Tag: Carrots

We’re Spoiled by Variety in Our Produce!

It’s a sign of the times that this array of cauliflower only had one head of the traditional white variety surrounded by green, purple, and yellow versions.

Shoppers opt for heirloom tomatoes: white, Asian, fairytale or purple eggplant. Carrots, radishes, and Swiss chard come in rainbow colors.

The UMass Cold Spring Orchard research facility in Amherst grows more than 100 varieties of apples. Perhaps apples are one of the produce items that we have routinely selected by variety over the years. Specific apple varieties for eating, baking, applesauce, and cider making have been long established. Regional favorites like our own Roxbury Russet have come back into favor.

Now, a much wider selection of many other locally grown fruit and vegetables are available from Massachusetts farms. As you walk from stand to stand, you’ll see more varieties of berries and longer seasons made possible by staging plantings for early, mid, and late season.

Greens

It’s been a long time since I saw a head of iceberg lettuce at a farmers market. I remember when the first offerings of baby greens and salad mixes appeared on the scene and were on my shopping list every week. Now, I could fill a shopping bag with different heads of lettuce for a salad to feed ten friends.

Today, I’m disappointed if I can’t find baby arugula or micro greens because they have sold out before I arrived. I like mixing purple, yellow, and white potatoes in a salad. And, I’m really disappointed when I have to shop a regular supermarket with fewer choices in the fresh produce section.

Yes, our local farmers have spoiled me with great options and I'm glad that more of them will be selling year-round to satisfy my heightened expectations!

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino (Adapted for BostonZest from one of her Fresh & Local newspaper columns)
Photos: ©2010- 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino

October 28, 2015
At the Market: July 4th Food Shopping

Shopping for fresh, local food for your holiday picnic, party, or a quiet dinner at home for July 4th can start at your local farmers' market. By now, most summer markets in the area are open or about to open. Here is our list of opening dates and schedules for the major markets around the center of Boston.

Beyond Burgers

We've been reporting on seafood options at the markets this season. You'll find stands from Red's Best, C & C Lobsters, Global Seafood, and Cape Cod Fish Share at markets around the area.

For a small feast, you might consider making Farmers' Market Lobster Rolls. Our recipe is at that link.

And, if you make it ahead, you might include a bit of the South in your Boston celebration with some pulled pork or chili with full-flavored pork from Stillman's. Or, if you're making burgers, grill some great lamb burgers with their ground lamb as a flavor option.

The Word from the Farms and Markets

Lily Carone from Atlas Farm says, "The strawberry picking will be done after the weekend – possibly not making another appearance at Copley on Tuesday. But blueberries from River Valley Farm are very close behind! (Maybe in time for the 4th!)" and "Tender, sweet broccoli is on the stand now – along with the different varieties of beets & carrots! It's been a long wait, and the carrots are sweeter than I remembered!"

Ben Sommer, Copley Square Farmers' Market Manager said, " This past week at the market I spied the first glimpse of summer squash, hiding out amongst the luscious greens, adding a splash of yellow to the farmer's display. That burst of yellow is a sign of summer and a hopeful symbol for the sun, which has been sorely missed these past few weeks."

Ben added, "Another sign of summer is over at Hamilton's Orchard's tent, where you can grab an ice cool lemonade and lay on the grass with other sunbathers in the heart of the city. The farmers have a practice of adding some fresh strawberries to these lemonades and shaking them up to get that added sweetness and flavor."

In Season, Right Now!

Eggs, meat, and fish are always in-season and available at more markets.

We also saw: tatsoi, cut herbs (cilantro, parsley, basil, and dill), hakurei turnips, fennel, broccoli, mushrooms, garlic scrapes, salad mix, lettuce, arugula, radishes, beets, scallions, kolrabi, bok choi, chard, small onions with green tops, snap peas, sweet peas, herbs, hot house tomatoes, and honey.

Get Some Before It's Gone!

Marshall's farm tweeted, "The last of our own Asparagus so make sure you get your fill."

