Farmer's Market Happy

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The fresh flowers are the first colors to catch my eye.  They beam a welcome and beg me to bury my nose into their midst and inhale this early summer day. It is still a relatively cool morning and only the foreshadowing of a hot and humid day teases in the morning air.  I hold the hands of my little girls a wee bit tighter and tell them to take a deep breath and smell. Sweetly scented  strawberries and those amazing cream filled whoopee pies fill our noses.  The Friday morning ritual has begun.

A local farmer’s market is a delight for the senses: smells and sights and tastes of the season inspire healthy eating and the opportunity to invest in meaningful community relationships. My girls smile and say hello to the farmer who offers them a taste of her strawberries; my boys scan the scene, looking for baked goods. I stop to chat with the farmer about the baby spinach and we exchange ideas about a salad that combines her spinach and strawberries with the fresh goat cheese to be had a few stalls down from her. It is early in the farmer’s market season in my town and we are meeting new friends and re-acquainting ourselves with familiar faces from last year.

I have a list, the fruit of careful research about what to expect this time of year. I’ve sketched some menus based on what I can reasonably hope to find. But I know that I will happily skip away from the plans on the list should one of the farmers have something different to offer, particularly if they can suggest a way to prepare it.

Sarah, my smallest child, holds my hand tightly, her eyes wide with wonder, scanning the scene. Tugging me just a bit, she is eager to absorb it all. She doesn’t remember last year’s visits, when she rode through this market snuggled up against me in a baby carrier. This is a playground for a child who is an adventurous, enthusiastic eater of all things fresh and flavorful.  Sarah is eager to taste and see. And so am I. It is market season at last and we will fill our basket with the fresh and flavorful: brown eggs, free range chicken, spring greens, abundant ripe strawberries, asparagus, and a bouquet of those wildflowers. Tonight, our dinner will be fine, fresh, and rooted firmly in the local soil.

 

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Make the Most of Your Trip:

• Go early . You will find the best selection if you arrive early. Early mornings at the market are cooler and everything (and everyone) is fresh and crisp. The sensory experience of fresh produce artfully displayed, piled high, and smelling unmistakably of summer is not to be missed.
• Go late: If you arrive at the end of the selling period, there are fewer people there. You won’t have as much from which to choose, but you are likely to score a bargain or two. Farmers begin to discount deeply in order to avoid transporting their goods again.
• Bring bags or boxes. Some vendors will provide their own bags, but you can’t count on it and bringing your own will endear you to the man behind the table.
• Bring a cooler (or two) and pack it with ice packs. You don’t want to limit your buying ability by worrying about whether everything will wilt and spoil on the hot ride home.
• Think big! The best deals to be had are the ones where you are willing to work in bulk. Whatever is at harvest peak will be most abundant and least expensive. Buy large and take it home to freeze, can, jelly, jam or dehydrate.
• Bring cash. It’s definitely the preferred currency and, in many cases, the only currency. Some vendors might participate in the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) program. If your family qualifies, be sure to ask about it.
• Have a teachable spirit. Ask lots of questions. Farmers are passionate about what they’ve brought. If you see something unfamiliar, ask about it. You’ll broaden your horizons and you are very likely to go home with some new cooking tips, too.
• Do a little research ahead of time. Get to know your local growing times. If you know when to expect each crop to be at its peak, you’ll make better decisions at each stand. Talk to the famers and ask what to expect in the coming weeks. This is community-supported agriculture. Get to know your community and be a part of it.
• And, since you know what you are likely to find, because you know what is in season, have a rough sketch of a meal plan in mind before you go. You need to be flexible, but a plan that can change is a good idea. It will keep you from wandering aimlessly, either unable to decide what to buy or buying too much too impulsively.
• Prepare to be spontaneous. Particularly if you are sharing the experience with children, it’s good to be ready to grant them each a small treat, whether it’s the season’s first strawberries or something new they’ve never tired before, indulging in unexpected bounty is part of the experience.
• Expect a little dirt. Root vegetables will still have greens attached and you’ll have to shake the dirt from them. Everything will be fresher—but it will definitely look it, too. Learn to clean and store fresh-from-the-farm treasures.

