Local diet update - May 4, 2009

With a pantry still full of home canned, all-local soups and stewed tomatoes, I'm declaring another week of Pantry Week. All that means is that I'll be focusing on using those pantry foods up vs. buying my usual supply of fresh goodies. That doesn't mean, however, that there aren't any fresh veggies lingering. Not only did I pick up a few things at our local farmers' market this weekend (though far less than I would normally buy), I also did a little harvesting in my own backyard. Let's get right to it!

Saturday was another beautiful day for a farmers' market and 21 vendors came out to display an amazing harvest. In addition to food, we had a local woodturner doing demonstrations and a silent auction with paintings from a local artist, the proceeds of which support the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market. It was a REALLY exciting day! As far as the edibles, available this week were

Veggies: white potatoes, red potatoes, red onions, yellow onions, green onions, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, yellow squash, patty-pan squash, peppers, beets, beet greens, spinach, collard greens, herbs, lambs-quarter

Fruits: dried apples, dried cranberries

Canned goods: jams, jellies, salsa, tomato juice, pickles, pickled veggies, canned okra, relishes, chow-chow

Baked goods: yeast breads, cornbread, pastries, sweet breads, bagel bites, egg noodles, puppy cookies

Other foods: olive oil, locally-roasted coffees, eggs, ground cornmeal, ground whole wheat flour, locally-roasted peanuts, honey, raw food snacks (crackers, trail mix, fat mints)

Plants: veggie plants, fruit plants, herb plants, ornamental plants

Crafts: journals, puzzles, purses, aprons, pot holders, candles, soaps

Again, with Round 2 of Pantry Week in the works, I didn't need much. I picked up some red potatoes, carrots, an onion, whole wheat flour, eggs, egg noodles, and puppy cookies. I did end up with two special treats. First, it's hard to see, but just above the egg noodles is something called a "fat mint." It's made by my friend who is on a raw diet (and she makes fabulous raw food snacks!). These little mints are delicious. From what I can tell, it's a fig stuffed with chocolate bits, pumpkin seeds, and mint flavoring. Mmm! The second treat is that one of the vendors gave me a "Georgia Jet" sweet potato from which to make sweet potato slips (to be planted later this spring). As for the rest of these fresh goodies, Dave will be enjoying them with his meals this week. But you never know - I might just sneak in a nibble or two...

There were a few items that needed to be harvested from our backyard garden. The broccoli plant, although gorgeous, needed to be pulled as it's just too warm to produce any broccoli. I also pulled about half a dozen green onions, some lambs-quarter, and kale. Ooh, do I have plans for these as I see some yummy breakfast burritos in my future!

With a full kitchen and pantry, we're ready for another exciting week of good eating here at SGF. With the warmer weather comes the opening of farmers' markets all over the country. So get on out there and discover the wonderful world of local food! 

Have a great week, everyone. And, as always, Happy (and mindful) eating!

To find out what's happening in other farmers' markets around the county, check out this week's on To Every Meal There is a Season.