Sunday, June 26, 2011

4MRMarket Report: "If You Can't Beet 'Em, Join 'Em" Edition

Here's the Market Report for this week from www.4MRMarket.org:

If you've dropped by the 4MRMarket, you may have noticed multiple varieties of beets have shown up in recent weeks.  This under appreciated root vegetable has a slightly sweet taste that pairs wonderfully in salad with cheese, nuts, tangy or sweet dressings, and so many other items.  You can roast or boil them.  I think roasting concentrates and brings out even more sweet flavor, but if you want to leave the oven off on a hot summer day, you can boil them, too (here's a quick cooking guide).
Here's a nice recipe to help you "Beet" the heat:

Roasted (or boiled) gold and red beet saladYou'll need 1 to 2 yellow and red beets from C&T Produce per person, some fresh spinach, arugula, or similarly hearty green, and any variety of goat cheese from Tom's Amish Cheese, tossed in a simple vinaigrette.  For the vinaigrette, mix equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar, a small teaspoon of Dijon mustard, a solid pinch of salt and pepper, and a pinch of sugar or a few drops of honey (1/2 tsp or so).  Shake in a jar to combine.  Add some thinly sliced red onions for an additional flavor element (soaking them in the vinaigrette or salt water for a few minutes cuts the sharpness of the onion). Toss the greens and onions in half the dressing, toss the beets separately in the other half.  Layer the beets on top of the greens on each plate and sprinkle an ounce or two of crumbled goat cheese atop the whole ordeal. Place on a place mat from Uncommon Knits, and you're all set!  Be careful, red beets stain like crazy!
On to the market report for today (sorry about the late notice).  We had a couple of unanticipated absences last week (some staffing issues, mainly), but our vendors will all be back in full force this week.  Corn, cantaloupes, and a host of other summer veggies are now in season and you can bet you won't be disappointed with the freshness and quality of produce, meats, cheeses, and other goods our vendors toil to bring us each week!
Here is who you'll find at 4MRMarket this week:
  • The Stifler Farm aka "What's For Dinner Now" (Shenandoah) - Natural, locally farm-raised black Angus beef, and now fresh, farm raised Pork, including bacon and andouille, chorizo, and breakfast sausage! (all flash frozen for convenience) 
  • Pleitez Produce
  • (Northern Neck) - A full range of locally grown produce, herbs, and more. 
  • Patowmack Farm
  • /Divine Foods (Lovettsville, VA) - Crepes and Smoothies made-to-order, plus organic, value added products. 
  • C&T Produce
  • (White Oak, VA) - A huge selection of locally grown produce. 
  • Uncommon Knits
  • (WV) - Handwoven linens made with 100% cotton and hand-stitched hems for your kitchen, dining room and bath. 
  • Ron RLR-Designs (Herndon, VA) - Artistic photo prints to dress up any wall
  • Yoli B. (Hanover, MD) - Hand-stitched kids clothing. NEW!
  • Sweet Hearts Patisserie
  • (Fairfax, VA) - a Northern Virginia based patisserie specializing in gourmet victorian petit fours and other miniature sized pastries. Sweet Hearts petit fours are made in a variety of delectable flavors and designs, and make the perfect gift or tea time treat. NEW!
VeloCity bike co-op will be at the market once again this week, as well. The guys will be on-site doing teaching bike maintenance and repair.  The Alexandria Community Policing (COPs) unit will be on site registering bicycles to ensure stolen bikes can be returned to their owners.  Bring your bike by and gain that little extra piece of mind!
In our 4MRMarket Tent come meet folks from the Sierra Club, Dominion Green Power, and LocalMotion to learn all about sustainability and making your commutes healthier and less stressful!
If you're a SNAP/EBT participant, remember to come out and take advantage of the Inova-sponsored "Double Dollar" program that doubles the first $10 SNAP participants spend at the market. 4MRMarket is the first farmers’ market in Northern Virginia (and still the only) to accept SNAP.
Please support your volunteer-run neighborhood farmers market. We can't do it without neighborhood support! We still need volunteers to help us find musicians to play the market and help staff the SNAP machine (after some training, of course). Find a Market Manager and ask to help, or email us at 4mrm@arlandria.org for more info.
_______________
The Four Mile Run Farmers and Artisans Market (Alexandria, Virginia 22305) brings fresh, nutritious food to people of all income levels, provide an opportunity for local artisans and producers of goods to bring their wares to market, strive to reflect the diversity of the community, and improve the quality of life for Arlandria residents and visitors. It is part of an overall vision to expand and improve Four Mile Run park and the surrounding neighborhood.
4MRMarket is open every Sunday from 8am until 1pm from May through October in Four Mile Run Park at 4109 Mt Vernon Avenue, Alexandria. (click here for directions)
For more info see: http://www.4mrmarket.org/Or contact us at: 4mrm@arlandria.org

No comments: