Derby Wharf on the 4th at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site

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Jul 012014
 

Salem FireworksCelebrating the 4th of July is an emotional event, be it on The National Mall in Washington DC or the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on the Esplanade— or right here in historic Salem Ma. If you’re looking to honor the founding of our great nation, Salem Ma is very much worth the trip. Just consider this as an exciting backdrop for the festivities: a dozen historic structures, nine acres of waterfront land, all making up the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, which by the way was the first National Historic Site in the National Park System!

Now that we’ve got your attention what exactly are we doing in Salem at Derby Wharf on the 4th of July?

9am – You are invited to join Mayor Kimberly Driscoll on the Salem Common for a patriotic kick off event. “The Star Spangled Banner” will be sung by members of the YMCA of the North Shore Glee Club. The Declaration of Independence will be read by Dann Anthony Maurno, a Salem resident and actor who has appeared onstage in a variety of area venues. Musical selections will be performed by Robert Kendall on keyboard. Salem resident John Howard will lead the audience in singing “America the Beautiful.”

4pm – Children are included in the fun. Kids’ Space, where young ones can play games and get their faces painted, will be provided courtesy of the Gathering, the MeetingHouse Church and the First Universalist Society of Salem. Food tents on site also open at 4pm with hot dogs, French fries, fried dough, kettle corn, and other fair favorites.

5pm – Things begin to heat up as live entertainment begins on the Main Stage with the Pocket Money Orchestra. This amazing young funk group from Salem features energetic original music by Brian Cogger (trumpet), Seth Bailin (tenor and baritone sax), Aidan Scrimgeour (piano), Ben Siwak (bass), Derek Hayden (drums), and Danny Dugan (percussion). The Pocket Money Orchestra has a growing presence on the North Shore music scene and plays regularly at local venues.

7:15pm – Opening Ceremonies! Mayor Driscoll and other local dignitaries will lead a parade down the wharf accompanied by the Salem Veterans Honor Guard and Salem Boy Scout troops. The National Anthem will be sung by Grace Bigus, Sam Bigus, Danielle Lovasco, Chloe Panico, Jacob Pini, Mariella Robinson, Delaney Sprague, and Aly Yanishevsky from the YMCA of the North Shore Glee Club. This is an a cappella group for children ages 12-18 directed by YMCA Music Director Samantha Gambaccini. These students work as a team to create and sing a wide variety of repertoire from classic to contemporary.

This leads up to what we hope will be a Pops experience you will never forget, kicked off by Maestro Dirk Hillyer and his orchestra. This year soloist Jean Danton joins the orchestra with musical selections from Sondheim. Her singing has been described as “stunning,” ”outstanding,” “wonderfully controlled and full-voiced,” and “stylishly stellar.” She is a favorite soloist with Pops orchestras including the Boston Pops Orchestra, North Shore Music Theatre, North Shore Philharmonic Orchestra, and New England Light Opera.

9:15pm – Salem ends its Independence Day celebration with a fireworks extravaganza, accompanied by the Hillyer Festival Orchestra playing the 1812 Overture and other patriotic music throughout the entire fireworks display.

“Salem is fortunate to have such a generous business community that continues to support this celebration,” Mayor Driscoll commented. “I’d like to express a special thank you to Footprint Power – Salem Harbor Station and to Salem Five, along with Aggregate Industries, Tache Real Estate, Market Basket, Eastern Bank, and KV Associates.”

“There is no better place to be than Salem on the 4th,” Mayor Driscoll stated. “We have consistently put together one of the most spectacular live concerts and fireworks extravaganzas anywhere in Massachusetts.”

For more information go to www.salem.com or call the Salem City Hall at 978-745-9595, ext. 5676. For traveling to Salem we advise taking the mbta.

Get here early. Have a nice meal. Enjoy the day and evening. (Photo courtesy Social Palates)

Salem Farmers’ Market – July 4 Holiday Week Alternatives!

