Please see below this week’s Hollywood Farmers Market Newsletter. See you all tomorrow
Autumn squash
Autumnal Produce: At the Market this Saturday
Fall officially arrived last Sunday, September 22, at 4:44 pm, and the pickin’s at this Saturday’s farmers market should be colorful and delicious. While it’s always a surprise what our vendors bring each week, there are many types of vegetables we can look forward to seeing soon. This Saturday at the tables of our produce vendors, you will find just-harvested sweet potatoes, an array of winter squash (including acorn and butternut), and greens, greens and more greens, including arugula and mustard.
Best of all, at least for some of us, will be the continued offerings of apples and colorful flowers like mums. Hopefully, we’ll even see some pumpkins making an appearance soon—good for more than just making Jack O’ Lantern!
Featured Farmer: Pleitez Produce
Pleitez farm at the Hollywood market
Speaking of colorful vegetables, you definitely will find all kinds at the table of this vendor, Alex Pleitez, who comes to us each Saturday from his family-owned and –operated farm in the Northern Neck of Virginia. In addition to the traditional, you’ll also find several unique offerings like tomatillos (think salsa verde), a wide assortment of sweet and hot peppers, okra, and more. Alex and his family pride themselves on being able to offer diverse and high-quality produce that they handpick right before coming to our market.
Market Volunteer: Kennis Termini
Within the last few months, Kennis added yet another responsibility to an already long-list of civic-minded activities by agreeing to be a board member and treasurer of the Hollywood Farmers Market. In addition to the work she does to benefit our community, she volunteers at the food pantry in Laurel. As one of her close friends said, “The community is her hobby.” In addition to her volunteer work, she still has time to enjoy her cats; her friends; and various hobbies, including gardening, cooking, and good conversations.
Kennis Termini at the market table
This week’s Vendors
1. Calvert Farm
2. SunSplash Farm
3. Pleitez Farm
4. Legacy Manor
5. Shlagal Farms
6. Chic Expressions
7. Morning Glory Farm
8. Ferguson Family Farm
9. Christiane’s Knits and Gardens
10. Ear Gear
11. Silent Beading
12. Razan Center for Massage & Health
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
Produce of the Week: Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are just so, well, sweet, which makes them a definite go-to comfort food. Not only do they taste wonderful, but they also are good for us, as Women’s Health explains: “…the sweet potato sure does have a lot going for it. The orange tuber packs 438% of your daily value of infection-fighting vitamin A and, like carrots, sweet potatoes are a major source of skin-protecting beta-carotene. While bananas are often touted as the go-to source of potassium, a medium sweet potato has 28% more potassium than a banana. (The mineral helps your body absorb fluids to replace sweat losses.)”
According to iron-door-saloon.com, there are so many ways to prepare this humble root vegetable: bake, boil, candy, fry, grill, and mashed to name a few.
Farm fresh sweet potatoes
Recipe of the Week: Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 C low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
5 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp jarred ginger, chopped
Plain nonfat Greek-style yogurt or sour cream (optional)
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions
•Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and cook until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add stock plus 2 cups water then add sweet potato, carrot, and ginger. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
Strain out vegetables and put them in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth, adding a bit of broth if needed. (If you’re using a standard blender, allow the mixture to cool first; hot liquid may cause the blender to squirt out contents. Depending on the size of your blender, you may have to do this in batches.)
Pour vegetable puree back into the saucepan and stir until well blended and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream on top, if desired.
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
Copyright © 2013 Hollywood Farmers Market, All rights reserved. www.Hollywoodmarket.org