Strawberries! Enjoy them now this could be the final week for some farms.

And, the rhubarb to match with the strawberries will soon disappear.

Coming Soon!

Blueberries and early raspberries – Peter Ward, Market Manager at Central Square, Cambridge said, he expected to see some raspberries (variety Prelude) this week.

And, as we reported last week, Barbara Hamilton from Hamilton Orchards hoped to have ripe berries around the Fourth of July.

Follow all our Local Food/Farmers' Markets and At The Market reports:

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your Kitchen & Dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

July 2, 2013
At the Market: July 4th Food Shopping

Shopping for fresh, local food for your holiday picnic, party, or a quiet dinner at home for July 4th can start at your local farmers' market. By now, most summer markets in the area are open or about to open. Here is our list of opening dates and schedules for the major markets around the center of Boston.

Beyond Burgers

We've been reporting on seafood options at the markets this season. You'll find stands from Red's Best, C & C Lobsters, Global Seafood, and Cape Cod Fish Share at markets around the area.

For a small feast, you might consider making Farmers' Market Lobster Rolls. Our recipe is at that link.

And, if you make it ahead, you might include a bit of the South in your Boston celebration with some pulled pork or chili with full-flavored pork from Stillman's. Or, if you're making burgers, grill some great lamb burgers with their ground lamb as a flavor option.

The Word from the Farms and Markets

Lily Carone from Atlas Farm says, "The strawberry picking will be done after the weekend – possibly not making another appearance at Copley on Tuesday. But blueberries from River Valley Farm are very close behind! (Maybe in time for the 4th!)" and "Tender, sweet broccoli is on the stand now – along with the different varieties of beets & carrots! It's been a long wait, and the carrots are sweeter than I remembered!"

Ben Sommer, Copley Square Farmers' Market Manager said, " This past week at the market I spied the first glimpse of summer squash, hiding out amongst the luscious greens, adding a splash of yellow to the farmer's display. That burst of yellow is a sign of summer and a hopeful symbol for the sun, which has been sorely missed these past few weeks."

Ben added, "Another sign of summer is over at Hamilton's Orchard's tent, where you can grab an ice cool lemonade and lay on the grass with other sunbathers in the heart of the city. The farmers have a practice of adding some fresh strawberries to these lemonades and shaking them up to get that added sweetness and flavor."

In Season, Right Now!

Eggs, meat, and fish are always in-season and available at more markets.

We also saw: tatsoi, cut herbs (cilantro, parsley, basil, and dill), hakurei turnips, fennel, broccoli, mushrooms, garlic scrapes, salad mix, lettuce, arugula, radishes, beets, scallions, kolrabi, bok choi, chard, small onions with green tops, snap peas, sweet peas, herbs, hot house tomatoes, and honey.

Get Some Before It's Gone!

Marshall's farm tweeted, "The last of our own Asparagus so make sure you get your fill."

Strawberries! Enjoy them now this could be the final week for some farms.

And, the rhubarb to match with the strawberries will soon disappear.

Coming Soon!

Blueberries and early raspberries – Peter Ward, Market Manager at Central Square, Cambridge said, he expected to see some raspberries (variety Prelude) this week.

And, as we reported last week, Barbara Hamilton from Hamilton Orchards hoped to have ripe berries around the Fourth of July.

Follow all our Local Food/Farmers' Markets and At The Market reports:

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your Kitchen & Dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

July 2, 2013
At the Market: July 4th Food Shopping

Shopping for fresh, local food for your holiday picnic, party, or a quiet dinner at home for July 4th can start at your local farmers' market. By now, most summer markets in the area are open or about to open. Here is our list of opening dates and schedules for the major markets around the center of Boston.

Beyond Burgers

We've been reporting on seafood options at the markets this season. You'll find stands from Red's Best, C & C Lobsters, Global Seafood, and Cape Cod Fish Share at markets around the area.

For a small feast, you might consider making Farmers' Market Lobster Rolls. Our recipe is at that link.