Books for Little Market Shoppers:-)!

Farmer's Market Day A sweet little girl has happy adventures at the Farmer's Market.

Let's Go to the Farmer's Market

To Market, To Market

Cookbooks:

Simply in Season: Recipes that Celebrate fresh, local food in the spirit of More with Less by Mary Beth Lind; Herald Press

Fresh From the Farmer’s Market: Year ‘Round Recipes for the Pick of the Crop by Janet Fletcher, Chronicle Books.

Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America’s Farmer’s Markets, by Deborah Madison, Clarkson Potter

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Fettuccine Gazpacho Salad

Serves 8 to 10

2 cans (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes (do not drain) or use 10-12 whole fresh tomatoes, about 2 pounds. You can peel the fresh tomatoes, if you like. I don’t—it all gets chopped fine in the blender and peeling tomatoes in a hot kitchen isn’t my favorite thing to do.

3 medium cloves garlic

½- 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (more or less, according to taste)

¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

sea salt

1 pound fettuccine (fresh fettuccine takes it to a whole new level)

1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch pieces

1 medium red bell pepper , chopped

1 medium yellow bell pepper , chopped

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes , halved

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves (Alternatively, cilantro is a different flavor, but also really good. And then again, fresh basil is another good choice. Go with what looks best at the market.)

3 scallions, thinly sliced

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup pitted black olives , quartered

Directions:

1. Puree diced tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, basil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and ½ teaspoon salt in blender until smooth. Transfer to bowl (don’t use metal), cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
3. Place cucumber, red and yellow peppers, cherry tomatoes, parsley, scallions, and oil in large serving bowl and toss well to combine.
4. Add pasta and pureed dressing and toss again.

Salad should be allowed to sit in the refrigerator at least two hours and can be refrigerated overnight. This is a great do-ahead dish for a summer party. Scatter olives over top. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Blueberry Cobbler

Serves 6

3 cups fresh blueberries

3 tablespoons white sugar

1/3 cup orange juice

2/3 cup unbleached flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 pinch salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup white sugar

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In an 8 inch square baking dish, mix blueberries, 3 tablespoons sugar, and orange juice. Set aside. In a small bowl, thoroughly mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream butter and ½ cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Gradually add flour mixture, stirring just until ingredients are combined. Do not overmix or your crust will be tough and chewy. Drop batter by rounded tablespoons over blueberry mixture. Try to cover as much of filling as possible.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbling.

Fresh Greens and Strawberry Salad

Serves 6

2 tablespoons strawberry vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
5 ounces baby spinach, baby lettuces, and arugula (8 cups)
1/2 pound strawberries, cut lengthwise into thick slices (1 ½ cups)
1/2 cup pecan halves (3 ½ ounces), toasted and cooled

goat cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Whisk together vinegar, a rounded ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.
2.  Add oil in a slow stream, whisking well.
3. Put mixed greens, strawberries, and pecans in a large bowl and toss with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat.
4. Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese.

Roasted Beets in Balsamic Vinaigrette

Beets “bleed,” so to keep the juices in while they cook, leave on the skins, the roots on the bottom, and at least an inch of the green stems. It’s especially pretty to cook both red and yellow beets—you don’t want the colors to bleed on to each other. After they’re cooked, peel the beets over a bowl, since beet juice stains are nearly impossible to remove from wood or plastic surfaces. Expect that your hands will be stained.

This makes enough for a summer side dish for 4 people. Toss with toasted pecans and crumbled goat cheese.

OR

Roasted beets are really good in a salad of mixed greens; the marinade makes a salad dressing.

8 medium beets (about 2 pounds total)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.         Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.         Trim the beets, leaving on the skin, an inch of the stem, and the tail on the bottom of each, then scrub and drain. Place the beets in a small casserole dish just big enough to hold them. Pour the water and olive oil over the beets then cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and bake until tender and easily pierced with a sharp paring knife, about 1 ½ hours.  (Honest disclaimer: I do this in a disposable pan. The beet juice carmelizes, which is delicious, and incredibly hard to clean off the pan.)

3.         Remove the casserole from the oven and uncover the beets carefully, keeping your face and hands away from the steam. Let them cool completely in the dish.

