Harvard Farmers Market

There was FOOD.  There was MUSIC.  There was VIBE.  The Opening Day of the 2011 Harvard Farmers’ Market was, quite simply, fabulous!  Our heartfelt gratitude to all the shoppers who came to kick off our fifth season.  A million thanks to our amazing team of volunteers; truly we couldn’t have a Market without you!   Sunflowers peeking out of cloth bags……burlap covered tables… produce spilling out of apple crates…a sea of Market tents…kids sipping berry infused lemonade…parents, babies, dogs, grandparents, neighbors and friends.  The Harvard Farmers’ Market is something special indeed.  Thank you all for being a part of it!

I admit I am a coffee junkie: I need a minimum of two cups in the morning, one mid-afternoon for sure, preferably large and on ice, and on tough days a cup just before dinner to get me through.  You can imagine my complete delight with our newest vendor, The Wholesome Cafe… bringing their solar roasted beans from Cafe Solar in Lowell, poured just for us at the HFM this season!   If you haven’t had the pleasure of dining with them yet, this Main Street Cafe in Ayer, MA is truly wholesome:  A menu full of mostly vegetarian or vegan choices, and like their coffee, everything they do is made with nourishment in mind.   Stop by and say hello on August 13 and get yours iced or hot.  Or stop by the cafe sometime soon for a little taste of love!

We were invited to a mid-Summer gathering with friends last night, and with watermelon most definitely in season, I thought I’d bring along this chilled soup for a starter.  Everything about it says Summer:  The colors, the textures, it’s cold, it’s refreshing, most ingredients can be found locally, and it’s exceptionally delicious!  A great alternative to gazpacho – in fact, better than gazpacho – and takes only about 10 minutes to prepare.  Thanks once again to Catherine Walthers for her ingenuity!

photo courtesy of familysoup1.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

7 cups seedless red watermelon chunks

4 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

1/2 small to medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced very small

1/2 cup kalamata or green olives, pitted and chopped

1/4 red onion, diced very small

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

pinch of kosher salt

2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

2 tbsp slivered fresh basil

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, such as Valbresso sheep’s milk feta

Directions:

1. Cut 1 cup of the watermelon chunks into small dices, set aside.  Place the remaining 6 cups watermelon and 3 tbsp of the lime juice in a blender and blend until smooth.

2.  In a bowl, combine the diced watermelon, cucumber, olives, red onion, the remaining 1 tbsp lime juice, and the olive oil.  Season with a pinch of salt.

3.  Just before serving, ladle the watermelon soup into bowls.  Gently place a generous spoonful of the watermelon salsa on top.  Add a sprinkling of herbs and a bit of cheese to each bowl.

Serves 4-6

This recipe hails from one of my favorite cookbook authors Catherine Walthers, a local food hero, cooking teacher and food editor from Martha’s Vineyard.  Since we are still celebrating FETA after our fabulous night with Steve Nigzus, I thought this would be a good one to share.   We hear some of you have taken the leap and are faring pretty well making your own feta; others have admitted they go right to the source and barter or trade with our local feta-making experts.   But regardless of how you come by your cheese, this dish is easy to prepare and is perfect both as a side or on its own.   Thanks, Catherine…We would love you to come visit us here at the Harvard Farmers’ Market sometime soon!

Ingredients:

1 cup dried barley

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 crisp apple

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 bunch watercress, large stems removed, roughly chopped (about two cups)

3 tbsp minced red onion

3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup sheep’s milk feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the barley and 1 tsp salt.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer until barley is tender and cooked, about 40 minutes.  Drain into a strainer and rinse barley under cold water.  Set aside to drain thoroughly.

2.  Meanwhile, place the sunflower seeds on a baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, 5-7 minutes.

3.  Chop apple into small dices and drizzle with lemon juice.  Combine barley with watercress, apple and red onion.  In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp lemon juice, the lime juice, olive oil, and 1/2 tsp salt.

4.  Just before serving the salad, mix the dressing into the salad.  Top with the feta cheese and sunflower seeds.

serves 6-8