And, if you make it ahead, you might include a bit of the South in your Boston celebration with some pulled pork or chili with full-flavored pork from Stillman's. Or, if you're making burgers, grill some great lamb burgers with their ground lamb as a flavor option.

The Word from the Farms and Markets

Lily Carone from Atlas Farm says, "The strawberry picking will be done after the weekend – possibly not making another appearance at Copley on Tuesday. But blueberries from River Valley Farm are very close behind! (Maybe in time for the 4th!)" and "Tender, sweet broccoli is on the stand now – along with the different varieties of beets & carrots! It's been a long wait, and the carrots are sweeter than I remembered!"

Ben Sommer, Copley Square Farmers' Market Manager said, " This past week at the market I spied the first glimpse of summer squash, hiding out amongst the luscious greens, adding a splash of yellow to the farmer's display. That burst of yellow is a sign of summer and a hopeful symbol for the sun, which has been sorely missed these past few weeks."

Ben added, "Another sign of summer is over at Hamilton's Orchard's tent, where you can grab an ice cool lemonade and lay on the grass with other sunbathers in the heart of the city. The farmers have a practice of adding some fresh strawberries to these lemonades and shaking them up to get that added sweetness and flavor."

In Season, Right Now!

Eggs, meat, and fish are always in-season and available at more markets.

We also saw: tatsoi, cut herbs (cilantro, parsley, basil, and dill), hakurei turnips, fennel, broccoli, mushrooms, garlic scrapes, salad mix, lettuce, arugula, radishes, beets, scallions, kolrabi, bok choi, chard, small onions with green tops, snap peas, sweet peas, herbs, hot house tomatoes, and honey.

Get Some Before It's Gone!

Marshall's farm tweeted, "The last of our own Asparagus so make sure you get your fill."

Strawberries! Enjoy them now this could be the final week for some farms.

And, the rhubarb to match with the strawberries will soon disappear.

Coming Soon!

Blueberries and early raspberries – Peter Ward, Market Manager at Central Square, Cambridge said, he expected to see some raspberries (variety Prelude) this week.

And, as we reported last week, Barbara Hamilton from Hamilton Orchards hoped to have ripe berries around the Fourth of July.

Follow all our Local Food/Farmers' Markets and At The Market reports:

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your Kitchen & Dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

July 2, 2013
10 Tips for Shepherd’s Pie

Some of the new versions of Shepherd's Pie turning up lately are inspiring me to add more of these homey casseroles to our menu. Today, I'll share some of my tips for making my traditional lamb version.

There are as many recipes of this as there are cooks. I don't really follow a recipe, I just make it! But here's a basic version from Alton Brown, and a historic version from Williamsburg, if you prefer measuring and following directions.

We like to grind our own meat with our trusty LEM meat grinder but you can cube it, buy it ground, or make the dish with leftover lamb. Good old Wikipedia says that the term shepherd's pie or cottage pie was in use as early as 1791 and was a way to use up leftovers. You'll also see many variations for this type of dish listed at that link.



Like so many homey dishes, this one begins with sautéed onions and garlic.

Tip 1: For a lamb pie, I add some rosemary and thyme to the mix.

Tip 2: Of course, I make extra garlic and onions for another day or use some of my Cooks Treasure: Sautéed Onions & Garlic from the last time I cooked up a batch.

Next, put in the ground lamb and sauté it, adding a bit of wine and then stock to make a nice, rich gravy for your dish.

Tip 3: Up to this step, you can also double or triple your meat mix and then freeze the excess for another pie on another day. I don't like the result when I freeze a completed shepherd's pie but freezing the meat works well and takes up a lot less space in my small freezer.

Tip 4: I learned to add a layer of carrots to my shepherd's pie from the wonderful crew at Angel Foods in Provincetown. They make their version in a loaf pan if that works better for you.

Tip 5: To avoid cleaning an extra pan, I drop a sieve full of carrots right into the pot where the potatoes for the mashed-potato-topping are boiling away.