4.         Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the salt, and pepper in a medium-size bowl and whisk to blend. Taste and add more olive oil, if desired.

5.         Peel the cooled beets with the back of a paring knife and cut into ½-inch slices. Add to the dressing in the bowl and toss gently but thoroughly to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator, for up to 24 hours.

Zucchini Bread

Makes one medium loaf

1 medium zucchini

1 medium carrot

¾ cup sugar

½ cup butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 ½ cup unbleached flour or white whole wheat flour

zest of one lemon

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon allspice

½  teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup walnuts

1 large egg

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. Finely shred the zucchini and carrot.

3. In a large mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix by hand until just blended.

4. Fold in carrots and zucchini.

5. Transfer to a greased and floured bread pan and bake for approximately 65 minutes.

Peruvian Roasted Chicken

Serves 6

2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for oiling the pan
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
1 ¼ teaspoons ground black pepper
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 large sweet onions, peeled and thickly sliced
1 chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces
2 red or yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into rings

1 lemon, sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Oil a large roasting pan and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon juice and oil to make a paste.
4. Place onions in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the paste.
5. Rub chicken pieces with remaining paste and place in prepared pan.
6. Cover the chicken with onions, peppers and lemon.
7. Roast, basting occasionally with pan juices, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are very tender, about 45 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.  
9. Serve over rice.

~ a variation of this post originally appeared in Faith and Family Magazine. Now, we go to the Market on Saturday mornings, even closer to home.

Act as If

I awoke this morning far earlier than I'd hoped. I really need a good night's sleep. I heard footsteps in the hall and then, I couldn't get back to sleep. I curled up with a steaming mug in a corner of the sunroom that would offer me this view.

Except it didn't. Rain pounded outside, so no sunlight poured through those windows. And the room looks very little like this right now. It's messy and disorganized and remnants of every "Let's Pretend" game in the last 72 hours are scattered about. I wasn't feeling particularly like studying scripture. I spent most of the weekend angry and disappointed. That doesn't usually bode well for mornings after. I'd left my Bible upstairs and it was so early I didn't really want to go back up and possibly disturb Mike. Still, something kept telling me that I really need some quality quiet time.

I pulled the C. S. Lewis Bible from its place in the living room. You know? The one I bought mostly because it matches the paint so well? First, I flipped to Tobit to read "the rest of the story" following the readings from daily Mass on Thursday. Um. No, I didn't. It's a Protestant Bible. No Tobit there. So I turned to Colossians, because I mostly know Colossians by heart and I just needed something familiar. And that's when pieces started to come together.

I think I've shared with you previously how I received a critical email about this post. The writer suggested that sanctity wasn't about "faking it," but about embracing pain and suffering. Her point of view has come to mind frequently in the years since she wrote, probably because she's someone I whom I consider thoughtful and very well intentioned. Of course we have to embrace pain and suffering, but not to the exclusion of "acting as if." I remembered her note again and again this weekend as I engaged in an ongoing dialogue in person with someone about "faking it." 

I tried (in vain) to explain that even though sometimes we don't feel a certain way, we need to act a certain way. I suggested there was spiritual maturity in acting as if we were loving towards someone even if we didn't particularly like that person, of acting as if we were happy to be somewhere even if we'd rather be somewhere else. Sometimes, in the act of behaving as if we were loving, we actually do grow to be loving.

Embracing pain and suffering doesn't mean being all serious and dour and sackcloth and ashes all the time. I think it might mean working especially hard to find the good in something or someone and genuinely seeking to celebrate it. My companion argued vehemently that that was duplicitous and lacked authenticity. I tried (in vain) to explain that often when we behave in a gracious, accepting manner towards someone or something, we begin to feel more gracious towards that person or thing. It doesn't lower our standards or make us less "good." It might even make us more Christlike. He ate with tax collectors and allowed the prostitute to anoint Him. He was embracing and He wasn't even faking it. He actually saw the good and brought out the good. Of course, at heart, some people might be afraid that if they act so, they might actually love so. And they don't want to love. Then, it's probably a good idea to be still and ask oneslf and God why not.

