International Palate has shared a tasty way to prepare radishes, which are now being offered at the market. Don’t forget that the market is open with summer hours: 8:00am-12:00pm.
Summer Market Starts May 3
Don’t forget that the Westover Farmers Market begins its summer hours tomorrow. The market will open at 8 and close at noon. McKinley street will also close as a through street, with vendors setting up in the street. This also means the return of many of our usual summer vendors, in addition to the favorites you visited throughout the winter. See you at the market!
Farmers Market Friday Recipe: Ramp Frittata
International Palate has created a savory recipe using ramps: Ramp Frittata. With spring in full swing, these wild leeks are a tasty native of North America. They won’t be available for long, so be sure to buy some ramps this Sunday.
1,000 Facebook Likes and Pie Life Returns to the Market in May
We’ve reached 1,000 likes on the Westover Farmers Market Facebook page! Please like our page if you haven’t done so already: https://www.facebook.com/westoverfarmersmarket.
Speaking of “likes,” do you like pie? Livin’ the Pie Life will be returning to the market this summer! Because of their growing popularity, they won’t be able to make every market Sunday, so you should check for the “Eat More Pie” banner in the plaza. While you wait for the summer market to begin, you can read about Livin’ the Pie Life in a recent Washington Post article.
Cheese — and Seconds
Spring Gap Mountain Creamery will rejoin the Westover Farmers Market this Sunday. Spring Gap offers several aged cheeses made near PawPaw, West Virginia from raw milk coming from the Shenandoah Valley. The Creamery’s cheeses include Jersey Gold, Shenandoah Sunrise (a southern French farmstead cheese), Sophie’s Select (a medium sharp cheddar), West Virginia Blue, Bloomery (similar to a Camembert or Brie), and Farmhouse Feta (our favorite!). Spring Gap will be selling up on the plaza area of the market.
An open secret of farmers markets is the availability of fruits and vegetables from our local vendors that are sold at a sharply reduced price as seconds. If you are making an apple pie, who cares if the apples you use are a bit misshapen or have a bruise? Also if you need a large amount of a fruit or vegetable for a recipe, ask the several farm vendors at the market whether they have seconds of what you need. You could get some or all of what you want from the seconds bin and pay notably less than you would at any regular grocery store. Be a sharp farmers market shopper!
Farmers Market Friday Recipe: Watercress Salad
Stephanie Ortiz at International Palate has developed a watercress salad recipe using seasonal, local ingredients purchased at Westover Farmers Market. Check out her creative idea for using this zesty green in your next menu: Watercress Salad
Reminder: No Easter Market on April 5
Westover Farmers Market will be closed in celebration of Easter on Sunday, April 5. We humbly suggest that you factor this into your shopping plans tomorrow. Especially the eggs.
If you’re in the neighborhood over Easter weekend, check out the annual Westover Easter Egg Hunt, which will take place behind the Library on Saturday April 4 from 10:30 am to noon. More information available here. Guaranteed fun for kids and kids at heart.
Exclusive Westover Farmers Market Recipes
The Westover Farmers Market has caught the attention of local food designer, Stephanie Ortiz. Using seasonal ingredients from the market, she is now featuring custom-developed recipes on the International Palate blog. Every other week she will share a market-unique creation with us that will inspire our own food creativity! Her first Farmers Market Friday recipe is Beet Pizza.
Forward, Spring
Granted, “spring” remains a relative concept in the context of this week’s weather, but in any case, don’t forget to set your clocks forward one hour this evening as we move into daylight savings time. Then spring out of bed in the morning and visit the farmers market in the warming temperatures – who knows, the snow might even be fully melted. Your favorite vendors will be back in force with seasonal fruits and vegetables. The wide range of breads, meats, and specialty items offered will allow you to replenish your depleted store of locally sourced foods. And that should put a smile on your face and an extra spring in your step as we edge into the spring season. Market hours remain 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Market Open February 22, Thawed or Not
With a balmy forecast for Sunday (snow, what snow?), we’ll be reconvening as usual at 9 am to restock the fridge and share tips for thawing frozen pipes. Come on down and join us!