Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Farmers Market Success!!!

Just got back from the farmers market... I am in HEAVEN!!! The peaches smell amazing, the blueberries look spectacular... it's getting to be that time of the summer around here where everything is really coming into its own.
I don't usually do much with the blueberries because I don't have the willpower to stay away from them long enough to bake something... usually I throw them on my cereal or my favorite, mix them with some Greek yogurt and a dollop of honey... soooo good.
I haven't decided what to do with the peaches yet... I think a cobbler would be awesome, but with summer vacations, there isn't really anyone but me around to eat it. And I don't think my thighs would appreciate that. We'll see what happens, but they may just go the way of the blueberries. Although, my favorite way to make peaches is usually to cut them in half, take out the pit, brush them with balsamic vinegar and grill them. The vinegar sweetens up and carmelizes so nicely. And it's a great way to use under-ripe fruit. I don't have a grill in this apartment, but the grill pan usually works fine too.
One more good one, is to press the cut side into a mixture of cinnamon and sugar (or just brown sugar if you like) and then put them in a hot pan, cut side down to carmelize the sugar. If they're big, you may need to stick the pan in the over for a couple minutes to warm the fruit all the way through. Either of these methods go amazingly well with some vanilla ice cream, but they work great plain too!
Of course, my favorite find of the week has to be my new rosemary plant. I'm slowly building a container garden on my fire escape and I've been jonesin' for a rosemary plant for so long. I tried to grow it from seed but as it turns out, that's not the easiest thing to do. So then I decided I would look for a small potted one. Turns out, very few places around here carry them... but finally, today, one of the farms at the market had some great ones... and I'm not talking a little bitty thing, this thing is MASSIVE! Seriously, within minutes, my whole car started smelling like rosemary...
The other day, when I told my mom I wanted a rosemary plant she said "but what would you do with it?"
Um, what can't you do with fresh rosemary??? Honestly, whatever veggies are in season and sitting on your counter (like that gorgeous zucchini I have at home... and those bell peppers), cut em up, toss in olive oil... add garlic and rosemary and roast it in the oven... easy as that... eggplant, tomatoes, it's all good!
Also, when I was in Milwaukee a couple weeks ago, I ate brunch at a place called Trocadero and they served my eggs with rosemary potatoes that were to. die. for. I'm hoping to figure out how to recreate whatever they do to them. Or at least come up with something that's a close second. This new plant is big enough that I should be able to do plenty of experimenting.