With the gift giving season upon us, I have searched out some must-have items for the Market maven on your list, or to treat yourself!
1. Orchard Rack: ($139) Store your harvest for months of enjoyment. The drawers are slatted to ensure good air circulation, and they slide out for easy access. Ideal for keeping apples, squash, potatoes, and
perfect for drying herbs.2. Vegetable Peeler Set: ($15.08) Serrated, scalpel and julienne peeler, one of each. Suitable for either right or left handed use. Dishwasher safe.
3. Ceramic Compost Crock: ($29.95) Turn food scraps into valuable nutrients for your plants with leakproof, odor-free container. Filters are included, replacements sold separately. Biodegradable compost bags available to line your container.
4. Produce Bags: ($14.95) Polyester mesh bags go to the market and into the vegetable crisper - the bag "breathes," extending shelf life. A drawstring top keeps contents from tumbling out. Each bag holds approx. 5 lbs. Set of 5 with colorful tags. 5. Potato and Onion Storage Bin: ($49.95) Breathable woven baskets fill from the top, and dispense from the pocket below. Set of two; large holds 30 lbs. of potatoes, small holds 6 lbs. of onions. Set of 2 baskets nest for storage.6. Steamer Pot: ($31.99) This 4 quart, 3 piece set includes stainless steel stockpot, steamer insert and vented lid. Perfect for steaming those fresh organic vegetables to retain maximum nutritional benefits.7. The Organic Kitchen Garden 2012 Calendar: ($11.19) Featuring beautiful photographs of kitchen gardens, this calendar pairs images with twelve months of recipes and tips inspired by the bounty of kitchen gardens and the local farmers market.
8. Case of Ball Jars: ($9.99) Canning used to be for the olds, but now it's a popular pastime among young local-food movement followers. Attach a certificate to a preserving class at a local restaurant or culinary institute to round-out this gift.9. Vegetable Keep Sacks: ($9.95, $12.95, $14.95 or set for $34.95) Convenient storage bags fill from top, dispense from bottom to free up cabinets and counter tops.The small size is designed for garlic, medium for onions, large for potatoes.10. Vegetable Scrubber: ($5.99) Eco-Friendly and economical, one scrubber can last for months with normal household use. Wash and renew in the dishwasher. Flexes to fit contours of all surfaces. And for the bibliophiles among you, here is a list of books to satisfy everyone from busy families to environmentalists to budget minders to gourmet cooks -- even mystery lovers!
1. The New Southern Garden Cookbook: ($23.10) This timely cookbook, with dishes for omnivores and vegetarians alike, celebrates and promotes delicious, healthful meals centered on the diverse array of seasonal fruits and vegetables.
(And author, Sheri Castle, is cousin to our own Market Master, Barbara Wilder!)2. At the Farmer's Market with Kids: ($15.61) From exploring the booths to selecting produce and tasting the unique flavors each season brings, the farmers' market provides a fertile playground for kids and brings families together while building healthy habits and supporting sustainable eating.
3. The Feast Nearby: ($14.97) The author learned to live on a limited budget while remaining true to her culinary principles of eating well and as locally as possible. She chronicles her year-long project: preparing and consuming three home-cooked, totally seasonal, and local meals a day--all on forty dollars a week.
4. Cooking from the Farmers Market: ($25.17) The book opens with a section that includes tips for shopping and seasonal produce buying charts. Descriptions of over 100 vegetables and fruits provide information on the peak season for each, as well as how to select, store, and work with all your favorites.
5. The Locavore's Kitchen: ($21.75) More than 150 recipes inspire cooks to keep local flavors in the kitchen year round. Helps readers learn what to look for when buying seasonal homegrown or locally grown foods as well as how to store fresh foods, and which cooking methods bring out fresh flavors and colors.
6. Farm Fresh Flavors:* ($0-9.99 for *Kindle) Most of the recipes can be prepared with tools that we have in our kitchens and with ingredients easily found at any local farmer's market. The point is to make eating healthy, fresh food simple.
7. Farmers' Market Cookbook: ($12.91) A practical guide with an informative directory of organic ingredients, from fruit and vegetables to meat, poultry, dairy and store-cupboard items and irresistible seasonal recipes shown step by step.8. Frugavore:* ($0-9.32 for *Kindle) Hands-on, practical advice for a new way of living-eating frugally. Learn how to access quality produce straight from the source, re-discover forgotten cooking techniques, create your own kitchen garden (complete with compost and a chicken coop).
9. The Green Foodprint: ($15.95) Millions realize that their food choices can help-or hurt-the earth. They want to reduce their "food footprint," but with so many decisions to make, how is a busy person to navigate all the possibilities?
10. Crops and Robbers (A Farmers' Market Mystery): ($7.99) Paige Shelton is the national bestselling author of the Farmers' Market Mysteries and the Country Cooking School Mysteries. She grew up in the Midwest.