It is, I think, one of the cleverest snares of the devil, to take the "good" people and have them draw circles about themselves whereupon they judge and exclude anyone they consider less "good" than themselves. The circle grows smaller and smaller until, at last, they are left standing alone, having missed countless opportunities to touch souls for Christ and having missed countless friendships God intended for them. There is pain and division and genuine sorrow in communities, and sadly, even in families.

The "good people" would do well to remember that the Church is a hospital. Christ is the Great Physician. And we are all sinners in need of healing. God uses us to bring relief to the wounded.

So, this morning, there in dear, familiar Colossians, was this C. S. Lewis quote. He's brilliant. He knew beter than to call it "faking it." He knew so well how to express this beautiful concept that isn't really faking it at all (my bad), but "putting on Christ."

    What is the good of pretending to be what you are not? Well, even on the human level, you know, there are two kinds of pretending. There is a bad kind, where the pretence is there instead of the real thing; as when a man pretends he is going to help you instead of really helping you. But there is also a good kind, where the pretence leads up to the real thing. When you are not feeling particularly friendly but you know you ought to be, the best thing you can do, very often, is to put on a friendly manner and behave as if you were a nicer person than you actually are. And, in a few minutes, as we have all noticed, you will be feeling friendlier than you were. Very often the only way to get a quality in reality is to start behaving as if you had it already. That is why children's games are so important. They are always pretending to be grown-ups--playing soldiers, playing shop. But all the time, they are hardening their muscles and sharpening their wits so that the pretence of being grown-up helps them to grow up in earnest.

    Now the moment you realise "Here I am dressing up as Christ," it is extremely likely that you will see at once some way in which at that very moment the pretence could be made less of a pretence and more of a reality. You will find several things going on in your mind which would not be going on there if you were really a son of God. Well, stop them. Or you may realise that, instead of saying your prayers, you ought to be downstairs writing a letter, or helping your wife to wash-up. Well, go and do it.

    You see what is happening. The Christ himeslf, the Son of God who is man (just like you) and God (just like His Father) is actually at your side and is already at the moment beginning to turn your pretence into reality.

--from Mere Christianity as quoted in the C. S. Lewis Bible. 

If only sitting here long enough, pretending the sunroom was neat and tidy would make it so.

Lord, Hear Our Prayer

The internet is a formidable force for bringing the comfort and consolation and hope of the Lord to all of us. It can be an incredibily powerful medium for community. There is an unfathomable resource for prayer here. We have on the 'net the privilege of praying for people and of being witness to the miracles brought forth when fervent, faith-filled people pray for one another.

Let's be that community of hope and faith for one another.

How about this idea? What if I pop in here every weekend, share Sunday's gospel and talk a wee bit about how we can live it and pray it in our homes? And then you tell me how we can pray for you that week? Deal?

{And please, do return and let us know how prayer is bearing fruit.} 

Gospel

Luke 7:11-17

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
“Do not weep.”
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst, ”
and “God has visited his people.”
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.

Think

“Christ has no body now, but yours. 

No hands, no feet on earth, but yours. 

Yours are the eyes through Which 

Christ looks compassion into 

the world. 

Yours are the feet with which 

Christ walks to do good. 

Yours are the hands with Which 

Christ blesses the world.” 

~St. Teresa of Avila

Pray

Dear Lord,

You ask to be prophets in our day. You send us into our families, our schools, our parishes, and our communities on a mission for Christ. Please equip us. Fill us with your spirit and grant us your grace. Make us truly holy.

Act

Jesus sent the apostles out with so little and asked of them so much. And those true friends of Jesus--they were happy. Make a list of the "stuff" that stands between you and your ability to leap to your feet, tie on your sandals, and do whatever He tells you. Resolve today to get rid of it.

Bright Days

It's 7:45 on Saturday morning. I've already worked out. I sat on the front steps with a mug of Red Zinger infused with raw honey and cayenne pepper. My bags are at the ready as soon as the Famer's Market opens. 

Weekend.

Mike was gone all last week. Did you notice without me even saying so;-)? He arrived home yesterday late afternoon and began to put my world in order again. (Not literally--he's not much of cleaner-upper.) It amazes me how much effect one person can have on the heart of a household. For me, it's the presence or absence of my husband that is most notable. But I notice the comings and goings of children, too.

