Thursday, May 28, 2009

Market to Table - May 28, 2009

Let me tell you. It's been a beautiful and diverse week in food. With two parties last weekend (one with friends and the other to celebrate my Dad's birthday), we added loads of wonderful leftovers to all the goodies I reported on Monday's Local Diet Update. But first, here are this week's highlights...

Veggie Sandwich and Sauteed Veggies - The leftover hummus in the fridge from a friend's party was just begging to be used as a sandwich spread. Plus, with local tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, and onions, a little partially-local guacamole, and my homemade whole-wheat bread (local honey and locally ground flour), well... isn't a nice thick sandwich obvious (not to mention look delicious)? Add a side of sauteed swiss chard and onions from my backyard garden and you have a delicious feast! 

Salmorejo and Smashed Potatoes - A friend of mine from Spain offered me a special Spanish treat this week: Salmorejo. I'd never tried it before. In fact, I don't believe I've ever eaten a soup intended to be served chilled. Well, consider me sold on chilled soups! It was cool, refreshing, and delicious, (particularly after the warm day we spent in the kitchen making jam and baking two cakes). The ingredients were mostly from our local farmers' market (tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, bread). Check it out...
Salmorejo
  • 6 medium tomatoes
  • 2 large cloves garlic
  • 1-1/2 cups stale bread
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper
Soak the bread in water. When tender, remove excess water and mix all ingredients in a blender. Adjust olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. Chill in fridge and serve.
I enjoyed the soup with a side of all-local Crash Hot Potatoes. The meal was muy delicioso! Gracias Pilar!

Fruit Salad - You didn't think I was going to let you get away without a glimpse of all that local fruit, did you? This is the time of the year in Texas when some of my favorite fruits are available all at the same time. Strawberry season is just wrapping up and blueberry and peach seasons are just starting. I brought them all together for a colorful fruit salad. Together with a handful of Texas pecans and a cup of sage tea (sage from my backyard garden), breakfasts this week were 100% local and completely yummy!

Not pictured are Dave's dinners: egg noodles (farmers' market) and pasta sauce (not local) with a side of steamed green beans (backyard garden) and leftover barbeque from my Dad's party (not local) with a side of steamed carrots and potatoes (farmers' market); and a few meals of my own: all-local cucumber-tomato-onion salad (leftovers from Dad's party); roasted, all-local potatoes, onions, green pepper, and tomatoes (also leftovers from Dad's party), all-local chunky potato soup...

Now who in their right mind would dismiss the wonder and diversity of local food? And I didn't even get a chance to cook that spaghetti squash I bought at the farmers' market last weekend (and believe me, do I have plans for it). I have to say, all these leftovers were a real treat this week. I'm so used to cooking the same old things for myself all the time (I'm a lazy and reluctant cook) that freshening meals up with leftovers prepared by someone else's loving hands was absolutely fabulous!

Now quit drooling (it's not good for your keyboard), head on out to your farmers' market this weekend, and discover the wonderful world of local food for yourself. In the meantime, happy (and mindful) eating!

5 comments:

Beany said...

Every looks muy delicious! That fruit salad is candy for my eyes...seeing as I can't actually eat it.

Ruthie said...

SGF, you are so sweet. I love reading your blog so much, you remind me that things don't have to be as complicated as I make them. You see life as such a gift!

I really need to find better sources of local foods here in Houston, as I haven't seen any fruit available much at all. Mostly just beets an kale an leeks! Maybe I should hit the farmer's market earlier or try out a different one.

Russell and I would love to come up and visit you some Saturday if you wouldn't mind! Let me know,
veganruthie @ yahoo . com

hmd said...

Beany - Thanks! The fruit salad was consumed WAY too fast, although I tucked some of the blueberries in the freezer for a rainy day. I wanted to extend the pleasure just a bit :)

Ruthie - Have you tried using Local Harvest to find other sources? I've found here that although we do have fruit at our farmers' market, it's not available long enough for me to eat all local fruit from just the market. Thankfully, there are lots of pick-your-own orchards all over Texas. Local Harvest can help you there too, or check out Pick Your Own for pick-your-own places in Texas.

I'd love to meet up with you. I'm always at the farmers' market until 12 or 12:30. Perhaps we can all go to lunch afterwards.

J said...

Drooling is NOT good for our keyboards but it is kind of difficult when you post such tasty looking grub. I seriously want to make a lunch out of your veggie hummus sandwich and bowl of fruit.

I've never had a cold soup before either, I've always been curious about gazpacho and other cold soups, but the idea weirded me out. Maybe I SHOULD try it.

hmd said...

Jennifer - the soup was AWESOME and great for summertime (we're in the 90's here). Of course, Pilar is a great cook, so I'm sure that has something to do with it :)