(This week I am going to make a slight change.  The single "what I bought" picture has always displayed everything that I purchased.  It performed its job of showing a slice of the bounty that is available at the market, but it doesn't do justice to the quality and beauty of some of my purchases. So instead of showing the whole kit-and-kaboodle in a single picture I will post multiple close-ups focusing on a few of the highlights of the shopping trip.  I'll still list everything I bought below these pictures.) 

What I bought:

 

 

• Green beans - Beckwith Gardens
• Arugula and, yes, more shiso - Dandelion Spring Farm
• Golden beets and kohlrabi - Fishbowl Farm
• Raspberries - Lalibela Farm
• Sour cherries - Merrifield Farm
• Cheddar cauliflower, salad mix, herbal tea, and black radishes - Old Ocean House Farms
• Cukes and cherry tomatoes - Olivia's Garden
• Fire-Roasted Sweet Red Pepper and Garlic Chevre - Tourmaline Hill Farm
• Carrots, black raspberries, and zucchini - Uncle's Farm Stand

What I did with it:

• With the cucumbers I made a tadziki sauce, which I served on falafel in a pita pocket with tomatoes and red onions. (first pic below)
• Black and red raspberry and sour cherry crumble - served warm with vanilla bean ice cream (second pic below, minus the ice cream)
• Simple Treatment #1: carrot sticks - ready to go snacks.  I love red carrots.  To my taste buds they have a slight "piney" and cinnamon taste that I like a lot.
• Zucchini, kohlrabi and cheddar cauliflower gratinee
• Cream of golden squash soup
• I never tasted black radishes before.  They were similar to daikon in their heat.  I placed thin slices on pita bread with butter and Maine sea salt (third pic below).  At another sitting, I had them on crackers with Fire Roasted Sweet Red Pepper and Garlic Chevre.  Nice!
• Salad mix with cherry tomatoes and a very light vinaigrette dressing.  Just a quick note on salad mixes - there are SO MANY options at the farmers market.  Some farms mix the greens for you and package it in ready-to-go bags. There is a huge variety of greens to mix yourself.  Every week there are new options and mixes.  If you like greens, don't forget to pick up the fresh stuff!
• Chicken and green bean peanut stir-fry on arrugula
• In my previous 2 postings I mentioned shiso and sour plum dressing and sauce.  I purchased the preserved sour plums in an Asian market.  They are quite salty.  When I saw the sour cherries at the market I knew that I had to try the fried tofu batons on shiso again, but this time with a fresh sour cherry sauce. The sweet, the sour, the salty, all together.  Came out perfect.  NOW, I can put this flavor combo out of my head. (fourth pic below)
• Last, but not least, the fresh herbal tea mix was delicious.  The basil in it gave it a nice kick.  Every week, Mary Ellen and Austin Chadd from Old Ocean House Farms bring new blends in and they are absolutely worth a try.