The Weblog
Time to Order
Good afternoon to The Wednesday Market community. We hope you are having a great Sunday.
The Wednesday Market is open. Please place your orders by 10 p.m. Monday. Orders are ready for pick up between 3 and 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Please see the website for all of this week’s offerings. Here is the link: http:\\www.wednesdaymarket.locallygrown.net/market
Thank you to everyone who has given me positive feedback about the stories and recipes I have shared through the blog this summer. I haven’t written much in the past couple of weeks, but plan to post some new stories and recipes soon.
In the meantime, thank you for supporting locally grown agriculture and the farmers and small businesses within The Wednesday Market. We appreciate your efforts to buy locally, and we thank you for your loyalty!
We’ll see you on Wednesday!
Beverly
Here is your Weekly Reminder
Good morning.
The Wednesday Market is open. Please place your orders by 10 p.m. Monday. Orders are ready for pick up between 3 and 6 p.m. On Wednesday. Please see the website for all of this week’s offerings. Here is the link: http:\\www.wednesdaymarket.locallygrown.net/market
Have a great holiday!
Thanks,
Beverly
Good Morning! Time to Order.
Good morning to The Wednesday Market community.
The Market is open for orders. Please place your order by 10 p.m. Monday. Orders are ready for pick up Wednesday between 3 and 6 p.m. Be sure to browse the website for all of this week’s product offerings. Here is the link: http://wednesdaymarket.locallygrown.net/market
We hope everyone has a good day, and we’ll see you on Wednesday.
Thanks,
Beverly
Time to Order; Thoughts on Canning
Good afternoon to The Wednesday Market community.
The Market is open for orders. Remember to place your orders by 10 p.m. Monday. Orders are ready for pick up between 3 and 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Please see the website for this week’s product offerings. Here is the link: http://wednesdaymarket.locallygrown.net/market
If you stopped by Concord Street Sweets’ table this week, you may have seen the huge box of green beans that my Mom grew and that she was selling last week. My folks can flat out grow some green beans! We like the White Half-Runner variety, which is the kind planted by North Georgia people. This year’s crop is particularly bounteous, and Mama has already canned 36 quarts. If you have ambition for putting up your own canned goods, don’t wait too long, as summer is fleeting. With that thought in mind, here is a poem for all of you home canners out there:
“Pickle-Making Day”
p=. By: Nan Sexton
The shelves all filled up look so nice
p=. the kitchen smells of tang and spice
p=. things are cleaned up, put away
p=. today was pickle-making day
p=. The cukes that made a garden hill
p=. now are steeped in spice or dill
p=. on the shelf is where they’ll stay
p=. to dress up our Thanksgiving day
p=. or make a tangy Christmas treat
p=. or just be something good to eat
p=. when winter winds soon whine and moan…
p=. …they’ll be something we’ve homegrown
Enjoy your Sunday, and we’ll see you Wednesday!
Thanks,
Beverly
Weekly Reminder to Order; Eggplant Experiment
Good afternoon to The Wednesday Market community. We hope you are having a good weekend!
The Wednesday Market is open for orders. Please place your orders by 10 p.m. Monday. Orders are ready for pick up between 3 and 6 p.m. Wednesday. See the website for all of this week’s offerings. Here is the link: http://wednesdaymarket.locallygrown.net/market
Do you like to cook? What kind of a cook are you? I am a “by the recipe” kind of a cook. The way I see things, my life is just too busy to spend time working on something that might or might not work out correctly. By using a recipe, I hedge my bets that my project will be successful.
Once in a while, though, I experiment. Such was the case on Friday night when we did not have plans to go anywhere. Having been given a big bag of Japanese eggplant, I decided to figure out something to do with them. They were long and skinny. How would I make eggplant Parmesan out of these?
I started by slicing the eggplant into thin round slices, so that they looked like large coins. I put them on a parchment lined baking sheet, brushed them with olive oil and sprinkled them with salt and freshly ground pepper. Into the oven at 400 degrees they went. At this point, I left the project with my capable sous chef and better half, Joe, so that I could run down to Freshway for some Parmesan cheese. By the time I returned, the eggplant was successfully roasted, and Joe had put them into a pan on the stove and poured a jar of tomato basil spaghetti sauce over the top; the sauce and eggplant were simmering gently. Joe had also made a big pot of angel hair pasta. The kitchen smelled heavenly with the aroma of garlic and basil wafting through the air! I sliced a big loaf of Italian bread and toasted it in the oven. I pulled a jar of artichoke bruschetta from the pantry, and we headed to the table.
Dinner was served: roasted eggplant and tomato basil sauce over angel hair pasta topped with grated Parmesan cheese and artichoke bruschetta on the side. It was delicious! Even our boys, Stephen, 10, and Charlie, 5, gave the meal two “thumbs up.” The moral of the story: It is fun to experiment once in a while. You just might discover something really good!
We hope that you will be inspired by the bounty of The Wednesday Market farmers and try something new, too.
