 Market Forecast:
A Perfect Day with Cherries
(and Berries)
on top.
Nothing says summer like sunshine and fresh fruit. And this week here at Collegeville Farmers' Market all the deliciousness of the summer is just within reach.
Frecon Farms sweet cherries will be making their 2012 debut at our market on Saturday, marking their earliest summer harvest yet. Plus, local strawberries are at the height of their season, so Down Home Acres and Longview Center for Agriculture are planning on having lots of those to share, as well.
It's good news that the cherries and berries are finally here. It's even better news that in addition to being delicious, they are both really good for you. Both cherries and berries are low calories and packed with vitamins and anti-oxidants. (Read about them here.)
The best way to prepare both cherries and strawberries is to rinse, eat and repeat. That way none of their great nutritional benefits are diminished. But if you just can't get enough by snacking on them throughout the day, we've shared two recipes: one for dinner, one for dessert. After all, like the song says, good things, like local fruit, are fleeting, so we need to savor them while they are here.
Plus check out our vendor role call to see who's with us this week!
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Things are Heating Up!
Cooking Demos from Longview
 Emily Teel will be presenting her first Seasonal Cooking Demo of the year with ideas for adding using fresh and delicious market veggies. If you've never cooked or tasted collard greens, or if you'd like a new, quick and easy recipe, Emily will be demonstrating a simple technique that will make these healthy greens a regular addition to weekday suppers or special occasion meals.
 Plus, if you've walked by Longview's stand and wondered about the heads of Space Age-looking cabbage on display, wonder no more. Emily is waiting to tell you all about Kohlrabi, otherwise known as a cabbage turnip, and she'll have lots of great ideas for how to prepare this sweet and nutritious broccoli-like veggie in salads, stir fries or as snack or tasty steamed side dish.
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Bring your Kiddos
...and your dancin' shoes!
Singer and entertainer Michael Kropp will be kicking off his first performance at Collegeville Farmers' Market at 9:30am with "Makin' Music Gilbertsville,"
a fun show for the preschool kids and their families. Then it's on to great acoustic pop/rock.
Welcome, Michael!
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We're not here to stay; we're on a short holiday.Life is just a bowl of cherries.
Don't take it serious; it's too mysterious...
The sweet things in life, to you were just loaned
So how can you lose what you've never owned?
...Life is just a bowl of cherries,
So live and laugh at it all.
-Lyrics by Lew Brown, Music by Ray Henderson (1931)
Three Cheers For Cherries
-Long enjoyed as dessert, cherries have also been recognized for their medicinal purposes for centuries. A bowl of cherries contains compounds that help alleviate pain and inflammation, associated with arthritis and gout.
-They are loaded with powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins, (also found in red wine) which protect cells from damage during an interaction with oxygen and may prevent cardiovascular disease.
-Cherries are also one of the few foods that contain melatonin to help you sleep more restfully and maintain optimum brain functioning.
-One cup of sweet cherries has just 90 calories and is a good source of fiber and vitamin C. They have been around for nearly 3,000 years and indigenous to Iran and Turkey, but quickly spread to ancient China.
Berries are Beautiful!
 -One cup of sliced fresh strawberries has just 50 calories and more Vitamin C than citrus fruit.
-They are fiber-rich and loaded with anti-oxidents. In fact, the average strawberry has 200 tiny black seeds, that contain Omega 3 fatty acids which can reduce inflammation and may help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis.
-Recent studies have shown that their vitamin C and antioxidants are reduced dramatically after just two days of storage. Lucky for us, our strawberries get from farm to table quickly.
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Collegeville Farmers' Market's
Summer Bounty Barbecue Festival
Cool, fresh and smokin' hot!
Collegeville Farmers' Market is holding a Summer Bounty Barbecue Festival on June 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., featuring amazing food from local farms and producers.
Matt Dutton of Bigg Dutt's Barbecue Sauce will be firing up the grill for Bendy Brook Farm's burgers, hot dogs and chicken, topped with Big Dutt's small-batch, gourmet grilling products.
