Vendor Profile:  Wendy The Food Fairy                   

When I first saw the sign at the Market, "Wendy the Food Fairy," I wondered what on earth it could mean!  I have since learned that the way Wendy Siegel dealt with difficult times in her life was to make food. The more difficult the times, the more food she made. And when her family couldn't consume all of it, she dropped the excess goodies off in the mailboxes of her friends, calling to alert them as she drove away. Now that I know the story, "food fairy" makes perfect sense. 

Wendy Siegel, from Post & Opinion

Wendy is the owner, operator, chef, and chief dishwasher for her business. Her husband Jim makes the labels, and her four children help out at the Markets while her mother and mother-in-law give her a hand when they can. She works out of her brother-in-law's commercial kitchen, and her menu is seasonal and makes use of local sources. She is not certified organic, but uses organic products whenever possible. Along with her giant cookies (she always has three different kinds), Wendy prepares a variety of homemade jams, her popular Challah bread, and a selection of prepared frozen meals. Her Matzoh Ball Soup was recently named "Best of Indy" by Indianapolis Monthly.

"I make what people like to eat, not what they think they should eat," Wendy says. Many of her recipes came from her grandmothers, including, but not limited to ethnic Jewish cuisine. She started her food business, took a long hiatus after the birth of her youngest child, and finally started again. "Being a food fairy is the best job I have ever had in my life," Wendy told me. The former tax/insurance/estate attorney declares that "Food is pleasure and nothing could possibly be more gratifying than a satisfied customer!" Her many satisfied customers happily agree!  

Wendy can be found at the BRFM Saturday Market, offering soups, marinara, chili, Challah bread, cookies, jams, macaroni and cheese (made with cheese from our own Market vendors), and other seasonal comfort food.  

Health Benefits of Plums  

Focus On: Preserving Made Easy

by Elizabeth Crist Darby, BRFM Volunteer Coordinator

Lately, I've seen a ton of articles about canning. I'm really torn on this subject. On the one hand, I love the idea of stocking my basement with beautiful jars of tomatoes, jams, apple butter, etc. But the truth is, while not technically difficult, canning is not for the faint of heart. First you have to buy the equipment -- a sizable investment. Then you have to dedicate the better part of a day to hang out in your kitchen-turned-steam room to prep and process your treats. So while I can (no pun intended) do it, canning is not really at the top of my overflowing to-do list.

Luckily, canning is just one option for preserving the flavors of summer. I'm happy to share a few of my favorite short-cut preserve recipes that will give you a hearty stash of goodies and leave you with plenty of time to enjoy the last few days of the season.

(P.S. Watch our Facebook page for easy ways to preserve summer herbs too.)

My Garden Pickles 

This recipe is the result of combining my Great Aunt Phyll's pickle recipe, Martha Stewart's Quick Pickled Okra, and a few creative substitutions on an afternoon when I needed to both use up some garden treasures, and also create something different to take along to a cookout.    

Ingredients

x

1 pound assorted garden veggies:  

      okra, cut in half lengthwise;  

      green beans, whole;  

      pickling cucumbers, sliced into coins; 

      carrots, cut into coins;  

      or cauliflower florets
6 tablespoons coarse salt

3 cups distilled white vinegar

1/2 cup vinegar (rice wine or apple cider) 

2 bay leaves

1/2 tablespoon whole pepper corns

1/2 -1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 medium white or yellow onions, sliced 1/2 inch thick 

2-5 fresh jalapenos, halved lengthwise, stemmed, and seeded

Directions

1. Rinse vegetables in a colander. Add 3 tablespoons salt, and toss to combine. Let okra drain in sink 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare an ice-water bath.   
2. Put remaining 3 tablespoons salt, 2 cups water, the vinegars, bay leaves, and peppers into a nonreactive medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved.    
3. Rinse okra under cold running water to remove salt. Transfer to a large nonreactive bowl; add onions and jalapenos. Pour brine over vegetables Set bowl in ice-water bath; let cool 10 minutes. Transfer bowl to refrigerator to cool completely, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately or store in covered containers for up to 3 months.  

Musical Guests:     Wednesday Market - Dean Phelps 

                                   Saturday Market - Robert Bruce Scott   

Dean Phelps

Don't forget to stop by the entertainment booth at either market and catch our musical guest of the day. 

Dean Phelps combines rock steady guitar picking with a soulful vocal style for music that connects with a variety of folks, from concert hall to to open air festival, all. Click here for more. 

Robert Bruce Scott's performances are relaxed, funny, informative, and include songs in more than 20 languages. For more information, visit his website here.   

As always, the entertainment is provided at no cost to the BRFM. If you like what you hear, please consider purchasing a CD and/or leaving a tip.     

About the Market

With more than 50 vendors, you'll find just about everything you need at the Broad Ripple Farmers Market (BRFM).  We are open rain or shine, every Saturday from May through November, 8 a.m. to 12 noon at Broad Ripple Magnet High School, 1115 Broad Ripple Avenue and every Wednesday from June through September, 5 until 8 p.m. in Broad Ripple Park, 1550 Broad Ripple Avenue.   

Market Master:  Barbara Wilder 

Newsletter Coordinator: Jinny Sauer Bastianelli