Weekly Produce Report (First in a Series)

If you're not a regular at the farmers markets, but want to become one, this series is for you. Thanks to the suggestion of a good friend, I'm going to start posting a weekly Produce Report. I'll highlight some of the new produce you can find at the markets and tell you what's ready now and what really needs a few extra weeks before hitting prime. For any of the produce that's currently well worth eating/buying, I'll list a few recipes you can make with them.

And now... the Report!

Fruits

• Strawberries: Found at all Puget Sound farmers markets currently, the strawberries are ripe and delicious. Prices are around $4/pint, and should stay around this price for most of the season. Towards the end of the season you might start seeing deals on half flats as the farmers want to offload the strawberries before they spoil. I wouldn't buy strawberries for jam yet, as they are just a little too expensive, but they are perfect for snacking.
  • Tender Greens with Strawberry Vinaigrette
  • Cheese Stuffed Strawberries with Champagne Granita
    
  • Strawberry Shortcake
  • Strawberry Ice Cream
• Raspberries: I saw the very first raspberries this weekend! These are not at their peak of sweetness and are still a bit small. They are also VERY expensive. I'd hold off on these for at least another week, though the heat wave we had this past weekend just might have been the push they needed to become widely available. Look for an update and recipes in the next few weeks.
  
• Apricots: Another first this week! The apricots are small so far, and still a tad bit green. I'd give these another week as well, but they don't last long once they show up, so grab them while you can.
• Cherries: Chelans, Bings, and Raniers are all available now. Over the next few weeks, some of the 'one week' cherries will start to cycle through. I'm particularly fond of the Sonatas, which will be at the University District market next week only!
  • Cherry Salsa
    
  • Pork with Rhubarb-Cherry Sauce
  • Pork Chops with Cherry Mustard Sauce
    

 Vegetables

• Lettuce: There is no shortage of excellent lettuce these days. From the spicy mixes to the soft buttery heads, you can't go wrong with fresh lettuce from the farmers markets.
  • Crispy Goat Cheese Salad
    
  • Summer Salad with Fresh Goat Cheese
    
• Sugar Snap Peas: Another vegetable that's ripe and ready right now! The peas this year are huge, but not at all tough. I've been throwing them in salads for several weeks now and they should last for at least another month or two. Eat them whole or shell them.
  • Sugar Snap Peas with Radishes (Look for this recipe here next week!)
  • Pasta with Snap Peas and Bacon (Another of next week's recipes)
  • Arugula Salad with Ginger-Thyme Dressing
• Peppers: The very first bell peppers were spotted last week at Billy's Organic Produce stand at the University District farmers market. I tried two this week and they were crisp and tasty. However, for full flavor (and selection) wait another week or two before featuring them in a recipe. They will make an excellent addition to salads and pasta now though.
• Tomatoes: Tomatoes are in their second week. Billy's has the largest thusfar, though they are still looking a tad bit pale. Cherry tomatoes are also starting to show up but again, they need a couple more weeks for the flavor to fully develop.

I hope you enjoyed the first of the season produce report. Stay tuned next week for an update and more recipes. 

 

Topics: General