From Chef Lesley Stiles:
Panzanella (Italian Bread Salad)
1 loaf hard crusted bread, sour dough or sweet, torn or cut into small cubes
2 nice size heirloom tomatoes, chopped
1 nectarine, chopped
2 ears corn, corn cut off the cob
1/2 bunch basil, rough chop
1/2 sweet red onion, chopped
1/4 cup Big Paw blackberry vanilla balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup really good olive oil
Salt and pepper
Put the bread in a nice sized bowl. Add the tomato, vinegar and olive oil. Stir to coat and let sit 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to coat all with the olive oil and vinegar. Let sit 10 minutes and serve.
Serves 8.
This is really good under a nice piece of fish or chicken pulled right off of
the grill with all the juices soaking into the salad. Bon Appetit!
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From the General Manager, Jessie
Neu:
Filling in as a substitute site manager is always a good
thing. It gives an appreciation of the work that
the managers and participants orchestrate each
week.
It's a metamorphosis... in changing an empty street or parking lot into the beautiful
weekly market meeting place... it looks so easy and seamless... it's almost magical.
Each location has its unique advantages and challenging situations to address...
How about that horse in the market a few months ago?
If the Health Department doesn't allow dogs... it certainly will not allow horses.
Sometimes common sense is uncommon. Among the most interesting observations...
are the attendees of the markets... those who embrace the activity in the community
market... they do it with such enthusiasm that suddenly the energy is contagious,
the conversations are vital, and each exchange is a key component as to why you
must be there to get caught up... it's a great happening every week! It is a
very intimate experience in sharing good food with good people.
It was especially fun having members of the Orinda City
Council join us with
an information table. The door is OPEN folks... I understand they plan to be
there... every Saturday... so come down to chat about what's on your mind. It's
always good to get a different perspective on all the markets... from time to
time... we fill in for each other while the regular site manager takes a well
deserved vacation.
A rested manager is a happy manager.
It was a sincere pleasure to spend the day in Orinda last week.
Joey, thanks for pinch hitting for Karen in Pleasant Hill. I'm sure she'll be
happy to return the favor!
Updates:
For those of you who were concerned about Holding Angus
Beef... Hunter Holding said they will be back to the markets this week in Orinda and Walnut Creek. Despite the fire that destroyed 2 buildings at Deer
Hill Ranch in Lafayette ...the day camp programs are in motion and going strong... full speed ahead...
Thank you for asking... he says!
2007 Farm Bill
Onward to the Senate... by redirecting efforts...
The work now turns to the Senate. The California Coalition
for Food and Farming will continue to speak out for programs that benefit family farmers, organic
growers and beginning and minority farmers. They will continue to educate Members
of Congress about programs like the Community Food Project
Grant program that
help build healthier, local food systems. And they will continue to work with
many environmental and farming organizations in California to expand conservation
funding, especially for the beleaguered conservation security program. Finally,
they will continue to make the case for payment limitation reform that will free
up much needed resources to invest in all these programs.
They can't do it alone.
They are counting on our help! web: Calfoodandfarming.org
Sign
a friend up for the e-newsletter.
Jessie Neu can be reached at gm@cccfm.org |
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In this Issue: |
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Next issue of The Lettuce Leaf Newsletter will be on August 24.
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Martinez:
Music 8/12: Jane Decuir
Music 8/19: Jose Reynolds
Manager: Joey McNaughton.
E-mail: mmarket@cccfm.org
The Sunday Martinez farmers' market will be donating/supplying the
second annual American Cancer Society Relay For
Life of Martinez with
strawberries and grapes for parched walker to suck on. The walk is
Saturday August 11 at Las Juntas Elementary School in Martinez.
More
info.
From Joey McNaughton, Manager:
ODE TO THE FARMERS MARKET
Cantaloupes, Watermelons and Pears,
So much to eat, bring a friend and share!
Peaches, Nectarines and Grapes,
A dazzling multitude of colors and shapes!
Corn, Bell Peppers and Squash,
The list just keeps going - oh my gosh!
