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September 22, 2011
| Vol 5, Issue 23
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| Market Updates | It's finally here, folks. No, I'm not talking about the start of fall (although the autumn equinox is tomorrow) I'm talking about Crazy Eggplant Day!
This Saturday join us at the market for a celebration of all things aubergine. There will be chef demos at 10:30am, 11:30am, and 12:30pm throughout the market, free tips and recipe sheets about eggplant, and general eggplant-infused happiness in the air.
The lovely and talented Ms. Amie Edelstein will start off the chef demonstrations at Deep Roots Farm in the back row of the market at 10:30am. Chef Caleb McBee of Skin & Bones Bistro will be at Winter Green Farm's booth near 45th & Hancock at 11:30am and Chef David Farrell of Cabezon will be at THINK Unique Gardens at 12:30pm.
Mt. Hood Organic Farms returns to the market this Saturday with their certified organic and biodynamic apples, pears, & quinces! They will also be bringing a variety of of heirloom garlic and shallots to market. Be sure to stop by and welcome them back! Dancing Light Ranch is having a Fall Planting Sale Fall planting sale with specials on japanese maples, fruit trees, espalier apples, blueberries and herbs. Sage & Sea returns to the market with her delicious drinking vinegars. She bought the last of the apricots at the market a few weeks ago with the promise of a future full of apricot drinking vinegar. We are looking forward to that coming true on Saturday! The Happy Campers also return to the market this weekend with delicious gluten-free bread. Gilson Marine Farms will also be back this Saturday - the boat's been fixed and James is looking forward to being back at the market. This is the last week for Sylvan Valley Acres and their market-famous tomatoes. Be sure to say goodbye until next year and wish them a happy fall!
See you at the market!
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Tip of the Week
brought to you by Robert Reynolds' Chefs Studio
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Eggplant - Eggplant was sent by the gods to test us. It will soak up oil like nobody's business and it tastes terrible when undercooked.
To successfully prepare eggplant: Cut the eggplant into pieces - small to medium chunks are best. If the eggplant is big and tough-looking, you can sprinkle it with salt, let it sit and blot the resulting liquid from the surface. If you've got a fresh, firm, cute eggplant from the farmers' market, however, don't bother.
Start with a small bowl of olive (or canola) oil at your side and with a heat-proof brush. Heat a frying pan to medium-hot, brush it with oil, allow it to heat slightly, and then add the eggplant. Cook it until the surface of the eggplant is a medium brown, then brush some more oil in the pan, and turn the chunks on another side.
Continue brushing and turning until all the sides are beautifully browned. Now cover the pan, turn the heat to super low, and let the eggplant steam itself until it collapses.
Above all else, the flavors of cooked eggplant should be sugar & cream, not acid & oil.
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Tomatoes, Eggplants and Peppers -- Oh My!
by Sarah Broderick, reprinted from 2007
|  I'd never met one of those people before. You know, the ones who don't like tomatoes. Or eggplant (?!). Or peppers. They generally don't like potatoes either, unless the potatoes have been really deeply fried. And they've likely never even heard of ground cherries (cape gooseberries) before. Have you guessed it yet? Yes, I'm talking about the anti-nightshade folks. I'd never known one until a few weeks ago when a houseguest of mine looked on in horror as I started slicing some of the most beautiful eggplants I've seen this summer. "Do you take the poison out before you eat it?" she whimpered in my kitchen. I just shook my head and sighed, "I salt the eggplants to soften and sweeten them." I know -- I could hardly believe it myself.
 Tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers symbolize the height of summer to many gardeners and food-lovers. Potatoes are more than just comfort food, they are one of the most enjoyable crops to harvest. Plunging a hand into the soil and feeling around for a tuber is one of the rewards of planting this nightshade. Tomatillos and ground cherries in their husks act like they're holding secrets behind a papery curtain. And they are ... so delicious. Tobacco has played a significant role in human life for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. And the fragrance of petunias and night-blooming nicotiana delight our sense of smell.
 Nightshades have evolved to produce very desirable fruit, leaves, and tubers. They are important sources of food, spice, and medicine. To my friend's credit, the Solanacaea family of plants also contains a wide range of alkaloids that can be desirable, poisonous, or both. Some people are sensitive to the alkaloids in nightshades and have allergy-like responses when consumed. Certain plants of the Solanaceae family are poisonous, hallucinogenic, and even deadly. Belladonna, mandrake, and jimson weed are all examples of nightshades everyone should stay away from.
But for the rest of us, this time of year is one of celebration. It's time to be canning tomatoes, roasting and freezing peppers, and gorging ourselves on eggplant. It's time to make salsa verde and ground cherry pie. It's time to get over to the Hollywood Farmers Market and enjoy the bounty of the season.
See you this Saturday on Crazy Eggplant Day, a celebration of one of the world's most glorious members of the nightshade family!
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At the Market
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Music & Entertainment:
Sweet Home Band
Community Booth:
Save Our Laurelhurst Elms
Blue Sky Renewable Energy Program
Upcoming Events:
Crazy Eggplant Day - Saturday, September 24th, all day
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Featured Product
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September 24, 2011
Epic Eggplant
Happy Harvest Farm
Have you ever tried making baba ghanoush? It's actually pretty simple. You could also grill sliced eggplant, top it with plain yogurt and drizzle some balsamic vinegar. Dare to think outside the Eggplant-Parmesean-Box.
Gluten Free Everything Classic Cookie
Confectionery
And by everything, Jessie & Nichole are talking; pistachios, smoked tamari almonds, marshmellows, chocolate chips, grey sea salt and gluten free pretzels!
Tango Celery
Winter Green Farm
These huge, beautiful celery stalks are on special, 2 for 4 dollars. After all, it takes 2 to tango...
Ernesto's Espresso
Nossa Familia
This Espresso can be prepared as a drip coffee or in a french press, just like your favorite coffee. Its flavors are subtle and robust. Like all Nossa's other beans, these can be purchased whole or ground.
Mountain Huckleberries
Peak Forest Fruit
Walk on the wilder side of the vaccinium genus (that shared by blueberries!) and toss some huckleberries in your pancakes or muffins! Their tart-but-sweet flavor is more concentrated in their skins, and they are bursting with antioxidants. They have been hand-picked in the foothills of Mount Adams and are ready to be a part of your next baking project.
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 Days:
Every Saturday, May - Thanksgiving
1st & 3rd Saturdays, December - April
Hours:
May - October, 8am - 1pm
November - April, 9am - 1pm
Location:
NE Hancock Street between 44th and 45th Avenues (one block South of Sandy Blvd). In the Grocery Outlet parking lot!
For more information, check us out online at www.hollywoodfarmersmarket.org.
See you Saturday!
Hollywood Farmers Market |
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