Grapevine April 10 2008 Market

this week
- What's Coming To The Market This Week?
- Cooking Ideas - Asparagus, Potatoes and Eggs

We are in that transitional period of spring. Most of the winter crops are done although there are a lot of good greens and root vegetables still available. Spring vegetables are starting to show up at the market along with a lot of plant starts and perennials. The cool temperatures are a bit of a problem but it looks like we'll have nice weather this weekend.

One or two other summer vendors may show up this weekend as well. I'll post a preview of the summer season in the next newsletter. Copper Crown and Tastebud are back this weekend while Square Peg Farm is finished for the winter season.

See you on Sunday.

Eamon Molloy
Market Manager

What's Coming To The Market This Week?

OK, so the asparagus didn't quite make it the market last time. Rick told that there really should asparagus at the market this weekend. You will also find mache, spinach, several varieties of kale, chard, salad mixes and braising mixes. For all of you wanting to eat on the wild side, nettles, fiddlehead ferns, winter chanterelle, hedgehog and morel mushrooms should be available. Root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, celeriac, turnips radishes) will be in good supply 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, duck and rabbit, Columbia River Fish will have steelhead. Ancient Heritage Dairy, Fraga Farm, Oregon Gourmet Cheeses and Organic Life Creamery 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
Copper Crown (David said yes definitely)
Tastebud Farm

OUT
Ayers Creek Farm (back June 29)http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
Blossom Vinegars (back in May)
Stephens Farm (back in May)
Square Peg Farm (finished for the season)

Cooking Ideas - Asparagus, Potatoes and Eggs

Here is another recipe from the Culinate collection. I was looking for inspiration for an asparagus recipe. I ended up on the Culinate website and came across a nice article on asparagus by Caroline Cummins. There are several good recipes at the end of the article. Jane Grigson is one of my favorite food writers so I decided to use her recipe. Enjoy!

How to Make the Most of Asparagus
From the book Good Things by Jane Grigson

Ingredients
2 lb. asparagus
1 1/2 lb. new potatoes
4 to 6 hard-boiled or coddled eggs, cut in half

Scrape the new potatoes and leave them in water until required. Peel the hard part from the asparagus stems, then trim 2 to 3 inches from the bottom. Tie the asparagus into bunches.

Put 2 inches of water into a large saucepan with a teaspoon of salt, and bring to a boil. Stand the bunches of asparagus upright in the pan, put the stem trimmings around them, and the new potatoes on top of the trimmings. Put the lid on the pan, or arrange a dome of foil over it if the asparagus heads come above the rim. Steam for 20 to 40 minutes according to thickness and type of asparagus.

When done, drain the asparagus (reserve the cooking water). Place the stalks on a platter with the potatoes and the eggs arranged around them. Serve hot, warm, or cold, with hollandaise or mayonnaise if you like.

This content is from the book Good Things by Jane Grigson.

Other Recipes from Culinate:
Roasted Asparagus (recipe by Deborah Madison)
Emerald City Salad (recipe by Cynthia Lair)