May Newsletter
Peas porridge hot,
Peas porridge cold.
Peas porridge in the pod,
One day old.
My oldest son came up with that rhyme while stuffing his gob with fresh peas we bought at the HMB Farmer’s Market from Giusti Farms. The Market opened this weekend, and I did a quick pass through early Saturday morning before coming into work. Most of the farmers were still setting up as I was walking along, but it was great to see some familiar faces from last year. And it was even better to see such a beautiful array of fruits, vegetables, and other farmers' market gems, back on the Coastside for another season. Kudos to Erin Tormey for putting the whole thing together week after week and year after year.
And now, you ask, what did we do with all the lovely produce we purchased from the farmer's market? Ibarra Farms organic strawberries made a sweet and refreshing agua fresca that we sampled on Saturday at Toque Blanche. Check out their mushrooms, too. Dee Harley brought a lovely assortment of goat cheeses, including the sublime Goat’s Milk Ricotta (also available during the week at the HMB Wine and Cheese Shop). We had this for dessert the other night with Chestnut Honey (available at TB) and it was delicious. It makes a great breakfast spread, too, with some of our new Fig Jam from Asiago, Italy. Also an Italian delicacy from Asiago, Nocciolata (pronounced “no-chee-o-LAH-tah), is a smooth and creamy organic hazelnut and chocolate spread that tastes like heaven on a spoon. (That’s the way we eat it at our house, but I suppose you could put it on something if you want to.)
Last month I promised you a list of “Blogs I Actually Read.” Turns out they are all local, too.
The latest blog I've added to the list is Eric Gower's BreakawayCook.com/blog.
Eric will be here for a booksigning this Saturday, May 10th, , just in time for Mother's Day. This book has definitely started to influence my cooking at home and has helped solidify some concepts that swim around in my head along with all the other thoughts about food that live up there.
Here's a list of the others, with more detailed thoughts available at www.mytoque.com/blog/index.html
Omnivoreherbivorecarnivore.blogspot.com
www.TheFamilyChef.blogspot.com –see June 7th event below!
I hope this list gets you head spinning with thoughts of food, and that next time you walk the Farmer's Market menus just form in your head! If not, steal an idea from someone else, or come by and tell me what's in the bag and what's in the fridge, and we'll see what we can come up with!
Have Fun Cooking!
Stuart