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Jul 012014
 
Megan at Clark Farm stand - Week 1

Clark Farm produce – Photo Credit Social Palates

As you may know, there will be no Salem Farmers’ Market this week due to the holiday.  “But wait!”, you may exclaim.  “I’m having a huge barbecue on July 4th and I absolutely need to get [insert amazing product usually found at the market here]!”

Fear not.  Since we primarily feature local farms and artisans at the Farmers’ Market, many of our vendors and their products can still be found around Salem for all your dinner party needs.  Here are a few ideas:

For your first stop, cruise down Church Street to everyone’s favorite green grocer Milk and Honey for all kinds of locally-sourced produce and artisan foods.  They’ll be open 9 am to 8 pm through Thursday this week and closed on July 4.

Maitland Farm - Week 3

Maitland Mountain Farm

While you’re there, you might find some fresh produce from Maitland Mountain Farm, or grab a container of their mind-blowing pickles.  You can also find their pickles around town at Pamplemousse or Salem Spice.

Speaking of which, Salem Spice is THE place to find all the salts, spices, rubs, and kitchen tools you could possibly need, and always with a smile.  You can visit their storefront down on Pickering Wharf (also known as “The Picklepot”).

While you’re down on Pickering Wharf, you can walk right next door to get a treat for your favorite four-footed friend at Day of the Dog.  They’re closed today (as they are every Tuesday), but they’ll be open from 10 am till at least 5 pm every other day this week, including the 4th.

Have a gluten-free or vegan guest coming into town this weekend and stumped for a delicious dessert? Market newcomer Jodi Bee Bakes not only redefines vegan and gluten-free desserts (seriously, have you tried those cupcakes?!), all of her items are available for special order by email, phone, or website with 48 hour notice.  Local delivery is available.

Made the rounds around town and still looking for more fresh produce?  Take a field trip to Danvers and visit Clark Farm’s farmstand, open every day from 9 am to 6 pm.

Need an adult beverage after all that shopping?  Grab a bottle (or three) of Far From The Tree‘s hard cider at Pamplemousse, Salem Wine Imports, or Quality Liquors, or enjoy with dinner at Finz or Scratch Kitchen.

Most importantly, have a safe and enjoyable July 4th!  The Salem Farmers’ Market will return as usual on July 10.

FFTT Cider - Week 1

Far From The Tree Hard Cider – Photo Credit Social Palates

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Playing With Your Food 2014 – Weeks 1 through 3

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Jun 252014
 
Wally's - Week 2

Produce at Wally’s Vegetables – Week 2

We started a little tradition with the 2013 Winter Market of posting ideas for recipes and uses for the many products you could find at the market, called “Playing With Your Food”.   Now that the 2014 Salem Farmers’ Market is in full swing, we thought it would be fun to start a similar tradition highlighting a few of the many great options for the range of produce and artisan food at the market each week.  While we can never predict exactly what our farms will be able to bring each week, we will do our best to reflect some of the fun items we’ve found recently and what’s likely to be available for the upcoming week.  Hopefully this will give you all a few new ideas to play with, and inspire you to try some new things at the market.

We’ll start with a round up from the first two weeks and the upcoming third week.

Strawberry and Rhubarb

Nothing says early summer like the combination of strawberry and rhubarb, but the season is always far too short.  Celebrate them now, or find a way to hang on them for winter when you’re desperately missing summer.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Asparagus

The season for asparagus is almost already over.  Snatch some up while you still can!

Week 2 Greens and Alliums

Assorted Greens and Allium Options

Spring Allium Family

Spring onions, leeks, and scallions are popping up left and right, and they are ridiculously beautiful.  Grill them, fry them, saute them, whatever you please!