Artichokes, Cauliflower and Beets,
Walk the market on your own two feet!
Say hey-ho! To the heirloom tomatoes!
Let the fragrance of beautiful flowers fill your nose,
Get very carried away with little luscious berries,
Careful you don't turn blue, purple or red - oh my!
Come by the Managers stall and say hi!
There's something for everyone and especially your lips,
Why, there's even fresh salsa and chips!
Don't spend Sunday in your dirty garage -
Come get Ken or Tara to give you a massage!
Lather and wash up in the aroma of herbal soap,
If yer havin' a bad day, an oatmeal cookie will help you cope!
Gather the kids for fresh popped kettle corn,
A plethora of breads with jams and olive oils to adorn,
Try something new, I'll be the first to say -
Afghani food makes my day!
The Market is a beautiful sight,
Greet your friends and farmers,
eat well, and feel alright!
Here's one of my favorite poems "WORTERMELON
TIME" by
James Whitcomb Riley.
For
more info |
Orinda:
Music 8/11: Jim Caroompas
Music 8/18: Bryan Harrison
Manager: Janice Faust.
Tasting:
Lesley Stiles will be doing Stone Fruit tasting from
10 am to noon.
E-mail: omarket@cccfm.org
From Jan Faust, Manager:
I love August at the Market. It is the peak of the season and we are just bursting at the seams with ripe, local fruits and veggies. It's all here now, the summer peaches and plums, and the fall grapes, pears and peppers. It's truly heaven. This Saturday Holding
Ranch will return to Market after missing several weeks. Judging by the crowd of people asking for them in their absence, this is some incredible beef! You should definitely come down this Saturday and see what all the fuss is about. This week's music is Jim Caroompas,
a local favorite. It's always a beautiful day at the Orinda Farmers' Market so come join us. Don't forget to bring a friend.
For
more info |
Pleasant
Hill:
Music 8/11: Flutopia
Music 8/18: Jose Reynolds
Manager: Karen Stiles.
E-mail: pmarket@cccfm.org
From Karen Stiles, Manager:
I hope everyone has had a chance to get out and enjoy the great weather we have been having. This weather is great for prolonging the growing season. The cold chill this winter brought in bumper crops. Due to the absence of too much heat there is an abundance of fruit and veggies. If you're not up to canning try freezing. It is nice to have fresh beans, peppers, corn, berries, tomatoes, peaches, apples etc. in the winter months to enjoy and reminisce about the sunny day you picked it up at the market. Berries are definitely the easiest to freeze. Pour the berries onto a cookie sheet in one layer and put them in the freezer. After two hours, take them out, put them into a container, and return them to the freezer. Enjoy them at your pleasure. This is great for smoothies. Have you seen the asian greens at C & M Family
Farm? It's quite a nice selection among the other produce. Check out their cherry tomatoes! They are so sweet! A basket may last you all week... better buy two. Hope to see you all Saturday!
For more info |
Walnut Creek:
Music 8/12: Acoustic S & M
Music 8/19: Jane Decuir
Manager: Keith Farley.
Tasting: Lesley Stiles will be doing Stone
Fruit tasting from 10
am to noon.
E-mail: wmarket@cccfm.org
From Keith Farley, Manager:
Carbon
Footprint, a lot is being said about this lately
and there are millions ways to reduce it. I try
everyday to reduce my impact on the environment. For
instance, I have changed all the light bulbs in my house
to compact fluorescents, drive less, and recycle as much
as I can. What does this have to do with the farmers'
market? One
of the other things I do to reduce my carbon footprint
is to buy local, yep buying local products and food takes
less fossil fuel to bring to market. Consider this:
the amount of fuel spent to drive a load of delicious,
local fruit and veggies to market is only a miniscule
fraction of the fuel it takes to power the ships and
trucks it would take to bring foreign produce to the
supermarkets. Trust me, they are not driving that
Chilean fruit up here in hybrids. Stop and think
about how your actions will affect the rest of the world.
One person can make a difference.
