Oct 092014
 
Fridge Pickles

Garlic Dill pickles ready for the fridge

“Playing With Your Food” is a weekly post highlighting a few of the many great uses for the wide range of produce and artisan food at the Salem Farmers’ Market, a Salem Main Streets project.  The Salem Farmers’ Market takes place every Thursday from June 12 to October 23 from 3 pm to 7 pm on Derby Square.  While we can never predict exactly what our farms will be able to bring each week, we 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 a few new ideas to play with, and inspire you to try some new things at the market.

The fall weather is upon us!  For many people, that means baking, roasting, and other warm, aromatic tasks.  As for me, I pickle.  Now, I understand that most people do their pickling and preserving in the summer, but much like the grasshopper in the fable, I am sometimes too happy enjoying my fresh produce during the summer to plan ahead for the winter.  But with the first crisp in the air, I suddenly panic about all the wonderful produce I’ll be missing in January and start pickling everything in sight.

That said, I’m unreasonably suspicious about my ability to can pickles.  I don’t actually trust myself and refuse to believe that they’ve sealed correctly.  For this reason, I tend to stick with fridge pickles, where no canning is required – but it does mean that they’re not “shelf stable” so you’ll be sacrificing fridge space.  Here are a few of our favorites:

Garlic Dill Pickles

Radish Pickles

Carrot Pickles

Apple Pickles

 

Prep for Winter - Potato Leek Ravioli with Pickled Carrots

Pickled carrots with Valicenti Organico’s potato leek ravioli – one of those ideas that shouldn’t work, but absolutely does!

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Oct 032014
 
Witch Living Statue 10-19-13

You never know who you’ll meet during the Biz Baz…

Street fairs are a welcome sight in Salem; walkers and vendors chat, joke, shoot the breeze, bargain, and in most cases seal a deal. This weekend the Chamber of Commerce presents its annual version, the Haunted Biz Baz, October 4 (10am-8pm) & October 5, 2014 (10am-6pm).

Booths will be lined up essentially along the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall walking path, as well as down into Derby Square.

What will you find? What won’t you find? Arts, crafts, jewelry and a great deal more. It’s a bazaar! It’s also a weekend. Weather looks to be co-operating with partly cloudy/partly sunny skies, mid to low 60 degree temperatures. That translates into a fine day trip forecast.

There will, of course, be food vendors along the route. Plus there are all the brick and mortar restaurants that line our main roads and streets. And afterwards, you can always check out the diverse, eclectic and just plain strange offerings of the merchants in Salem’s Downtown District.

Of course, if you need some directions or advice, our Info Booth volunteers are ready and willing to help answer your zaniest questions!  Stop by the intersection of Essex St. and Washington St. any time between 10 am and 6 pm on Saturday or 1 pm and 5 pm on Sunday for some friendly assistance.

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Info Booth ambassador Paula is ready to help!

 

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Sep 252014
 
Fishwives - Mandy's Chowdah - cred Barb Taylor

Mandy from Mandy’s Wicked Chowdah, serving up the good stuff.

“Playing With Your Food” is a weekly post highlighting a few of the many great uses for the wide range of produce and artisan food at the Salem Farmers’ Market, a Salem Main Streets project.  The Salem Farmers’ Market takes place every Thursday from June 12 to October 23 from 3 pm to 7 pm on Derby Square.  While we can never predict exactly what our farms will be able to bring each week, we 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 a few new ideas to play with, and inspire you to try some new things at the market.

There’s still a wealth of fresh produce and ingredients pouring in every week, but let’s face it – some weeks you just don’t want to overthink it. Some weeks you’re just not up for cooking.  Some weeks, you need someone else to take over.  Thankfully, our Salem Farmers’ Market vendors have you covered yet again!

Valicenti Organico - cred Barb Taylor

Valicenti Organico will always have friendly advice for pasta and sauce pairings.

One of your surest stops for an easy meal is sure to be Valicenti Organico.  From lemon basil linguine to squid ink spaghettini to chard ricotta ravioli, any of Valicenti’s amazing pasta options will cook in under 10 minutes.  Pair it with a jar of red gravy, “alla Norma” sauce with eggplant, or (if you’re lucky), some of their amazing butternut squash based Golden Gravy and you’re good to go!

If you need a snack RIGHT NOW, consider swing by Milk and Honey for some of their amazing empanadas, or cheese and spreads to take home as hors d’oeuvres.

Rowand’s Fish Market has more than just fresh fish – they also have a number of prepared dishes ready for you to take home.  Grab some shrimp cocktail ready to go for an appetizer, salmon burgers or fish cakes for a main course, or even a cup of seaweed salad for the perfect light snack.

Not only is it looking a little grey today (perfect for a cup of delicious, gluten-free chowder), but Mandy’s Wicked Chowdah is thinking ahead!  Buy 5 or more packages for $6 each and start stocking up for winter.  She said it, not me.

Need dessert?  Market newcomer Jodi Bee Bakes has been hitting it out of the park week after week with any array of seasonal goodies baked with locally-sourced ingredients. While Jodi has a number of gluten-free and vegan options, those of you who might be suspicious of such labels won’t question it again after sampling any of her wares.

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You read that right – maple donuts with almond glaze from Jodi Bee Bakes. They just happen to be gluten-free and vegan, as well!

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Sep 212014
 

Birdhouse fundraiserThe Salem Collection of Artists and Musicians on Artists’ Row is conducting the 4th Annual Gimme Shelter Birdhouse Auction Fundraiser to benefit the Northeast Animal Shelter today from 2 to 4pm at Artists Row, 24 New Derby Street.

Birdhouse Auction?

The Northeast Animal Shelter, established in 1976, is one of New England’s largest nonprofit shelters that does not destroy any of the pets entrusted to its care. But, the operating budget must be built from contributions as there is no funding from municipal, state or federal sources.

An open call went out to motivate artisans, crafters and anyone handy with a hammer /nail to make and donate birdhouses of any size, shape or materials to the auction. Conceptual, functional and literal pieces were welcome and have been on display at Artists’ Row.

Kate and Jamie Leavy, owners of Roost, originally launched this project as a creative way to raise funds for the Shelter. They passed it on to the Salem Collective of Artists & Musicians. And over the years Gimme Shelter Birdhouse Auction Fundraiser has proven to be a fun event that involves the community and creates some very interesting looking birdhouses.

The Salem Collective of Artists & Musicians is located on Artists’ Row in downtown Salem. It makes & sells art as well as offers free workshops and performances now through the end of October. For more information call (978) 219-7226.

(Image courtesy of Salem Collective of Artists & Musicians)

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Sep 182014
 

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Playing With Your Food” is a weekly post highlighting a few of the many great uses for the wide range of produce and artisan food at the Salem Farmers’ Market, a Salem Main Streets project.  The Salem Farmers’ Market takes place every Thursday from June 12 to October 23 from 3 pm to 7 pm on Derby Square.  While we can never predict exactly what our farms will be able to bring each week, we 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 a few new ideas to play with, and inspire you to try some new things at the market.

It may not officially be fall yet, but we’ve definitely entered the season for one of the most beloved symbols of fall food – APPLES.  If you’re like me, your eyes are probably bigger than your stomach when it comes to purchasing apples or apple cider.  Suddenly, you find yourself with three bags of apples and two gallons of apple cider that really need to be used within a week.  What to do?

Confession time – I am terrible with pie.  “Easy as apple pie” has no relevance to me.  So here’s a list things that I find EASIER to make than apple pie:

 

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Boxes of Far From the Tree Hard Cider ready to go!

 

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