BOUNTY OF FARMERS MARKETS

The summer turns to autumn abruptly in the northern plains. Suddenly one night it's 38 degrees instead of 60, and you begin to think about frost harming your little back yard patch of tomatoes and string beans. To cover them or not? It's always the question.

The local farmers market extends the season --- last week there were still plenty of root vegetables, late blooming flowers (mostly yarrow), and the last of corn on the cob. I went to buy beets at our farmers market to recreate a composed salad served to me in San Francisco last month. I couldn't wait until next year. It had to be now and my little row of backyard beets failed to get larger than marbles.. I purchased two big bunches of beauties that were in my kettle within the hour, boiled, peeled, and sliced for my salad (see recipe below).

The San Francisco Farmers Market is more year-around, since California's climate is Mediterranean mild. A few pictures show some of its glory. We stayed for a week across the street from the Ferry Building Plaza, which hosts the market on Saturday mornings. It was more than pleasant to enjoy our morning coffees and pastry on the wharf with all the activity a few feet away. I bought figs and raspberries and ate them right out of the basket.

My interest in fresh home grown produce stems from a childhood spent near farms--not my own, but the farms of many relatives. Neighbors still kept dairy cows well into the 1950s. Our contemporary notion of "localism" was a fact of life then. Hundreds of items we take for granted today were special treats and highly seasonal until the advent of the jet plane. We lately lament the demise of the "family farm" and yearn for its return -- perhaps in our own neighborhood or the school yard, where vegetable gardens have sprouted next to the playground. But of course it is unrealistic to think that our world of over 6 billion souls could be fed locally--there simply would not be enough even if all had their own garden. In the developed countries, we take for granted dozens of kinds of coffee or tea, cinnamon, saffron, cardamom and myriad exotic spices, citrus, peaches, melons, fresh ocean fish, shellfish, and every kind of manufactured food product, every day of the year. Surely it is a fantasy that we use local products for more than a percentage or two of our diets. Still, it is important to know how we grow our food and how much we spend on resources to ship it around the world. One day we may have to adjust to far less variety--and who knows? It might not be as inconvenient as we think.

Meanwhile, let's do what we can to focus on local produce, and take advantage of it. It will always be the freshest. We have previously posted articles about cherries, grapes, and apples that are in over supply around home. Our farmers markets will end soon, but let's give those who offer their beautiful wares our support.

Composed Italian style salad featuring Beets

Prepare a bunch of approximately 4 - 6 fresh beets by trimming stems (greens) leaving about one inch of stem. Wash well to remove any loose soil. Cover with water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes, depending on size. You should be able to pierce them with a fork (like a properly boiled potato). Drain and cool enough so that you can slip off the outer skins. Set aside until ready to slice and use in your salad.

*Don't waste the beet greens--steam them in a basket over boiling water, and toss with olive oil and red wine vinegar. They are an addictive variation on chard and spinach.

Prepare a vinaigrette style dressing (see February 1, 2010, for basic recipe) with olive oil, salt, ground pepper, and substituting lemon or lime for the acidic proportion (rather than vinegar).

Toast some walnut halves in the oven (spread on a cooky sheet or pie pan, toss with salt, and roast at 325 F for about ten minutes.) As soon as you are able to smell the aroma, they are done. Remove from oven and let cool.

Prepare some salad greens--about 1 cup per person. Greens can be thinly shredded head of Romaine, or "Mesclun" or "spring mix" baby lettuces from the garden or market.

Shave some Parmesan cheese with your vegetable peeler, or used grated if preferred.

Final assembly: Slice beets (about one quarter inch thick) and toss with some dressing. Toss greens with some dressing and pile on a salad plate. Next lay on sliced beets and handful of toasted walnuts. Finish with shaved Parmesan and serve.

Option: this same salad preparation can also be made with fall pears--no need to cook the pears.

Reminder: take another look at the posting on July 5, 2010, with the Yukon Gold potato salad, and the Succotash salad using harvest beans, corn, onions, and garlic. Delicious again!