Bendy Brook Farm's meats are organically raised (no hormones or chemicals) and pastured. Their 100% grassfed beef is lower in calories, total fat, and saturated fat as grain-fed animals. In addition, humanely-produced meat has more CLA (a cancer-fighting substance) omega-3's (which are good for your heart) than conventionally -raised meats from factory farms.
The event marks the beginning of the summer season at the market. Since opening on May 5, market customers have been asking "Where's the fruit?" and finally the much-anticipated, fresh, summer fruits and vegetables are beginning to arrive from local farms, including sweet cherries from Frecon Farms.
Vendors will serve up cool, artisan gelato, crisp homemade dill pickles, specialty baked goods and international foods, wine for summer cocktails and refreshing sangria, vegan granola, gluten-free goodies, designer cupcakes and more.
Our select vendors have great hand-crafted and home-grown gifts for dads and grads, and Neil's Sharpening Service will sharpen your knives and garden tools, as well. Winchester Perry will entertain old and young with their great folk music and family favorites. Celebrate summer with us in our new picnic area, or bring some barbecue home to someone you love.
The event is a fundraiser for the market, which is financially supported by the Collegeville Economic Development Coproration (CEDC), whose mission is to provide direction and
over-arching framework for advancement and promotion of economic and commercial development, economic revitalization, business, tourism, education and beautification within the Borough of Collegeville.
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Don't Michael Kropp at the market this week! Music and fun for everyone!
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LOST AND FOUND!
Found at the Market Last Week Little girl's blue and white heart-shaped Cinderella necklace. If you lose anything at the market, stop by the Market Information Table and check out our lost and found box. |
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Vendor Roll Call
"Here!"
A'dello Vineyard - Fine and fun, local wines!
All Hands in the Cookie Jar - Back by popular demand will be both Gluten Free (GF) classic chocolate whoopie pies and GF vanilla whoopies with chocolate filling. allergen-free lemon bars.
 Behmerwald - In addition to a selection of perennials and shrubs they'll have a few small arrangements of garden flowers as well as some fresh cut flowers for making your own arrangements. Offerings may include: oakleaf hydrangea flowers, wild daisies, sage, and maybe some blue hydrangeas if they color up by then.
Bendy Brook Farm - Chemical and hormone-free, pastured beef, pork, poultry and eggs.
Bigg Dutt's BBQ Sauce - Go Bigg at the grill! Try the new Caribbean-style, Guava-Habanero BBQ sauce.
 Down Home Acres - Greens, basil bunches, garlic scapes, and also strawberries from a small-scale, sustainable and organically-based farm.
Frecon Farms - SWEET CHERRIES! Plus, cider apple sauce, apple butter and dried apples
Fresh-A-Peel Hummus - Stop by to taste their fresh approach to hummus - savory, spicy or sweet!
ICED by Betsy - Philly Cheese & Cherry cupcake (featuring Frecon Farms cherries) will be making their debut. Plus, they'll have Strawberry Tallcake cupcake, with juicy & sweet local strawberries from Longview/Greener Partners. For a full list, see here. You can pre-order any quantity of cupcakes from the flavors of the week! Place your order via email cupcakes@ICEDbyBetsy.com or phone (610)755-7062.
Are you ready for a throw-down?! Marianne and Tom Cozzolino sure are! Stop by Jenny & Frank's Artisan Gelato to taste and cast your vote in this season's first Gelato Throw Down. Do you prefer Frank's Bold Cherry Ripple with chunks of fresh cherries, or are you a fan of Jenny's super smooth Cherry Vanilla gently swirled with pops of cherry? (The cherries are from Frecon Farms!) Last year Jenny's Ginger Peach bested Frank's Spicy Peach. Whose recipe will reign supreme on Saturday and join the official list of flavors? You decide! And while you are there, ask for a taste of the new Lime Sorbet (with tarragon!), and pick up some Classic Vanilla, Rustic Lemon, and Chocolate Supreme for your weekend dining pleasure.
