farmers' market: strawberries and geeky boys

[heresluck]

I got a lot of strawberries. They won't be amazing until next week or the week after, when the whole market will smell of them from a block away; right now they're only very good. But I couldn't wait. Because, I mean, strawberries.Sugar snaps, very new potatoes, and even tomatoes were all over the non-organic stands, which means I can look forward

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[laurashapiro]

We tried out the farmer's market in our new neighborhood yesterday. Small, but very friendly. There was a three-piece acoustic band performing Barenaked Ladies songs. There were strawberries as far as the eye could see, all manner of stone fruit, a luscious dried fruit stand, some lovely veggies -- I got a huge bunch of young carrots, and some teeny yukon gold potatoes, and a firm young onion. Had to leave the asparagus -- they wanted six bucks! Best of all, though: ollalieberries! P. bought a half dozen tubs and is going to make a pie.

We also have a meat market a block away, all locally-raised free-range animals. Lamb stew last night featured the carrots and potatoes and a bunch of fresh herbs. Nummy.

What will you do with the strawberries? Do you make preserves?

[heresluck]

Six bucks a pound for asparagus? Yikes. That's more than twice what I'm paying. But hurrah for the potatoes; yukon golds are my third-favorite potato. Yum.

I don't have any idea what an ollalieberry is, but it sounds delightful.

truepenny's husband and I made a delightful lamb-and-white-bean stew last week. Mmmm.

The strawberries are partly for eating and mostly for a strawberry-rhubarb crisp or jumble or possibly roly-poly, depending on what I've got in the kitchen. I don't do preserves; maybe someday, when I have a large enough kitchen to allow for it, but right now I can get such excellent jam at the market that I don't feel inclined to strike out on my own.

[laurashapiro]

Nah, not six bucks a pound. Six bucks for the yummy-looking bunch I picked up. I didn't have the cash on me, more fool I.

What are your second- and first-favorite potatoes?

I normally like yukon golds, but these ended up tasting a little muddy in the stew. I'm not sure if it's something I did. The stew itself was great, though. Must try working with white beans next time! That sounds grand.

I don't have any idea what an ollalieberry is, but it sounds delightful.

Well, it would probably help if I spelled it right. *g* olallieberry

They are primarily western and have a very short season. I wonder if I can bring you some in August -- they might be over by then. If not, I could bring jam.

Speaking of which, I'm with you on the making preserves. When there's such good jam available, why sweat over boiling jars?

I know what a crisp is. I can imagine a jumble. What on earth is roly-poly?

[heresluck]

What are your second- and first-favorite potatoes?

My first-favorite is carola, which is like a yummier yukon gold -- similarly yellow and all-purpose. My second-favorite is cranberry red, which is a winter potato that has a lovely flavor and color (it is in fact cranberry-colored, all the way through) and holds its shape remarkably well in stews, pot roasts, etc. I have about six different favorite potatoes, so the distinctions are very fine and not especially meaningful.

Olallieberry jam sounds like an excellent idea.

What on earth is roly-poly?

It's a cobbler variation: sweet biscuit dough rolled out, piled with prepared fruit (properly berries, especially blackberries, but like all such pastries it's subject to almost infinite variation), rolled up like a jelly roll, sliced, and baked in or under a sugar syrup. It's the sort of thing that makes up for the terrifying jello salads at upper-midwestern church suppers. I like it because it's sticky. I like cobbler, too, but only if it's accompanied by ice cream.