This weekend brings us very much into graduation season. This is the year of Patrick's graduation. Well, not really. Patrick graduated early, but it is the year he would have graduated. So, it's the year his friends graduate. Patrick collects friends like a dog on the trail in the autumn gathers burrs. He has lots and lots of them. And Patrick keeps friends. They've all grown up together. So, we are drawn into his flurry of activity this week as all those little boys he played soccer with since he was four celebrate this rite of passage. 

We also have some matching cousins. Mike's sister and I were pregnant at the same time four different times. Our babies were within weeks of each other. For Christian, there was Catie Lea. For Patrick, there was Erin. For Stephen, there was John. And for Katie, there was Brian. I look with amazement at my lovely niece, Erin, who has grown into a woman of incredible grace and courage and I am so grateful that these days dawn bright for her. With her big sister, and with Christian, they will be a community of cousins in the same place next fall. That makes my heart happy.

Hilary, too, crosses this bridge. For nearly two years, it's been Hilary-and-Paddy, Paddy-and-Hilary. We're all kind of holding our collective breath to see how this transition is navigated for them. But Hilary's leaving will be felt somewhere else as well. One of Hilary's costumes rests on my counter. It's awaiting a temporary adjustment so that it will fit Mary Beth. It's a costume of a ringleader. It's still Hilary's. She will wear it again when the girls all dance together in their spring recital and then compete one last time together in July. But Senior Beach Week calls Hilary away from a performance next week.  Mary Beth will be the ringleader. Still, no one will fill Hilary's dancing shoes.

I can't keep my mind from reminding me that all her life Mary Beth has followed Patrick and Erin. She's been right behind them. This year, she's here to slip into that costume. She is firmly rooted at the studio day after day, eagerly soaking up even hand-me-down roles. Still, whatever they've done, she's done soon after. Don't go there! Don't think for one moment today, Mama, about the day when your three little girls say goodbye to their personal ringleader. Stay in the moment. You must in order to survive. It's here in earnest: the season of a mother's goodbyes.

Patrick, of course, came home for the weekend, bringing Zach along for the ride. He wouldn't miss this for the world. It's a weekend of carefully planned parties, each timed so that one doesn't encroach upon another. Instead, my social butterfly can just flit from one to the next, reveling in merriment. Patrick definitely brings his own energy to the household. This weekend, he'll be sharing energy all over Northern Virginia. 

And I'll be doing what I do. Filtering the energy. Storing it. Letting it soak in. These bright days are fleeting. I'm trying to capture them like fireflies in a Mason jar on a perfect June evening.

needle & thREAD

Remember how I said I wanted slow? Turns out I have it in the reading and sewing departments;-). I've made very little progress since last we chatted books and sewing. The voile frays easily and I think I need to use French seams. Anybody have French seams advice?

I intended to put this sweet little top together yesterday afternoon, but there was a crowd of children who all look very much alike gathered in my great room watching Midsummer Night's Dream and I kept being inexplicably pulled into their presence.

Especially delightful was watching how perplexed Mary Beth and Christian were when Karoline kept explaining plot and characters. At first, everyone (except Karoline and Sarah) were a bit at a loss with the language and the names. When Karoline kept filling in the blanks for them and then Sarah embellished Kari's tutorial, the big kids were more than a little chagrined. How were the little girls comprehending so well when they were struggling? Then it was revealed that they'd recently been reading this excellent picture book and listening to this read aloud.

The whole scenario did make me wonder though: print version first or performance first? Shakespeare's plays were written to be viewed by an audience. But the language does make it tricky to follow along the first time you see it.

Last night, we found ourselves at Michael's and Kristin's house. Knowing I had no sewing to report, I asked Kristin about  her quilt. I think perhaps she'll come back and report on it another day. Stephen is trying out for a new soccer team that is 24 minutes from our house and 4 minutes from theirs. I currently allocate an hour to get to the team where he's played for the the last five years. That team is dissolving. This one sure looks like an answer to prayers. Is it fair to ask your prayers on this one?

How is your summer sewing coming along? Leave a link and show and tell or just chat about it in the comments:-)