Growhio is a non-profit Sustainable Cleveland 2019 initiative designed to strengthen and support all aspects of Northeast Ohio's local food economy through branding, marketing and collaboration.

6.28.2012

Happenings at Gordon Square Farmers' Market This Saturday

Hello fellow eaters:

I know that some of you may have been startled by a policy-oriented eater update in the second week of the market, but when one is thinking about whence our food comes, gentle eater, you never know what connections you are going to find. So this week I will return to one of my favorite annual eater update announcements: there will be beets at the market this week. Now there were beets at the market last week, but they were a surprise, so I could not announce them in advance, and (very) early beets always deserve a fanfare. Normally I have a bunch of little beets plugging away underground in my own garden and jars of beets in the cupboard, but somehow we were short on beet seeds at the garden this year and there are few pickled beets left, so I am sliding toward a beet emergency and am, thus, greatly relieved to find that we will have both golden and red beets at the garden this Saturday. If you have already heard enough about beets from the eater update or other sources evangelizing for beets (you never know…), you can skip to the part where it is revealed what our farmers will bring to market, and then bring your neighbors and friends to the market with you and not talk about beets. There are some folks who really think that beets "taste like dirt" (thanks, mom), but i think that there are also folks who have just heard that beets are yucky from a parent or sibling and therefore suffer from beet prejudice without having ever tried well-prepared beets for themselves. Some folks think that golden beets taste less like dirt than red beets, so if you would like to overcome your beet prejudice, you might try goldens--although i personally think that is simply replacing one prejudice with another. Beets respond well to roasting (peeled, with olive oil and kosher salt), which makes them nice and sweet and nutty; serve with a teeny bit of strong mustard for courage. Steaming or boiling beets (you can leave the skins on and wait until they cool to peel them, and the skins will fall right off) allows them to absorb other flavors very nicely, which makes them wonderful ingredients in salads. Now, the eater update classic beet salad is the beet-feta cheese-red onion-mustard vinaigrette, which has been dubbed by a certain reader as the "best beet salad," both for its ease and deliciousness. The PD ran a recipe for a beet salad with an orange juice based dressing which was quite tasty. Lately I have a thing about putting beets and ginger together, maybe with apples (I know, apples are not in season yet, but beets with be in season for a long time, now, so I can plan ahead). As the hot peppers come in i have designs on some sort of beet-chile pepper combo; film at eleven about that. I could go one quite a bit longer about the many virtues of beets and ideas for overcoming beet prejudice, but my bedtime is fast approaching, so enough about beets and on to the market.

EcoVillage Produce will bring collards, southern hot mustard greens, beet greens, tuscan kale, banana peppers, snow peas, cucumbers, spring onions, garlic scapes. Herb: basil, lovage, mint, sage. 

Maggie's Farm will have golden beets, carrots, swiss chard, russian kale, onions, and perhaps some chives, scallions and tuscan kale.

Dharma Garden will have lots of red beets with tops, yellow and green zucchini, some tomatoes, cucumbers and green peppers, thyme, basil, mint, sage, flowers, and baked goods.

Wooden Knight Farm will have garlic, red beets, beet greens, and salad mix.

Berry Good Farm was a the market last week with eggs (!!), a variety of baked goods, honey, grains, and really wonderful soap. I hope they will be back.

Mobite Bakery will have all vegan baked goods: carrot cake, apple pie, bean pie, zucchini muffins, chocolate cupcakes, carrot supreme, vegan alternative to tuna fish salad.

Origins Beanery will probably satisfy our caffeine fix in the most tasty and sophisticated ways, probably including the tastiest iced coffee you are ever likely to have.

Last week we had a bread stand, which was a wonderful new development--and timely for those of us who stop baking bread when it gets hot outside. 

ReMemories will not be at the market this week, but perhaps Dave Katchadorian will have his lovely pottery there anyway. 

Also there will be yoga at the market this and every week; shop and then practice or practice and then shop; feed body and soul, no?! Class is from 11-12 and is open to all levels of practice. the class is donation-based and will meet in the labyrinth across the street from the market.

The Gordon Square Farmers' Market: more food, fewer tourists.
GSFM is located in the parking lot of Bethany Presbyterian Church at W. 65th and West Clinton streets (one block south of Detroit Ave.). 
Every Saturday through October, 10am-2pm. 
Feed back? Please email or talk to us at the GSFM booth on Saturday.
www.gordonsquaremarket.org 

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