More ideas for eating local food this Fourth of July

The Markets and More folks, who bring you the farmers markets at 14th and U and in Bloomingdale, know their way around good food. And they send a lively newsletter each week to guide patrons along. This week’s was especially useful, so I’ve asked for permission to reprint the suggestions.

Read this, and you’re guaranteed a great arsenal of ways to go local this July Fourth.

The 14th and U Street market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, and the Bloomingdale market, located at 1st and R streets NW, is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays. To sign up for the newsletter, email Markets and More.

Grilled Grass Fed and Pastured Meats: Truck Patch pastured pork chops, sausages and Black Angus grass- fed steaks and burgers Smoke or indirectly grill TP pastured pork shoulder. Pecan Meadow's grass-fed and grass-finished half Piedmontese beef steaks and burgers, lamb chops and steaks. (Hint: Lightly Salt them 8-24 hours in advance for the deepest flavor. I learned that tip from a chef many years ago and it really works. )

Panorama olive oil and Parmesan buns for all those grilled goodies. Their baguettes are great for sausages, too.

Grilled Mexican Corn (soak it in the husk in water first and grill in the husk until you smell the grilled corn. Let it get nice and grilled.). Strip off husk and slather with lime-slaked mayo, roll it in crumbled Keswick feta and sprinkle with lime juice and cayenne or crushed red pepper. Want something similar? I like lime and olive oil. Lime-butter is nice, too.

Grilled Veggie Salad: Toss eggplant, summer squash, red and white spring onions, purple and yellow and green peppers on the grill until tender (or cut them into pieces, drop into seasoned olive oil and grill on skewers as kebabs) Cut them up and dress with more olive oil seasoned with crushed garlic, thyme, salt, pepper. Drizzle lemon. Great at room temperature so they can soak up the dressing.

Deviled Eggs for your picnics? Pecan Meadow has chicken, duck and goose eggs Mountain View and TP have chicken eggs.   Sprinkle your deviled eggs with Spanish smoked paprika-- a beautiful shade of brick red.

Farmers Market July 4th Salad that won't wilt: Boil in a lot of salted water -- separately-- Green and Yellow wax beans, sugar snap peas. Boil RED and WHITE spring onions for a minute or two to gentle them. Add steamed or boiled baby RED skinned potatoes and BLUE potatoes. Dress while still warm with live oil and lemon or vinegar, salt and pepper. Add lots of snipped chives and basil. And Keswick Feta.

Grated Mountain View or Garner Cucumbers, chopped garlic and salted Yogurt Dip for the grilled foods. It's a Greek/Med/Indian thing.   Yum.

Picnic Frittata: Do this with thinly slice summer squash or swiss chard.     Saute the veggies first with some chopped garlic and spring onions or leek until soft. Then add the beaten eggs and cook very slowly (about 15 minutes) until the egg is set and can be either turned over or....stick the pan under a broiler for a minute to set the top.    Cover with a plate and turn over. Let the frittata cool to room temperature. You can transport it as it is or cut into slices.   You can sprinkle or add cheese while the eggs are still fairly liquid or some chopped chives or mint or basil if you are using squash. Details of Recipe at the market table.

Make ratatouille. It is great hot or cold or at room temperature and the perfect picnic food with a Baguette. Even better the next day.

Tip: easy ratatoullle. The classic way to make ratatouille is to cut each vegetable into cubes and saute them separately in olive oil, THEN mix them for a final marriage of flavours. That is the way it is done in Provence but here is a short cut.   Cube the eggplant, squash, peppers, onion, several cloves of garlic and tomatoes separately and toss them separately in olive oil . Bake them on two cookie sheets at 350 until they are soft and then mix them together in a heavy pot with garlic and thyme for a few minutes of final melding of flavors.   Add shredded basil. Serve at room temperature at your picnic.

See our for Slaws and Potato Salads at the Market Table.

Spiced Cold Pink Beet "Gazpacho": This is the MOST refreshing soup/drink.   Recipe on the Market Table. Even if you don't like Beets, you will love this.

Clarice's Cold Cherry Soup: Another great recipe on the Market Table. 2 pounds of pitted cherries, a little sugar, a cinnamon stick, 1 cup of red wine.... and 15 minutes in a pot.   Puree and chill. Nothing could be easier.

Sliced Red Tomatoes from Garner or Mountain View with MV's blonde and Lemon cukes topped with Keswick Feta or Cherry Glen Goat Cheeses.

A Red, White and Blue Fruit Salad? Red raspberries, blue blueberries berry bowl topped with white Keswick yogurt or Cherry Glen Chevre. (Why stop there. Add cherries and apricots and plums from Kuhn and McCleaf)

Or go the sorbet/gelato route with Strawberry Tarragon, Sour Cherry, Black Raspberry, Lemon Ricotta Cardamom, Blackberries and Cream -- and the Valrhona Chocolate Amargo that the Washingtonian just named BEST COOL TREAT FOR CHOCOLATE FANS.

Or make a Cherry Clafouti -- easy, egg- based French dessert. We will have a recipe for you.

The Copper Pot jams are terrific with cheeses and ask Stefano which one will complement your grilled foods.