The 14th & U Streets Farmers' Market returns on May 2, 2009, for the third summer in a row, on the sidewalk in front of the Reeves Center. From the MHNA Listserv:
Dear Fans of 14&U Farmers' Market,
We're BACK. This Saturday from 9-1. Rain or Shine. All your Spring Favorites and some seriously delicious surprises.
NEW PRODUCER: Many of you asked for a producer of pasta, sauces, home-made soups and jams. I am really thrilled I found you this one! Chef Stefano Frigerio of Maestro fame. Stefano has given up the restaurant gig for now and has become a local producer using local farm ingredients for his stand, The Copper Pot.
Maestro quality pastas at farmers' market prices: artisanal gnocchi, linguine, spaghetti, cavatelli, sausage ravioli, rabbit ravioli, mushroom ravioli, ricotta-spinach ravioli. And his famous sauces: last year he canned 800 jars of late- harvest local tomato sauce. He has added roasted shallots and Barolo sauce and smoky farmer bacon and parmesan sauces for his pastas.
Looking for a little excitement in your jam? Stefano loves to make locally sourced jams with attitude. Concord grape with a little grappa, peach and prosecco, vanilla and strawberry, white figs and balsamic, fresh apple jam. Next week: Homemade soups to take home. From whatever is best at the market.
> What would you be doing if you weren't a chef? "I love food, and if
> I couldn't be a chef, I think being a farmer would be the only
> thing I could do. It's what I want to do when I retire. My family
> used to grow vegetables. We had our own chickens, our own rabbits.
> (From Washingtonian interview with Stefano on January 22, 2008)
NEW BREAD BAKER: Breadline stopped doing farmers' markets and Panorama has taken their place. Loic Feillet bakes his RUSTIQUE bread for Citronelle, Cityzen......and us. Try his pumpernickel boule with salmon or his mini multigrain breadlets with a slice of cheese. Croissants, Danish, whole wheat, rye, sourdough breads
sliced loaves, baguettes (including French, sun- dried tomato, walnut- raisin) Make sure you taste his large olive oil rolls. They make exceptional sandwich breads but are essential for Pan Bagnat, which is a classy, addictive Provencal tuna salad sandwich. His breakfast challah would be perfect for Joe Yonan's Gingered
Chicken Salad Sandwich in the Post today....
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2009/04/29/gingered- chicken-salad-sandwich/
Asparagus is in prime season and you will find it all over the market. ( I will be grilling asparagus, roasting asparagus, stir-frying asparagus with garlic and ginger, making asparagus omelettes and pureeing asparagus soup all week.)
Other spring veggies at Mountain View, Garner, Truck Patch, Kuhn: arugula, spicy mustard greens, kale, salad greens, lettuces, radishes, green garlic (for green garlic pesto), spring onions, Swiss Chard, thyme, sage, chives. Looking for something unusual? Try Mountain View's stinging nettles to make French Nettle Soup
(wear your rubber gloves to pluck the leaves!), rhubarb, watercress and honey.
Dolcezza Gelato and Sorbetto: From local milk and cream! Lemon Ricotta Cardamom, Tahitian Vanilla bean, Bananas Foster, Cappuccino, Pistachicchio di Bronte, Valrhona Chocolate Amargo, Lime Cilantro, Champagne Mango, Sicilian Blood Orange, Meyer Lemon Vodka, Raw Honey, Orange Honey Cardamom.
Aged raw milk cheeses: Keswick's Cheddar, Wallaby, Lesher, Vermeer, Feta, Tomato and Basil Feta, Italian Herb feta and Feta de provence.
Special Reserve aged Vermeer- aged at least 7 months, it has a nuttier flavor than the younger Vermeer. Yogurt, Bovre, Ricotta, Quark and pudding. Maybe cheesecakes and Blue Suede Moo.
Fruit: Cider, Goldrush, Fuji, Granny Smith, Pink Lady apples and half a bushel of Honey Crisp, apple butter and canned ripe peaches at Kuhn and McCleaf.
Flowers and Plants: Faucher's beautiful flowers from her fields this week: Sweet William, Hellaborus, Viburium, Allium, Dames Rocket, Dutch Iris. Beautiful Hanging Plants at Garner.
Want to grow your own veggies and herbs? Garner and Mountain View have a fine selection of bedding plants for our little city gardens: heirloom tomatoes, eggplants, watermelons, peppers, cukes, summer squash, lettuces, chard, mustards.... and okra. I grew 3 large okra plants last year for the first time and I was AMAZED when they grew into stately 6 feet tall pillars with magnificent, HUGE leaves. - Oh, yes, the okra was good, too.
MORE EGGS this year: This week Pecan Meadow will have Chicken and Duck and Goose Eggs. (Truck Patch and Mountain View will also have lots of eggs in a few weeks....)
Home Baking: Lois Shirk has expanded her offerings of traditional baked goods: pumpkin whoopie pies, pumpkin bread, pecan pie, whole wheat molasses bread, swedish rye bread, shoefly pie, oatmeal pie.
Pastured Meats: Truck Patch has every cut of fresh pastured pork and beef. Pecan Meadow has their half Piedmontese, 100% grass- fed beef: lots of different steaks, roasts and stew meats.
If you want Chicken or Muscovy ducks for delivery on Saturday, contact Daniel and Lois:
Email: bluemeadowbeef@juno.com or call: 717 423 5365
See you on Saturday! Come meet Stefano and Loic and welcome back everyone else!
Robin and Luke
PS, JOIN OUR NEW FACEBOOK PAGE: 14th and U Farmers Market.
--
Robin Shuster
Markets & More
14& U Farmers Market
Bloomingdale Farmers Market
email: marketsandmore@gmail.com (sign up for our weekly market email!)
The 14&U Farmers Market:
Day: Every Saturday May 2- November 21st,
Time: 9am - 1pm
Place: On the sidewalk of the Reeves Plaza, at the NW corner of 14th and U Streets NW.
The Bloomingdale Farmers Market:
Date: Every Sunday May 17th- November 22nd,
Time:10am - 2pm
Place: In front of the Big Bear Cafe on First and R Streets NW.
We Welcome EBT, WIC and Senior GET FRESH checks at both markets.