On the green scene, the Green
Bags will be back in the
market this Sunday and I will bring extra this time so
I do not run out. Buy plenty and stash them in
the car, in the saddlebags or wherever, so they are always
handy.
We welcome back Alhambra Valley Farms, Judy and Darrell
are back with those mind-blowing pears. Stop by,
say hi, and tell them you saw it the Lettuce Leaf.
For
more info.
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FROM
OUR MARKETS by
Chef Leslie Stiles |
 As school doors beckon wild summer browned kids, school lunch once again comes to the top of the list next to back packs and binders. The potential for delicious, kid friendly lunches from the farmers' market is amazing as natural seasonal cycles put grapes in the forefront along with strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, corn etc. Student lunches brought from home are changing as they enjoy the market booty making teachers wish they had visited the market on their weekend too. Receptacles for transport of lunches from home to school are gaining sophistication as well making it easier to pass those market salads along to school with the dressing ready to get tossed ala minute on the salad instead of the lunch box.
On the same wave, the potential for change in cafeterias is a happy reality for
students, teachers and parents. Our school gardens at College Park High
and Pleasant Hill Middle have been producing great Sun Gold
tomatoes all summer and will continue too as the school year gets under
way creating the foundation for some great salads coming out of the cafeterias.
On the same note, the salad bars at Strandwood
Elementary and Westwood Elementary are prime for some
awesome farmers' market vegetables to be pumped onto the ice keeping company
with late summer berries and stone fruits drilling home the seasonal / buy local
message to the students. I am not saying it is perfect, but it is solidly moving
in the right direction powered by consumer awareness and parents demanding decent
food for their students. Local school districts are well aware of the correlation
between healthy calories and high test scores as well as not so healthy calories
and childhood obesity and diabetes and are welcoming these changes with open
arms.
Time is ripe for eating well and it all starts with buying amazing local, seasonal
produce at your farmers' market. The rest, as they say is up to you and how you
vote with your food dollar. Move it or lose it!
Lesley Stiles can be reached at chef@cccfm.org or
on the market hotline 925 431-8361 |
WHAT'S BEEN, WHAT'S IN, WHAT'S OUT by
Barbara Kobsar |
Did you know that the apple growing acreage
in Sonoma County in 1919 was 11,000 acres, in 1945 was 14,000 acres
and today that number stands at just under 3,000 acres? Of those acres
about 930 are Gravensteins.
Gravensteins were the source for apple sauce and dried apples for
the U.S. troops in World War II. Today so many of the orchards in
Sonoma County are gone due to suburban development, a shift to grape
growing and wine production, and economic changes in the apple industry.
The Gravenstein was introduced to western North America in the
early 19th century, perhaps by Russian fur traders, who are said
to have planted a tree at Fort Ross in 1811. They were also introduced
to Nova Scotia, Canada in the mid 19th century and remain an important
apple variety there.
 Gravensteins are now at our farmers' markets - check
out Devoto Farm stand and Rose
Lane. These are great all-around
apples with just the sweet-tart flavor that I love. Gravs are also
a good cooking apple, especially for apple sauce and apple cider. They
are not "keepers" though so this apple is available
only in season - and it's a short season.
Luther Burbank praised the Gravenstein apple: "It
has often been said that if the Gravenstein
could be had throughout the year, no other
apple need be grown". I
don't know if I'd go as far as that, BUT Gravensteins
are first to arrive at the market and definitely
a delicious apple no matter how you look at it. There are
dozens of other apple varieties ripening up
for market through the fall months.
Fig trees produce their second crop in August and I'm always
ready for a bag of these sweet treats. Bartlett
pears from Alhambra
Valley Farms are ready to go and oh so sweet, and corn is still
going strong.
I find more and more of my customers bringing their own market
baskets or cloth bags to market. Thank you.
There are baskets and "green" bags
available at the market information tables
if you feel like joining the group. Enjoy and
see you at the market!
Barbara Kobsar can be reached at cotkitchen@aol.com or
call (925) 933-2552. |
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