Harvesting Food from the EARTH!

Summer is a welcome change from the brutal winter!  My week started with the delivery of potted herbs from Hansen's Greenhouse.  Since my own herb garden is about 30 miles due west in my backyard, it is nice to have the option to walk outside of the restaurant and pick what I need. Unfortunately I don't have the luxury that my friend, Peppe Zullo in Orsara di Puglia, Italy has.  He has one big beautiful piece of property with a large garden to support his catering facilities and restaurant.  There is even enough countryside to grow and produce spectacular wines, support olive groves, and animals for his spectacular salumi.   

What we do enjoy here is access to some great farmers who have a passion for what they produce and grow.  They serve as my inspiration to create the simple meal made with pure ingredients.   As Peppe would say "SIMPLE FOOD FOR INTELLIGENT PEOPLE"!

This past week, we started our weekly trip to Crocker Market.  What did we see there? Eli from Weaver's Farm had gorgeous tomatoes.  With his hoop house growing system, he is able to maximize the growing season.  I was happy to see these red beauties ...the Panzanella Salad for our catering event was the perfect recipient for this harvest!

There were beautiful strawberries ....does strawberry pancotta or strawberry rhubarb pie sound delicious?  You'll have to come in next week and find out what we decided!   Maybe I'll save a few and take home to savor with some friends, few glasses of wine, cheese ...nothing like wine, fruit, cheese and good company to round out the day. 

The highlight of the market day and the beginning of summer brings me back to my childhood ....the best treat, better then a candy bar or a cookie was going to either of my grandparents home for the fried zucchini blossoms.  If you were lucky, you had more than one.  So a few years ago I asked Eli if he ever brought zucchini blossoms to the market, of course his concern was how to keep them fresh, and I told him how I keep them fresh out of my garden.  With a few experiments the first couple of times, we now have it down pat! The blossoms are a welcome site on my menu ...so I have to tell you yesterday I purchased quite a few blossoms.  You can't get any fresher then the land to the table.  Mother Earth is amazing! Hope you were one of the lucky ones.  Mom gets all the left overs!

I can't wait for the rest of my farmers to bring their crops.

Here are some of my other favorites.... 

• RIDGE BRIDGE FARM, GREAT HEIRLOOM TOMATOES &  PEPPERS; 
• HANSEN GREENHOUSE-HERBS, GARLIC, FLOWERS, KALE, BEETS; 
• WEAVER FARM-MAPLE SYRUP, ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS, GREEN BEANS, CABBAGE AND MORE; 
• QUARRY HILL-PEACHES, CHERRIES, APPLES, 
• TEA HILL FARMS -THE BEST POULTRY, LAMB, PORK, DUCK.
• GRAINMAN FOR  ORGANIC PURE CANE SUGAR, QUINOA, BARLEY, MILLET, GLUTEN FREE FLOURS, ORGANIC OATMEAL AND MORE.   

THOSE NOT AT CROCKER-
That'll do Farm-for free range eggs, fiber, honey, and more check them out at the farm on 303 in Grafton
Galloway farm in Nova for Beef
Murray Hill Farm -Wakeman Produce, eggs, and more.

Enjoy earth's bounty.