See you on Wednesday!
Thanks,
Beverly
Order Now; Peach Ice Cream
Good evening. This is your weekly reminder that The Wednesday Market is open for orders. Please place your orders by 10 p.m. Monday. Orders are ready for pick up between 3 and 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Be sure to check the website for all of this week’s offerings. Here is the link: http://wednesdaymarket.locallygrown.net/market
In last week’s blog, I said that I’d write this week about peaches and share with you a recipe for homemade peach ice cream.
My husband’s cousins grew up in Ft. Valley, Peach County, Georgia. When Joe’s cousins were teenagers, growing up in the long hot summers there, they worked at the Lane Packing Company. Those were the days when Lane sold their peaches at a simple roadside stand. As we all know by now, the Lanes have turned their small, family-owned orchard into a booming year-round enterprise. Tourists come in droves to visit Lane Southern Orchards these days.
Joe’s Aunt Mary and Uncle Mike were the most genteel, welcoming people I have ever met. When I married into the family, they treated me as if I were one of their own children. Visiting them was an incredible pleasure for me because Aunt Mary was such a wonderful hostess. Staying at her house was like being a guest at a bed and breakfast. My room was appointed with fresh, elegant linens and the bedside stand had a vase of flowers cut from Aunt Mary’s own gardens. She was an adventurous cook and loved to try new recipes for family and friends. It was at Aunt Mary’s house that I had my first occasion to eat peach ice cream. In honor of Aunt Mary, here is her recipe:
Georgia Peach Ice Cream
Pulse in food processor 2 cups peaches and 1 ½ cups sugar. Pour peach mixture in large bowl and add 3 eggs, 2 ½ cups sugar, 1 can evaporated milk, and 1 tablespoon vanilla flavoring. Mix well and pour into ice cream freezer. Pour in a quart of 2% milk until you reach the fill line of freezer. Freeze according to your freezer directions. Serve with pound cake.
Now, Aunt Mary’s recipe does not call for cooking the ice cream base before freezing. Modern home economists would frown on this recipe, as certain segments of the population, including the elderly, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems are greatly discouraged from consuming raw eggs, due to the risk of salmonella. So, what now?
Here is a modern recipe, featuring cooked custard, that I believe to be as good as Aunt Mary’s, and we know that this recipe, when prepared properly, poses no risks:
Georgia Peach Ice Cream
4 eggs
1 ¼ cups sugar, divided
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups whole milk
2 cans (14 ounces each) sweetened condensed milk
1 ¾ pounds fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
In a large heavy saucepan, whisk eggs, 1 cup sugar and salt until blended; stir in milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is just thick enough to coat a spoon and an instant-read thermometer dipped in the mixture reads at least 160 degrees. Do not allow to boil. Remove from heat immediately.
Quickly transfer to a bowl; place bowl in a pan of ice water. Stir gently and occasionally for 2 minutes. Stir in sweetened condensed milk. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard.Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
When ready to freeze, in a small bowl, mash peaches with remaining sugar; let stand 30 minutes. Pour custard into cylinder of ice cream freezer; stir in peaches. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. Makes about 3 ¾ quarts. Source: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/georgia-peach-ice-cream
I hope that you try making peach ice cream for you and your family. Better hurry, before peach season is over. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and we’ll see you on Wednesday at the Market!
Thanks,
Beverly
Here is Your Weekly Reminder to Order!
Good evening to everyone within The Wednesday Market community.
The Wednesday Market is open for orders. Please place your order by 10 p.m. Monday. Orders are ready for pick up between 3 and 6 p.m. Wednesday. Check the website for all of this week’s offerings. Here is the link: http://wednesdaymarket.locallygrown.net/market
Are all of you enjoying the bounty of this summer’s vegetables? I just have to tell y’all about the tasty supper my family had at Mama’s house tonight. The occasion for celebration was my brother Jeremy’s 31st birthday. It was a very impromptu party. Mama and I planned the menu in about a 10-minute phone conversation. Soon thereafter, my brother and my husband were tending to the grill loaded with New York strip steaks, yellow summer squash, onions, and mushrooms, and yellow and white sweet corn. We also grilled a loaf of French bread, cut on the bias, that I served with my favorite topping – a mix of chopped homegrown heirloom tomatoes, minced garlic, chiffonade of basil, a sprinkle of sea salt and a drizzle of vinegar. The steaks were perfect, and the side vegetables were colorful and savory. For dessert, Mama made Jeremy’s favorite cake, which we call “Mississippi Mud.” It’s really an old-fashioned chocolate pudding cake, the kind where you mix batter and put it in a casserole dish, then pour boiling water combined with cocoa powder and sugar over the top before you put it in the oven. Something magical happens in the oven – as the mixture cooks, cake rises to the top and the bottom becomes a layer of chocolate pudding. It is delicious served warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A good time was had by all!
Here is a little teaser for next week: I’ll write about peaches and share a recipe for homemade peach ice cream.
