This is the Monthly E-Newsletter of Contra Costa Certified Farmers' Markets for Friday, June 5, 2009
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The Lettuce Leaf
markets

Banner Art

Cooking Demo on May 31
from Chef Alison Negrin
tomatoes

Chef Alison Negrin's recipe for the "Big Tomato Sandwich" also known as tomato muffaletta sandwich on Ciabatta bread with fresh mozzarella cheese.

Big Tomato Sandwich

Serves/Makes: 4
Ingredients:
1 large loaf ciabatta (1-pound size)
2 or more large ripe, juicy tomatoes
Handful of spinach leaves
4 ounces mozzarella, sliced
sea salt and ground pepper

***Olive Vinaigrette***
2T chopped green and black olives
1/4 cup basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped marjoram
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons aged red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground pepper

Directions:
For Sandwich: Slice top third off loaf of bread and set aside. Pull out inside. (You can use it to make bread crumbs.) Prepare vinaigrette.
Toss the spinach in some of the vinaigrette and let it wilt slightly.

Paint inside of bread with remaining dressing, then make layers of sliced tomatoes, spinach and cheese. Bathe each layer with dressing and season with salt and pepper. Add top, press down and cut into slices.

For Vinaigrette: Finely chop herbs with the garlic, then add the olive oil and chopped olives. Add the vinegar and salt and season with pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
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More recipes




FOOD FIGHTERSFoodfighters
is having its first meeting this Wednesday, June 10th at Las Lomas High School! FOOD FIGHTERS is a summer and after-school club for high school students interested in sustainable food and agriculture. For more information on the group and how to become a participant or a volunteer, email Sophie Turrell at aed@cccfm.org
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In this Issue:
UPCOMING NEWS & EVENTS
It's June, and that means cherries and berries at the Contra Costa Certified Farmers' Markets! Stroll into any of our four markets in Pleasant Hill, Orinda, Martinez, and Walnut Creek for just-picked summer fruits. Our local raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, oranges, peaches, and apricots make perfect snacks and desserts.

BasketRaffle Prizes
Have you noticed our raffle tickets at the markets? Fill one out at your local market and return it to the information booth for a chance to win a red grocery basket full of produce and goodies from our farmers. One winner from each market will be drawn every month!

Vegetable Bags on Sale at the Information Booths
In order to reduce the use of plastic bags at our markets, NEAR (Nutrition Education and Agriculture Responsibility) will be selling cloth vegetable bags at the information booths for $2 (small) and $4 (large). All proceeds will support NEAR's nonprofit educational programs, including the activities of FOOD FIGHTERS, a club for high school students interested in local sustainable food and agriculture. To join the club for the summer or for more information, contact Sophie Turrell, assistant to the executive director, at aed@cccfm.org.

Watch this preview of a new movie coming out explaining the negative effects of large agribusiness and hopeful current operations that are working to change the system and show it is working....
www.freshthemovie.com/

Join us this summer for our America’s Favorite Farmers Markets™ contest. Together we can strengthen the local farm-to-fork connection and pledge our support for healthy farms, healthy food and healthy communities now and in the future!
Farmers market customers across the US will cast their vote tell us why they think they have the best farmers market and have fun helping bring attention to your market! Votes will open in early June and customers can go to www.farmland.org/vote, where they will be able to look up their farmers market by zip code.

Heritage Day Event
The oldest farmers' market organization CCCFM and its non-profit arm N.E.A.R are joining the fun activities at "Heritage Day" on Saturday, June 13th at Borges Ranch in Walnut Creek!
The event will run from 11:00 am -4:00 pm.
Green Monster Shake Recipe
berriesPresnick Chiropractic Office and Holistic Health Center at the market!

On Sat. June 6th Drs. Laura and Bruce Presnick will be at the Pleasant Hill Farmers' market making and sharing delicious smoothies and healthy sorbet made from fruits and veggies from the market.

This recipe was developed over several decades of information gathering, experimentation, from the healthy kitchen of Drs. Bruce & Laura Presnick.

Green Monster Shake
4-8 ozs. of liquid: yogurt, soy or almond milk, coconut milk or water
1-2 scoops of protein powder
1/2 - 1 cup of greens (spinach, chard, or kale)
1/4 avocado (good fats and gives a velvety consistency)
1/4 cup of fresh or frozen fruit
1 tblsp. of flaxseed oil
1/2 -1 tsp. of Vit.'C' powder depending on dose desired
1 cup crushed ice

This will make 2 servings - ENJOY!

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Edible East Bay Magazine
Edible East BayGet your the latest issue of the Edible East Bay .... it's free…and at the market information booth or at the Cottage Kitchen jam & jelly booth.

Renew some excitement in the kitchen with the story on stone fruits, and some delectable recipes from Hugh Groman Catering – the Baguette Sandwich with roasted apricots, fresh goat cheese, prosciutto and butterleaf lettuce is outstanding. Also included, is a quick Grilled Peach with White Chocolate dessert that might come in handy next time you’re barbecuing.

Enjoy and see you at the markets!
Sustainable Event
Barbara KobsarEileen Fisher Store & Edible East Bay Magazine's Sustainable Event on June 6, 2009

Barbara Kobsar, Cottage Kitchen owner, is teaming up with editor Cheryl Kohler of Edible East Bay. They will be handing out samples of cherries and stone fruit from the farmers' markets at the nationwide event at Eileen Fisher, Walnut Creek (clothing) stores.
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Website: www.cccfm.org
© Copyright CCCFM 2008.