Eat like a Market Starlet

Perhaps market harlot would be a better way to describe someone who has a ravenous, insatiable need to shop local farmers markets for fresh and delicious produce, but I suppose the term starlet is satisfactory.  Much has been said over the last decade about the benefits of shopping and eating local farmers markets.  True, if you eat and shop local it benefits the environment, supports local economy and agriculture, promotes better health through fresher, more nutrient rich food, etc., etc… but what I am most interested in as a raw foodist is the fact that fruits and vegetables from local markets simply taste better.

My lovely friend Irene playing with the bulbs.

Case in point: the summer squash.  One of my favorite dishes was summer squash sautéed with onion and butter, but as much as I enjoyed this dish, I never found raw squash to be very palatable.  Most squashes, as they mature on the vine, become tougher, woodier, and inevitably taste more… well, squashy.  This is how the larger (6+ inch) squashes sold in most supermarkets tend to be.  At the farmers market however, one can find the younger, more tender and sweet summer squash that makes a delicious addition to any salad or dish (see Summer Squash Salad below).  Additionally, root vegetables, such as beets and turnips, may not even be digestible in uncooked form unless they are young, fresh and tender (beet recipes promised for the fall!). 

This phenomenon of fresher=tastier also holds true for fruit.  For the longest time I quit buying peaches, nectarines, apricots, and oranges at the store because they never tasted right.  This is mainly because pretty much any fruit sold in a supermarket has to be picked very young in order to prevent bruising in transport, and oftentimes they are sprayed upon arrival with a chemical that initiates further (“vine-less”) ripening.  The result is fruit that is frequently starchy, mealy, less sweet and less flavorful.  At my trip to the market this morning, I was delighted by a nectarine so perfect that I couldn’t take even a single bite without juice dripping down my wrist and chin!  I had to lean far forward and eat it over several napkins!  Now that’s what I call a fruit!

If you’re asking yourself when was the last time you had a sloppy fruit encounter, then here’s what I suggest you do: go online and search the name of your city/town with the term “farmers market” - you may be surprised by how many are offered in your area.  Most markets operate from early in the morning until about noon or 1pm, and most only take cash (bring plenty for your first trip!).  If you’re after the cream of the crop, go early.  If however, you prefer good bargains over pretty produce, then hit up weekly markets about an hour prior to closing.  The vendors at weekly markets know that most of what they don’t sell by the end of that day will go to waste, thus they practically give their delicious inventory away within that last hour.  

Finally, since produce from farmers markets is so fresh, letting it sit in your fridge as long as you might let grocery store produce sit in your fridge is a bad idea.  Depending upon what type of food item you purchase (peaches vs. onions for example), you may find it turning south within a day or two.  If you need to move some food, get to eating, dehydrating, or bring over some friends for an actually delectable veggie dish.  No matter what you chose to do with your food from the farmers market, I promise you’ll keep coming back for more!

Summer Squash Salad

Serves 1-2

6-8 young summer squash (approx. 2 c chopped)

1 c sweet cherry tomatoes, halved

1 heaping Tbsp fresh chopped basil

1 Tbsp capers

1 large garlic clove, crushed

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 ½ Tbsp olive oil

pinch ground fennel seed

pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

salt and cracked black pepper to taste

1.  Prepare squash, tomato, and basil as described and place in medium sized serving bowl along with capers.

2.   Mix remaining ingredients together in a separate bowl and pour over squash medley to serve.