Until then, enjoy the remainder of the weekend, and we’ll see you Wednesday at the Market.
Thanks,
Beverly
Time to Order
Good afternoon. The Wednesday Market is open. Please place your orders by 10 p.m. Monday, and your orders are ready for pick up on Wednesday between 3 and 6 p .m. Be sure to check the website for all of this week’s offerings. We have some really interesting produce, including purple hull peas, yellow beans, and acorn and butternut squash. Here is the link: http://wednesdaymarket.locallygrown.net/market
On this rainy day, I’m just too sleepy (or maybe, too lazy) to write anything creative or inspiring, so I’ll borrow someone else’s words:
“It is better to dance in the rain than to sit under a leaking roof.” ? Vikrant Parsai
We’ll see you on Wednesday!
Thanks,
Beverly
Weekly Reminder; Squash Recipes
Good evening to everyone in The Wednesday Market community.
This is your friendly weekly reminder that the Market is open for ordering. Place your orders by 10 p.m. Monday; orders are ready for pick up between 3 and 6 p.m. Wednesday. Newly listed items include cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, purple hull peas, and green bell peppers. Be sure to browse the market for all of these week’s product offerings. Here is the link: http://wednesdaymarket.locallygrown.net/market
Have you ever looked through the “Recipes” section of our Wednesday Market website? There are many inspiring recipes, but for some unknown reason, most of them feature fall and winter produce. There’s nothing wrong with that, but here we are – right in the MIDDLE of summer – and I think it’s time to share a recipe or two showcasing produce that is in season now.
I hope y’all like squash! I sure do. My favorite way to eat squash is fried, but I’m really particular when it comes to fried squash. No thickly sliced and battered squash for me. I only like it done the way that my folks do it. Mama learned how from my Mamaw, who sliced the squash very thinly, then added cornmeal mix and salt. You keep adding cornmeal until no more will stick to the squash. Then you fry it in a cast iron skillet, using a fair amount of hot oil. The squash is supposed to come out golden and crispy. While I know the theory behind frying squash this way, I am sorry to admit that I have not yet perfected the technique. Every time I try, I end up with burnt squash and a smoky kitchen. The best thing to do is just go to Mama’s house. I know she’ll do it right and the result will be delicious!
The following squash recipes were sent to us by Carmen Westerfield of Westerfield Farm in Molena. We hope they will inspire you to try cooking squash in new ways.
PATTYPAN SQUASH
2 large fresh tomatoes
5-6 medium pattypan squash
¼ cup melted butter (or olive oil)
1 bunch fresh basil
Sea salt
Grated parmesan cheese
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Slice your squash, and then fine chop basil. Layer this in a casserole dish. Slice your tomatoes and layer them on the squash and basil. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top and drizzle butter over layers. Bake for 30 minutes or until squash is tender.
STUFFED PATTYPAN SQUASH
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup grated yellow squash
¼ teaspoon salt
6 small pattypan squash
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon dried basil
Pinch pepper
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
Combine zucchini, yellow squash and salt, stir gently. Let stand 30 minutes. Drain well, and press between layers of paper towels. Set aside. Cook pattypan squash in boiling salted water to cover 8 to 10 minutes or until tender but firm. Drain and let cool to touch. Cut 1/2 inch slice from stem end of each squash. Scoop out leaving shell intact. Place shells in a 13 × 9-inch dish. Melt butter in skillet. Add zucchini, yellow squash, and basil. Sauté 2 minutes. Spoon into shells and sprinkle with parmesan. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until heated.
Source: 1988 Southern Living Cookbook
SQUASH CROQUETTES
2 pounds yellow squash, sliced
2 to 2 1/2 cups breadcrumbs, divided
½ cup minced green onions
2 eggs
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 cup cornmeal
Vegetable oil
Cook squash until tender, drain and mash. Add 2 cups breadcrumbs and next 5 ingredients. Add more breadcrumbs if too soft. Shape into 18 longs. Roll in cornmeal. Fry in oil until golden brown.
Source: 1988 Southern Living Cookbook
Happy summer from all of us Sunshine Girls! We’ll see you at the Market on Wednesday.
Thanks,
Beverly
If You Are Having Difficulty Ordering, Please Do This
Good evening.
Some customers are experiencing difficulty with our ordering system today. In an effort to “reset” the system, I disabled it briefly a few minutes ago, then turned it back on. Maybe that corrected the situation.
If you are not able to log in or get your password e-mailed to you, please let me know.
At any rate, we do not want you to miss an opportunity to order. If you try again, in the next several minutes, to log in and are unsuccessful, then please send an e-mail to the address below, listing whatever it is you wanted to order (be sure to indicate which farmer you want to order from), and we’ll do our best to work with our growers to get your orders completed.
We do not like having “technical difficulties”! Please bear with us as we work to fix the situation.
Thank you for your patience.
Beverly
beverlywednesdaymarket@gmail.com