  • Grilled Spring Onions – the purple and green scallions we found at the Clark Farm stand last week are beautifully suited to this easy side dish
  • Leek Fritters – note that leeks this time of year may be a bit smaller than you’re used to seeing, so you’ll need to tweak recipes accordingly
Week 2 - Leek Fritters and Sauteed Pea Tendrils

Leek Fritters and Sauteed Pea Tendrils with Pork Chops

Odds and Ends

  • Pea Tendrils – we found these at the Long Hill Orchard stand last week and had no idea what to do with them.  Turns out a simple saute with garlic, lemon, and salt is all you need!
Prep for Winter - Freezing Berries

Berries in syrup, ready for the freezer

 

Drink Up Art at PEM’s British Pub Night

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Jun 172014
 

PEM PubDrinking is on tap at the Peabody Essex Museum this Thursday night as the next edition of PEM/PM takes place from 6-9pm. Drinking in terms of British beer tasting and drinking in the art of celebrated British artist J.M.W. Turner.

We are quite lucky here in Salem, having not only a quality museum in town, but also a very creative one that makes every effort to be accommodating to the community in the ways it approaches self-promotion.

To do this, every month the PEM has a party series, staying open into the night to shine a spotlight on a particular exhibit. This month: J.M.W. Turner, the British artist celebrated in Turner & the Sea, a new exhibition of more than 100 paintings on view this summer. The evening will feature gallery talks, The Jovial Crew singing folk songs of the sea and shore, a British beer tasting in the Asian Garden, the opportunity to play darts and other pub games and an art-making activity to decorate your own coaster.

Other refreshments will consist of a Cash Bar, with special small plates menu from the Hawthorne Hotel.

In the midst of this swirl of activity, guests will have the opportunity to explore the works of Turner who was one of the most original painters of landscapes and seascapes in Europe.

“Turner lived in one of the world’s most powerful nations at the water’s edge for much of his life, at the very peak of British sea power. As any great artist will do, he embraced the atmosphere of his time and presented it through his work. Turner’s talent was such that he went a step further and also redefined marine painting, and perhaps all painting, forever,” said Daniel Finamore, PEM’s Russell W. Knight Curator of Maritime Art and History.

Dramatic, contemplative, dangerous and beautiful, the sea was the perfect subject to showcase the singular talents of Turner.

Guests will see iconic works spanning the artist’s career from his transformative Academy paintings of the late 1790s and early 1800s to the unfinished, experimental seascapes produced toward the end of his life. Paintings by European and American masters — such as Constable, Whistler and Sargent — illuminate how Turner influenced generations of artists.

Admission is free of charge to PEM members and Salem residents (with ID); Nonmembers $10 at the door. For more info call 866‐745‐1876 or visit their Web site at www.pem.org.  

Thursday, Salem Farmers Market and You!

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Jun 132014
 

You missed it didn’t you? Admit it. You put it on your calendar that the Salem Farmers Market grand opening for the 2014 season was Thursday, June 12th. And you forgot about it. Don’t worry. It will take place next Thursday and every Thursday until Oct. 23rd from 3-7pm in our Derby Square.

Salem Farmers Market 1Vegetables by the ounce, pound and bushel await you. Plus a great deal more (eggs, strawberries, apple cider, tomatoes, greens, pretzels, honey, cookies, and cheese). Several of the tables we hear were cleaned out.

The mission of a “Farmers Market” is to enhance the quality of life in the Salem downtown area by providing a community activity that fosters social gathering and interaction.

You the shopper are given the rare opportunity to interact with the person who grew or made the items on the table for purchase. You can ask questions. Where did it come from? How was it grown? How fresh is it based on how long it took to get to market?

Salem Farmers Market 2According to a survey conducted by Farmers Markets Today magazine, more than 85% of farmers market vendors traveled fewer than 50 miles to sell at a farmers market in 2008. In fact, more than half of farmers traveled less than 10 miles to their market, according to a 2006 USDA survey.

You are supporting local agriculture and producers by providing a direct market for their produce and goods. And believe it or not you are also bringing business to local merchants.

The Farmers Market Coalition reports that a 2010 study of the Easton Farmers Market in Pennsylvania, for example, found that 70% of farmers market customers are also shopping at downtown businesses, spending up to an extra $26,000 each week.

Therefore we invite you to come to Salem for our Farmers Market, and then stay to visit our diverse selection of shops, stores and restaurants.  (Photographs courtesy of Social Palates)

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