Joe Paws Dog Bakery - Stop by to see Barkley, the world's mellowest dog!
John and Kira Chocolates - Artisan chocolates. Great for Father's Day and graduation presents!
Kay Bryant - One-of-a-kind, handmade and hand-sewn clothing, bags and jewelry.
Longview - LOTS of lovely greens for this weekend of both the salad and cooking varieties. They'll likely have strawberries for another week or two, plus they plan on bringing some organic white button and portabello mushrooms from Mother Earth Mushrooms to sell, as well.
Marcy's Granola - They are busy making fresh granola this week. Stop by for a free sample and redeem your coupons (given out at the Memorial Day Parade) on one pound or two half-pound packages.
Philly Bills Dills - Everyone's favorite pickles
Philading - Fantastic chocolate chip and berry scones, plus international food like Lebanese hummus, falafel and baba ganoush.
Ridge Valley Farm - delicious maple syrup and maple products including: maple sugar, maple cream, maple coated nuts and maple walnut ice cream topping.
Saint Peters Bakery and Café - Artisan Bakery offering Fresh Breads and Pastries baked daily in our French, Steam Injection Ovens.
Stacie Dale Designs Ind.- Stacey Dale - Keepsake boxes for graduation and Father's Day
"Not here!":(
Annie Pod Press(Be back soon) Earth Energy Herbs (Be back soon) Little Lost Creek Alpaca Farm (Be back soon) Neil's Sharpening Service(Next week!) North Star Orchard(Not soon enough!) Old Mill Gourmet (Be back soon) Pure Scents Candle Company(Be back soon) Tonya Lov Jewelry (Be back soon) Yellow Springs Farm (Back next week!) |
Now that the cherries are here, we can finally try this salad, which uses so many fresh ingredients available at our market.
SUMMER BREAD SALAD WITH CHERRIES, ARUGULA AND GOAT CHEESE
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 pound sweet cherries (from Frecon Farms), pitted and sliced in half
good balsamic vinegar, (or white pine vinegar from Earth Energy Herbs)
a handful of torn fresh basil leaves (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400°.
Spread the bread pieces in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through the baking time, until the bread cubes are toasted and lightly golden.
Turn the hot toasted bread cubes into a large bowl and toss with the minced garlic. Let cool for a few minutes, then add the cherries. Toss the bread and cherries with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar. Taste and adjust for seasoning, adding oil and vinegar as necessary so that both the bread and cherries taste good to you when you taste them individually.
Add the arugula and basil leaves (if using), and drizzle with a bit more olive oil and balsamic so that the leaves are lightly coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the whole salad together and crumble the goat cheese over the top. Serves 4 as a salad course, or 2 main course servings
STRAWBERRY ICEBOX CAKE
(AKA Strawberry Tiramisu )
This dessert recipe is from Collegeville Farmers' Market Committee member, Kathy Newkirk
She says, "Here's one for Strawberry Icebox Cake, but it's really Strawberry Tiramisu (not coffee), which is what I'd call it, and it's delicious."
3 c. sliced strawberries (2 pints)
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. liquid egg substitute (safer than raw eggs)
1 pkg. (8 oz.) mascarpone cheese
(or softened cream cheese)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. heavy cream
2 pkg. (3 oz each) soft ladyfingers (24 total)
3 T. unsweetened cocoa
1 T. 10x sugar
1. Combine berries & 1/2 c. sugar in medium nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Using electric mixer, beat egg substitute with remaining 1/2 c. sugar in a bowl until foamy. Add mascarpone and vanilla; beat just until smooth. In a separate bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Fold cream into mascarpone mixture.
3. Separate and arrange half the lady fingers on bottom of 9" square glass baking dish. Spoon half (1 c.) strawberry mixture on top, then half (1 1/4 c.) mascarpone mixture. Sift half the cocoa powder on top. Repeat layering with lady fingers, strawberry mixture, mascarpone mixture, and cocoa. Cover; refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. To serve, sift 10x sugar over top.
8-10 servings
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