Tip 6: Just before I spoon the meat into my buttered casserole, I add a healthy sprinkle of frozen peas. The heat from the meat will thaw them most of the way and the time in the oven will finish the task. Plus, by adding them frozen, they don't overcook.



Tip 7: You can lighten the calorie-count in mashed potatoes by mixing in only a small amount of butter along with as much 2% yogurt as needed, to make them creamy and rich tasting. In the photo on the left, you see me adding some of the boiling liquid from the potatoes to make them flow well and heighten the potato taste.

Tip 8: Adding a handful of chopped chives or scallions to the potatoes will enhance both color and flavor.

Tip 9: Layers not only make your dish prettier but also assure that everyone gets a bit of everything in each serving.



Tip 10: Grate your cheese (mine was a Cabot Cheddar) onto a piece of parchment or wax paper to avoid a mess and to make it easy to spread across the dish.

Bake your pie until the top is golden, serve it up, and enjoy. Then, think about what you'd like to try as your next version of shepherd's or cottage pie. My plan is a vegetarian version with roasted root vegetables in place of the meat, and a traditional Irish Fish Pie.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site! Want more recipes like this one?

Dinner Pies: From Shepherds Pies and Pot Pies to Tarts, Turnovers, Quiches, Hand Pies, and More, with 100 Delectable and Foolproof Recipes

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Ed Cherubino

Related articles

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Guilt-Free Shepherd's Pie

Recipe: Lentil, Mushroom & Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie – Recipes From The Kitchn

Blue Cook's Tape

American Chop Suey, a New England Tradition

February 4, 2013
10 Tips for Shepherd’s Pie

Some of the new versions of Shepherd's Pie turning up lately are inspiring me to add more of these homey casseroles to our menu. Today, I'll share some of my tips for making my traditional lamb version.

There are as many recipes of this as there are cooks. I don't really follow a recipe, I just make it! But here's a basic version from Alton Brown, and a historic version from Williamsburg, if you prefer measuring and following directions.

We like to grind our own meat with our trusty LEM meat grinder but you can cube it, buy it ground, or make the dish with leftover lamb. Good old Wikipedia says that the term shepherd's pie or cottage pie was in use as early as 1791 and was a way to use up leftovers. You'll also see many variations for this type of dish listed at that link.



Like so many homey dishes, this one begins with sautéed onions and garlic.

Tip 1: For a lamb pie, I add some rosemary and thyme to the mix.

Tip 2: Of course, I make extra garlic and onions for another day or use some of my Cooks Treasure: Sautéed Onions & Garlic from the last time I cooked up a batch.

Next, put in the ground lamb and sauté it, adding a bit of wine and then stock to make a nice, rich gravy for your dish.

Tip 3: Up to this step, you can also double or triple your meat mix and then freeze the excess for another pie on another day. I don't like the result when I freeze a completed shepherd's pie but freezing the meat works well and takes up a lot less space in my small freezer.

Tip 4: I learned to add a layer of carrots to my shepherd's pie from the wonderful crew at Angel Foods in Provincetown. They make their version in a loaf pan if that works better for you.

Tip 5: To avoid cleaning an extra pan, I drop a sieve full of carrots right into the pot where the potatoes for the mashed-potato-topping are boiling away.

Tip 6: Just before I spoon the meat into my buttered casserole, I add a healthy sprinkle of frozen peas. The heat from the meat will thaw them most of the way and the time in the oven will finish the task. Plus, by adding them frozen, they don't overcook.



Tip 7: You can lighten the calorie-count in mashed potatoes by mixing in only a small amount of butter along with as much 2% yogurt as needed, to make them creamy and rich tasting. In the photo on the left, you see me adding some of the boiling liquid from the potatoes to make them flow well and heighten the potato taste.

Tip 8: Adding a handful of chopped chives or scallions to the potatoes will enhance both color and flavor.

Tip 9: Layers not only make your dish prettier but also assure that everyone gets a bit of everything in each serving.



Tip 10: Grate your cheese (mine was a Cabot Cheddar) onto a piece of parchment or wax paper to avoid a mess and to make it easy to spread across the dish.

