Please see below this week’s Hollywood Farmers Market Newsletter. See you all tomorrow
Many farmers at our market now accept WIC checks
WIC Checks Now Accepted
Many of our farmers—including Pleitez Farm, Shlagel Farm and Tuckey’s Mountain Grown—accept checks from the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), which is associated with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, popularly known as WIC. This program provides supplemental foods, view this for health care referrals and nutrition education at no cost to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding post-partum women, and to infants and children up to 5 years of age, who are found to be at nutritional risk. For more about the program, see http://www.fns.usda.gov/fmnp.
Anna of Coffee Barn at the Hollywood Farmers Market
Featured Vendor: The Coffee Barn
Most caffeine lovers love the coffee—by the cup or by the pound bag—that’s sold at the Hollywood Farmers Market. You won’t want to miss it because it’s so delicious, and, for the last few months, customers have been greeted for the last few months by the always open, smiling face of Anna, the vendor, a native of Costa Rica. She gets her coffee from The Coffee Cooperative, a group of 800 local coffee farmers based in the Dota Valley.. .
For more information on the Coffee Barn’s products, go to http://thecoffeebarngourmet.com/ .
Try it once and you’ll come back for more!
This week’s Vendors
1. Calvert Farm
2. SunSplash Farm
3. Pleitez Farm
4. Legacy Manor
5. Shlagal Farms
6. Conscious Alchemy
7. Morning Glory Farm
8. Heavenly Created Desserts
9. Christiane’s Knits and Gardens
10. Ear Gear
11. Silent Beading
12. Fertile Soil Teas
13. Caspari Farm
14. Green sprouts
15. Coffee Barn
16. Tiffany’s Oven
17. Tuckey’s Mountain Grown
18. Create Peace Jeweleries
19. Eastern Delights
20. Uptown Bakers
21. Red Chimney Flower Farm
22. Chic Expressions
23. Ozlem Crafts
24. Henna Art
25. Phil’s Dills
26. John & Allie’s Tea Pops
Featured Vegetable: Eggplant
One recently published New York Times article called the eggplant “meaty, mighty, and versatile,” listing a variety of popular dishes for which it’s used: baba ghanouj, eggplant parmesan, mousakka, and ratatouille to name a few. Obviously, the deep purple variety is the one we see and buy most often, but you can find other varieties, such as the lighter purple Chinese eggplant, at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market. Although it’s available year-round, peak season is during the months of August and September—and you’re sure to find it this Saturday!
Here are a few commonly known tips to get the best out of the eggplants you purchase:
- Choose firm, small-to-medium fruits with blemish-free skin.
- Store eggplants in a cool, dry place and use within a day or two of purchase.
- Place in a plastic bag to store in the refrigerator. Before cooking, bring eggplant to room temperature.
Recipe of the Week: Grilled Eggplant Salad
Farm-fresh eggplants at the Hollywood Farmers Market
Ingredients
2 red bell peppers
2 medium eggplants
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1 medium onion or 3 green onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
2-4 tbs olive oil to taste
¼ tsp salt to taste
¼ to 1 tsp of pepper to taste
¼ to ½ tsp crushed red pepper to taste
1 loaf French bread cut into rounds
¼ cup olive oil
¼ to ½ tsp garlic powder
Get your grill nice and hot. Wash the peppers and eggplants. If eggplants are large, cut them in half and brush the cut side with olive oil. Place on the grill and cook, turning often, until skin is blackened all over and vegetables are tender. Peppers should be done in 8–10 minutes, eggplants 10–20, depending on size.
Remove from grill, place in plastic bag and shake. After a few minutes, remove from bag. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and discard. Set peeled vegetables aside to cool completely.
Finely chop the grilled vegetables and put into a serving bowl. Add the tomatoes, onions, minced garlic and lemon juice and stir. Add olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with crushed red peppers.
Brush the French bread rounds with olive oil on both sides. Sprinkle both sides with garlic and place on the grill. Cook until lightly browned on both sides, 4–8 minutes depending on the heat of the grill. Spread the rounds with eggplant salad and enjoy.
Hollywood Farmers Market is located at the Hollywood Shopping Center (near REI) on Saturdays from 8am to 12 noon. Email: Hollwoodmarketcp@gmail.com. Phone: (301) 659 – 6295 Like us on the FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/hollywoodmarket
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