This is the time of year when cooking local gets really exciting. Every day feels like a lottery win when a sign goes up that local product that I have been pining for comes into season.
A few days ago I was giddy with excitement after seeing the Day’s corn sign was out. Hooray!
Corn will join our local dinner feast menu along with all of our favorites that are ready now. Heirloom tomatoes made their debut at the Farmer’s Market on Wednesday, another obsessive taste of ours that will be incorporated greedily into meals (breakfast lunch and dinner). Peaches, green beans, heirloom tomatoes, zucchini…yes, we live in a summer food paradise. Enjoy every second and every morsel of fresh when you can and preserve the rest for the winter.
When you are at Day’s Century Farm (located on Byrn Road, kind of behind Guisichan Village), fill your basket with green beans and the best corn on the cob. They also have super sweet cantaloupes that will make you wonder if you have really tasted a proper cantaloupe before.
If you are travelling over to the Westside, take a right turn off the bridge and wander over to Little Creek Gardens. Home of the famous Little Creek Salad Dressing, farmers Donna Denison and Dale Ziech are back in the game of fresh veg. Dale is selling his famous tomatoes at farm gate but they will also be for sale at Urban Harvest, Choices Market and Nature’s Fare on the Westside.
On KLO road, the My Country Garden Market is where I found peaches and potatoes. They also have gorgeous U-Pick zinnias that I am madly in love with. Five bucks for 15 stems!!
I love making fresh salsa in the summer with whatever is in season – adding peaches and basil makes for a super fresh spin. To stay on theme, hit L & D Meats in Guisachan Village, ask Don for the delicious fresh tortilla shells and tomatillo sauce made by local Las Mexicanas and make it a taco night.
Now go shopping and make a summer feast.
Jennifer Schell is the editor of Wine Trails magazine and the author of the award winning Butcher, the Baker, the Wine and Cheese Maker cookbook series.