Bake your pie until the top is golden, serve it up, and enjoy. Then, think about what you'd like to try as your next version of shepherd's or cottage pie. My plan is a vegetarian version with roasted root vegetables in place of the meat, and a traditional Irish Fish Pie.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site! Want more recipes like this one?

Dinner Pies: From Shepherds Pies and Pot Pies to Tarts, Turnovers, Quiches, Hand Pies, and More, with 100 Delectable and Foolproof Recipes

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Ed Cherubino

Related articles

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Guilt-Free Shepherd's Pie

Recipe: Lentil, Mushroom & Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie – Recipes From The Kitchn

Blue Cook's Tape

American Chop Suey, a New England Tradition

February 4, 2013
10 Tips for Shepherd’s Pie

Some of the new versions of Shepherd's Pie turning up lately are inspiring me to add more of these homey casseroles to our menu. Today, I'll share some of my tips for making my traditional lamb version.

There are as many recipes of this as there are cooks. I don't really follow a recipe, I just make it! But here's a basic version from Alton Brown, and a historic version from Williamsburg, if you prefer measuring and following directions.

We like to grind our own meat with our trusty LEM meat grinder but you can cube it, buy it ground, or make the dish with leftover lamb. Good old Wikipedia says that the term shepherd's pie or cottage pie was in use as early as 1791 and was a way to use up leftovers. You'll also see many variations for this type of dish listed at that link.



Like so many homey dishes, this one begins with sautéed onions and garlic.

Tip 1: For a lamb pie, I add some rosemary and thyme to the mix.

Tip 2: Of course, I make extra garlic and onions for another day or use some of my Cooks Treasure: Sautéed Onions & Garlic from the last time I cooked up a batch.

Next, put in the ground lamb and sauté it, adding a bit of wine and then stock to make a nice, rich gravy for your dish.

Tip 3: Up to this step, you can also double or triple your meat mix and then freeze the excess for another pie on another day. I don't like the result when I freeze a completed shepherd's pie but freezing the meat works well and takes up a lot less space in my small freezer.

Tip 4: I learned to add a layer of carrots to my shepherd's pie from the wonderful crew at Angel Foods in Provincetown. They make their version in a loaf pan if that works better for you.

Tip 5: To avoid cleaning an extra pan, I drop a sieve full of carrots right into the pot where the potatoes for the mashed-potato-topping are boiling away.

Tip 6: Just before I spoon the meat into my buttered casserole, I add a healthy sprinkle of frozen peas. The heat from the meat will thaw them most of the way and the time in the oven will finish the task. Plus, by adding them frozen, they don't overcook.



Tip 7: You can lighten the calorie-count in mashed potatoes by mixing in only a small amount of butter along with as much 2% yogurt as needed, to make them creamy and rich tasting. In the photo on the left, you see me adding some of the boiling liquid from the potatoes to make them flow well and heighten the potato taste.

Tip 8: Adding a handful of chopped chives or scallions to the potatoes will enhance both color and flavor.

Tip 9: Layers not only make your dish prettier but also assure that everyone gets a bit of everything in each serving.



Tip 10: Grate your cheese (mine was a Cabot Cheddar) onto a piece of parchment or wax paper to avoid a mess and to make it easy to spread across the dish.

Bake your pie until the top is golden, serve it up, and enjoy. Then, think about what you'd like to try as your next version of shepherd's or cottage pie. My plan is a vegetarian version with roasted root vegetables in place of the meat, and a traditional Irish Fish Pie.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site! Want more recipes like this one?

Dinner Pies: From Shepherds Pies and Pot Pies to Tarts, Turnovers, Quiches, Hand Pies, and More, with 100 Delectable and Foolproof Recipes

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Ed Cherubino

Related articles

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Guilt-Free Shepherd's Pie

Recipe: Lentil, Mushroom & Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie – Recipes From The Kitchn

Blue Cook's Tape

American Chop Suey, a New England Tradition

February 4, 2013