Whoa Mama!

Here's a little snapshot of what I see towards the beginning of a market day. Our table is laden with baked goods and salsas that people will gobble up in no time. Spring market has really been blessing us this year! In fact, this weekend was Ohio University's Mom's Weekend, and we were too busy to even take photos (the ones here are from last Saturday)! Thanks to all you mamas for making our day busy and special! And thanks to all of our regulars for buying our salsas and brownies (and letting us take pics of you eating them). Today was another enormously successful market day.

I wanted to pay a little homage to rhubarb. I love this spring delight! It's so interesting to me that the stalk of the plant is the tasty, edible part. And the rhubarb from Sassafrass Farm is some of the most gorgeous rhubarb I've ever seen! Their long, plump stalks of bright pink and green sourness is just begging to be paired with some of the ripe, sweet strawberries coming from the greenhouse of Larry Cowdery's grandfather. I'm definitely drooling. And I wanted to share another recipe with y'all from the Casa. For spring family gatherings!

POACHED RHUBARB COBBLER (vegan!)
Set your oven to 350 degrees (F)

For the poached rhubarb filling:

Juice of 1 Lemon
2# beautiful Rhubarb stalks from Sassafrass Farm or Dutch Creek Community Farm
1 1/2 C Sugar

Place all of these ingredients in a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until syrupy. Pour the rhubarb into a deep dish pie plate.

To make the crust:

1 1/2 C Unbleached White Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
2 Tbs Sugar
6 Tbs Soy Margarine (ok, you can use butter if you don't care if it's vegan!)
1/2 C Soy Milk (yeah, you could use regular delicious milk from the Snowville Creamery here)

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Crumble very cold soy margarine/butter into the mix and blend with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Gradually add soy/regular milk, mixing thoroughly until dough is silky (not dry OR wet!). Drop that deliciousness on top of the poached rhubarb in fat, round dollops! Bake 20-25 minutes until crust is golden brown and rhubarb is bubbly. Serve with sliced fresh strawberries from Cowdery Farm! OMG. So good.

And *NEWSFLASH*! You can be at the Athens Farmers Market on Wednesdays, too! We'll be there from 10am-1pm. I'll have a Wednesday update after this week (which will be our third for the year). So far, there's been asparagus, strawberries, zucchini, beautiful flowering plants, honey, edibles, chevre, jams and jellies, bacon, eggs and much more!

And of course, salsa. I know Charlie can't get enough. Neither can Bruno. You'll just have to come see for yourself!

SEE Y'ALL AT
WEDNESDAY MARKET!

Podcast from April 18, 2009 market

Athens resident Bob Stewart spent yet another part of a Saturday talking to folks at the market. Here's the podcast:



Or download the mp3.

Podcast captures sounds of the market

Athens resident Bob Stewart spent part of Saturday (April 11, 2009) talking to folks at the market. Here's the podcast:



Or download the mp3.

Neil Cherry's Tree

Fruit from a 120 year old Apple Tree

Planted in the 1880’s by Solomon Spring, my great-grandfather, this tree has produced fruit for people and animals for over 100 years . . .during wars and depressions . . . Good times and not so good.

Birds nest in its hollow trunk and during the ice storm this winter deer came at night to paw the grass eating the dropped fruit.

The next day as I looked out my window – juncos,
titmice, woodpeckers, bluejays, etc. were feasting on the leftovers the deer had uncovered.

As I look out my window at the ancient tree I looked
beyond to the trees my father planted nearly 60 years ago and on to the next ridge where we planted over 100 new trees just last year.

What’s your definition of sustainability?


(This was hand lettered on corrugated cardboard in the crate of apples at Neil Cherry’s stand, April 2009, Athens Farmers Market. Printed here with his permission.)

Official Opening Day

Hail to the green things! This past Saturday was a happy and exciting day for me. It was great to be back with the Athens Farmer's Market family. So many beautiful green things (like these gorgeous herbs from Companion Plants), so many vendors, so many customers!

The sunshine, blue skies and comfortable temperatures (albeit just a wee bit nippy) made me want to share and old Casa recipe with you. Plus, Sarah begged me to find something delicious and green (since green is the new black, by the way), and I'm happy to oblige; spring makes me hungry for green things!

Right now at the restaurant, we are preparing a delicious Fresh Spring Herb Vinaigrette to dress your salad. In fact, you can buy it at the market, or at least, feel free to come by and sample it! I have a special salad dressing that we've done at Casa in the past for you to make at home. Can I interest you in Casa's Green Garlic Vinaigrette? It's simple, easy and elegant.

Casa Nueva's Green Garlic Vinaigrette

1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 1/2 cups Olive Oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh Green Garlic (I know Rich Gardens Organic Farm has this!)
1 Tbs. fresh Lemon Juice (juice from 1/2 lemon)
1/2 Tbs. Honey (Cantrell's Honey is most delicious)
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper

Use an immersion blender or whisk it until everything is combined thoroughly. Then it's done! Use immediately on spring lettuces from Sassafrass Farm and Green Edge Gardens. Or try it on some delicious Ramp Pasta from Integration Acres with a little Parmesan cheese! Lip smackin' springtime goodness!
I wanted to take this moment to say thanks to all of the folks that came to market this past Saturday and that always grace the aisles with their presence. Way to support your local economy by buying that fresh, local, delicious food! And those smiles. Y'all know how to make the Casa folks feel good. Thanks for saying you missed Casa; we missed you too! See you next Saturday!