have other reasons as well. If so, tell us about them at the information table.

Produce at the market now includes tomatoes, sweet corn, lots of peppers of many varieties, onions, okra, potatoes, green beans, boc choy, lettuce, radishes, beets, sweet potatoes, apples, melons, summer and winter squash . . . well you get the idea. We’re also seeing fresh ginger, many fresh herbs and, on Saturdays, elephant garlic.

The market will look a lot like fall today. Tim Green plans to bring pumpkins and Heidi Stoller will have mums.

Everyone is raving about the flat bread of Jamey Smith of Redings Mill Bakery (above). Dee Agee, one of our growers who specializes in chemical free heirloom produce, buys a “loaf” at every market, loaded with herbs and cheese and other goodies. Then she takes it home, adds some of her own veggies, reheats it and says it’s heaven. I’d come early for Jamey’s flat bread. It’s developing quite a following.

Lunch today is all-you-can-eat ham and beans, plus plain or jalapeno cornbread, chocolate cake and a drink for $5. Kelly Lee James performs between 11 and 1.

Tomorrow’s (Saturday) breakfast benefits the R-7 Scholarship Foundation. The Foundation provides scholarships to Webb City High School seniors pursuing continuing education. We have a great crew volunteering on their holiday weekend to bring you biscuits and gravy, sausages, and coffee or orange juice between 9 and 11 tomorrow. You can also order eggs, fried or scrambled. Good food, at a good price, for a good cause. With music, no less. How can you beat it?

And you’ll love the music. The musicians of the Now or Never Gang are making their once-a-year appearance at the market tomorrow. The bluegrass and gospel group has been playing together for about seven years, but mother Dee has performed since she was 10 years old with Johnson Family Bluegrass. Dee plays banjo and guitar, her husband, Rick, plays dobro. Their daughters, Lacey, Brianna, and Leah, play guitar, bass fiddle, and fiddle and mandolin respectively. All the girls do vocals as well.

On Tuesday (don’t forget it’s Tuesday, even if you didn’t have a regular weekday on Monday!!), the Friends of the Webb City Library host Cooking for a Cause. Gary Kyger will play and sing between 11 and 1.

As the weather turns a bit cooler, you may be ready for a hearty stew. The following recipe is one that I did on KOAM-TV this week. Of the ingredients, we have the chicken, onions, tomatoes, okra, potatoes, and corn at the market.

Brunswick Stew

1 stewing chicken
2 cubes chicken bouillon or 1 cup chicken stock
2 large onions, sliced
4 cups fresh or 2 cans (1 lb each) tomatoes
2 cups lima beans
3 medium potatoes, diced
4 cups corn cut from cob or 2 cans (1 lb each) corn – drain liquid from cans
2 cups okra (optional)
3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Cut chicken in pieces. In a large pot, add bouillon cubes or stock, then fill with water until chicken is covered. Stew until meat can be easily removed from bone, about 2.5 hours. Remove chicken, bone, skin and dice.

Strain broth and return to pot. Sauté onions in 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine. Place all ingredients, except chicken, in broth and simmer on low heat until potatoes are tender. Add chicken.

Brunswick Stew benefits from long, slow cooking. The flavor improves if the stew is refrigerated overnight and reheated the next day.

Adapted from The Williamsburg Cookbook