Fall marks the time for “warm” foods, including soups. The foods of this time of year are perfect for soups; we have tomatoes, cabbage and broccoli, winter squash, peppers, onions and garlic. Vegetable soup is so strengthening ….it is easy to create a simple meal with any mix of vegetables from the garden or market, a bit of black pepper, additional vegetables from the freezer or cans, and then stock (vegetable or meat), beans or other protein, and herbs for flavoring. Add to that market artisan bread, garlic and olive oil for dipping, and you have a tasty and satisfying meal.
Soup recipes abound; you may like the influence of coconut milk or lemongrass (Asian/Indian) or fish (coastal), or milk/cream based. Do you have old family recipes that have been passed down but not looked at for a while? This is a great time to reminisce and perhaps prepare a meal with a child or grandchild. The kitchen is not as hot as it was in August. But the weather is also still perfect for cooking outside, either grilling or cooking over a campfire. Even people who don’t think of themselves as vegetable lovers, may like the taste of roasted or grilled vegetables. You can roast or grill almost any vegetable, and vegetables are lovely as medleys. Just make sure to consider cooking times….beets, squash, sweet potatoes and carrots may take longer to cook (or may be cut in smaller pieces) than green beans, broccoli, onions and eggplant.
Getting back to soups…..don’t forget the legumes. Dried beans and peas are a wonderful, inexpensive and versatile protein. This past week, I made a brown lentil soup with not much more than onions and garlic (these are essentially the base of any savory soup), carrots, tomatoes, celery, powdered cumin and coriander, and a squeeze of lemon at the end. It is flavorful enough to suit me for both dinner and breakfast, while being filling and low calorie. And pretty much everything except the lentils and powdered spices and celery came from the garden.
Joining us this week at the Fayette County Farmers Market will be the Bluegrass Ramblers as well as a representative from Nationwide Children’s Hospital to share information about the Positive Parenting Program. Only three more Saturday markets (last market is on Oct. 1), so come one and all to stock up on what you not only need for the week, but for the coming weeks. We appreciate you and your support of the market.
The Market is open Saturday morning from 8:30 to noon. It is located in the municipal parking lot on the corner of South Main and East East streets in Washington Court House. SNAP EBT food benefit cards and credit/debit cards are accepted. Those using the SNAP EBT card for food purchases receive matching dollar “Produce Perks” tokens ($1 for $1) good only for fruits, vegetables, and food producing plants. So, “buy one, get one” for up to $25 EVERY market day. Five dollar coupons will be available again for Fayette County Farm Bureau members at each Saturday market; these can be spent at both the Wednesday and Saturday markets.
The following list contains the names and products of the vendors that expect to set up this Saturday. Other vendors may participate as well.
Engeti (Alana Walters): Baked goods including bread, cinnamon rolls, rolls, cakes, pies, cookies.
Greens & Greenery (Katrina Bush): Seasonal produce grown with no pesticides, herbicides or fungicides, including green onions, leeks, garlic, beets and tomatoes. Cilantro seed for fall/winter crops. Baklava, buckeyes (the peanut butter kind), local raw honey, sourdough crackers.
Julie G’s Cookies (Julie Greenslade): Chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, ginger, snickerdoodle, pineapple, sugar, peanut butter, peanut butter jumbos, peanut butter fudge, lemon bars, salted caramel butter bars, macadamia nut and pumpkin cookies.
New Martinsburg Maple Syrup LLC & Dave’s Pumpkins (Sam and Dave Bowers): Fayette County maple syrup and a variety of pumpkins.
Persinger Produce and Cottage Foods, The Jam Man (David Persinger): GINGER PEAR PRESERVES and PEACH FLAMINGO. Chocolate Texas sheet cakes with or without pecans, JAMS: “Currant Affair” (a jam of black currants with a smattering of red currants), strawberry, strawberry-rhubarb, pineapple, pineapple Habanero, peach, blueberry, cherry, black raspberry, blackberry, seedless blackberry, red raspberry, red raspberry jalapeno, and strawberry jalapeno. JELLIES: hot pepper jelly. No added sugar jams: triple berry, plum, blueberry, seedless blackberry.
PPCF & S. Plymouth Raw Honey) (Julie & Dennis Mosny): Local raw honey, honey comb, assorted fruit pies, banana cake, pumpkin cookies, cini mini’s, buns bars and cinnamon rolls.
Slate Hill Farm & Orchard(Greg, Carmen, & Joe Hood): Apples. Varieties available now include: Gala, Fuji, Enterprise and Crimson Crisp.
Wood Designs by DW (Debbie Welch): One of a kind handcrafted wood items— birdhouses, signs, tables, gnomes. Crocheted items including kitchen towels, pot scrubs, pot holders, baby booties, and afghans. Will take custom and special orders.
Your Other Mother’s Kitchen (Don & Sara Creamer): Baked goods including artisan breads and muffins. Sewing crafts.
Bridge View Garden (Hunter & Lorelle Rohrer): Seasonal produce including red raspberries, sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes, onions, peppers, winter squash (spaghetti, acorn and butternut). Mums, decorative gourds. Homemade breads (yeast, savory and sweet) and rolls.
Cheryl’s Country Crafts (Cheryl Braun & David Stewart): Handmade wreaths and swags, porch signs, wood crafts, mug toppers, and candles. Taking special orders.
Cozy Baby Blessings (Nancy Cutter): END OF SEASON SALE on select baby items!Handmade baby essentials including, crocheted blankets and hats, flannel burp cloths, crinkle square and bunny ear teethers and pacifier clips. Also, Fall silk flower arrangements, beaded pens, letter openers and key chains and wax melts in over 60 scents.
Edlynns Attic (Robin Dement): Hand knit baby hats with fur poms, fingerless gloves, knit baskets and acrylic and alpaca yarn. Chocolate chip cookie mixes and brownie mixes from Shelbee’s Dry Mix Company.
