Grapevine February 24 2008 Market

this week
- What's Coming To The Market This Week?
- Slow Food RAFT Treasure Hunt
- Cooking Ideas - Braised Baby Bok Choy

After all the snow and rain, it is very nice to have a string of sunny days. Even I managed to get into the backyard and clean up the garden. Several vendors are returning this week with hellebores and other perennials. It's not too soon to plant. We have a few new prepared food vendors joining us for the winter sessions as well.

Don't forget - there is a 3 week break between this Sunday's market on February 24th and the next market on March 16th. You might want to stock up on some of your favorite items.

See you on Sunday!

Eamon Molloy
Market Manager

What's Coming To The Market This Week?

The warmer and drier weather has made harvesting a bit easier for the farmers this week. Root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, celeriac and turnips should be in good supply as will salsify, Hamburg parsley and Jerusalem artichokes. As for greens, you should find chicory, several varieties of kale, chard, salad mixes and braising mixes. Baby bok choy and other cabbages should be readily available as well. Draper Girls Farm still has apples and pears and will be bringing cider.

As for meats, Pine Mountain Ranch will be bringing bison and elk, Kookoolan will have chicken and rabbit, Columbia River Fish will have steelhead. Ancient Heritage Dairy, Fraga Farm and Oregon Gourmet Cheeses will be bringing a wide variety of cheese as well.

Check the availability list for the complete list of who's coming this weekend and what they expect to be selling.

IN
Crabapple Company
Farris Seaman Plants
Garden Color
Llama Mama's Baked Goods *NEW*
Organic Life Creamery *NEW*
SunGold Farm

OUT
Blossom Vinegars (back in April)
Copper Crown (back in March)
Gales Meadow Farm (back March 30)
Happy Harvest (back in April)
Rick Steffen Farm (back in March)
Salmon Creek Hydroponics (back in March)

Slow Food RAFT Treasure Hunt

Slow Food Portland is hosting a RAFT Treasure Hunt as part of its monthly potluck dinner. RAFT (Renewing America's Food Traditions) has been described as an "eco-gastronomic conservation project". RAFT's mission is to document, restore, and celebrate the diversity of America's edible plants, animals, and food traditions. A number of items sold in the winter market (including American Plains Bison, Columbia winter run Steelhead, Roy’s Calais Flint and Nothstine Dent Corns, Loganberry Preserves, Amish Butter Popcorn, smoked Sablefish and Chinook, Elk, and American Heirloom Apples, Jerusalem artichokes) are included in the RAFT (and the related Ark of Taste) list of foods.

So how does the treasure hunt work? Just pick up a list of the items available at the market, prepare a potluck dish with your chosen items and bring the dish to the Slow Food Potluck on March 2nd. Stop by the Slow Food Portland booth to learn more about RAFT and the Ark of Taste, to pick up a list of items and to learn more about Slow Food Portland and the potluck on March 2nd.

Cooking Ideas - Braised Baby Bok Choy

Baby bok choy is one of the winter market treats. It's sweeter and more tender than full grown bok choy and cooks very quickly. The only tricky thing about baby bok choy comes when cleaning it. I usually cut the heads into quarters and rinse several times to remove the grit. The recipe below is very flexible.

Braised Baby Bok Choy

2 bunches baby bok choy (about 1 lb.), quartered and cleaned
1 shallot, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup water or broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons oil (safflower or canola is fine)

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add shallot and saute for a minute. Add garlic, stir then add water or broth. Bring to a boil, add bok choy and lower heat to a simmer. Cover pan and let cook for a few minutes. Remove cover, stir and let cook for a few minutes more. Serve.