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Weekly Market Notes Library

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Weekly Market Notes for November 13, 2014

We're open every Thursday from 3 to 7 pm. There will be vendors inside the garage & rinkhouse and under our big market tents along the west side of the building this week.You can follow Dufferin Grove Farmers Market on facebook, too!

Hello Market Friends:

The first market at Dufferin Grove took place 12 years ago, on Thursday November 7th, 2002. It's pretty interesting to think back a dozen years to what was happening in the park, the city, and local farming and to reflect on the changes since some bakers and park friends invited the first group of farmers to see what would happen if they set up their tables in the rinkhouse. There's too much news to write an essay today, but I hope the curiosity and determination of the early days remains in the spirit of the market, and that you will continue to enjoy and believe in getting together with your neighbours each week to support the very special group of organic farmers and food producers who have become part of our community. A warm and hearty thank you to all of these good people for feeding us!

We were planning for dancing on the rink, but we've opted to move in and around the rinkhouse for a cozier market. Three cheers for the Rec. staff for putting a push on to get all the rink-season equipment for Wallace, Campbell and Dufferin sorted and cleared out in time for us to use the space! We'll try to bring the DJs in spring instead, but don't worry, we're not postponing the market birthday cakes! Leslie Lindsay is busy baking three supreme recipes: Chocolate Beet, Vegan Carrot, and Gluten-free Parsnip, all featuring ingredients from market producers, and SO GOOD! We'll be passing out free pieces as a token of appreciation for your support.

In Vendor News:

Blythe from Spade & Spoon writes: "We just got our last small batch of apples pressed, so we'll have hot cider. We'll also have two types of soup. Neep n' Leek and a Thai Curry Butternut Squash soup with coconut milk......so yummy!"

"Earth + City will be offering some delicious seasonal food items this week! Out Beetroot Navy Hummus and Curried Onion Hummus are a savoury alternative to traditional hummus. We'll have our Kale Sunflower Seed Pesto featuring greens from Kind Organics. Apple Pie Date Squares will be in the sweet menu, alongside our usual macaroons and hearty cookies. Come by for a treat from us!"

Dawn Woodward, Ed Rek, and of course, Evelyn of Evelyn's Crackers are busy sampling their wares at the Royal Winter Fair in a special area featuring winners of the Premier's Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence. They were honorees in 2013 for their work showcasing heritage grains. You can still get their crackers at the market, though. Damon Dewsbury of Culture City produces his tempehs and ferments in their kitchen, so he will be bringing some Evelyn's products to Dufferin.

Another award winner: Congratulations to ChocoSol, voted Toronto's best chocolate in NOW magazine's annual 'Best of' reader poll. Yes, hot chocolate is in season!

Once he finished with the launch of his beautiful new cookbook, Jamie Kennedy and Micha got the rest of the potatoes harvested from their farm in Prince Edward County. That means more French Fries for us!

Andrew McIlmoyle from Waymac Mushrooms is working flat out to get the farm ready for winter, but he called to say he has lots of shiitakes and some oyster mushrooms, so he'll be coming in.

Sosnickis and Pine River Organic have wrapped up for the season, but Everdale, Shared Harvest, Knuckle Down, and Ted Thorpe will keep us well-supplied in vegetables.

Here's what's coming from Everdale: "A good selection of Greens will be at market this week: Tatsoi, Rainbow Chard and Kale. Lots of beautiful root crops and a variety of Radishes to enjoy. See you in the rink house." Mark

Knuckle Down Farm news: "Kate has been battling the bitter wind to bring another load of fall bounty to market this week. Despite the cold we hope to have a good selection of greens as well as plenty of squash, carrots, watermelon radishes and our lovely mixed bunches of beets. Ernest even let me sneak out to the field for a couple of hours to give Kate a hand!" Jenny

Vendors this week, and where to find them:

(The setup may be subject to a few last-minute adjustments, so please do the full circuit! If you are new to the market, the Rinkhouse entrance is at the north end of the building, the Garage at the south, and Outdoor vendors will be along the west side.)

• Ali Harris (Fish Shak) (rotis and fritters, hemp pesto and seeds, beverages), Rinkhouse
• Bees Universe (honey and bee products), Rinkhouse
• Beretta Farms (organic and naturally raised meats), Garage
• Best Baa (sheep's milk, cheeses, yogurt), Rinkhouse
• Chocosol (coffee and chocolate), Garage
• Culture City (tempeh and fermented condiments), Outside
• DeFloured (gluten-free baking), Outside
• Dufferin Park Bakers (wood-fired oven breads, soups,and snacks), Rinkhouse
• Earth and City (raw foods and smoothies), Outside
• Everdale Farm (organic vegetables), Rinkhouse
• Field Sparrow (pastured pork, beef and chicken), Outside
• Forbes Wild Foods (dried mushrooms, nuts, syrup, preserves), Rinkhouse
• JK Kitchens Fries (french fries from organic ON potatoes), Outside
• Kind Organics (sprouts, salad mixes, teas, chocolate), Rinkhouse
• Knuckle Down Farm (organic vegetables), Rinkhouse
• Shared Harvest (organic vegetables, herbs, ferments), Garage
• Spade & Spoon (jams, pickles, soups), Rinkhouse
• Ted Thorpe (veggies), Garage
• VQA Wines (rotating roster of organic wineries, Reimer Vineyards this week), Outside
• Waymac Farms (oyster and shiitake mushrooms), Outside
• Ying Ying Soy (tofus and miso), Outside

Country Meadows (Angelos) and Akiwenzies Fish are absent.

See you at the market!

Anne Freeman

Two November Soup Recipes

I am hoping that Seth at the Forbes Wild Foods table has more chestnuts to bring so you can try this excellent soup. I made it for friends last weekend, and there were happy murmurs all round. The chestnuts give it a delicious sweetness. The recipe came from the Fall issue of Food & Drink magazine.

Kale & Chestnut Soup with Wild Mushrooms

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 onion
• 1 small apple
• 2 cups roasted, peeled chestnuts
• 2 Tbsp thyme
• 5 sage leaves
• 6 cups good stock
• 4 cups kale (centre rib removed)

Garnish

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 large or several small wild mushrooms (I used a large Elm mushroom that I got from Seth, they suggest lobster, chanterelle, or others)
• 1 Tbsp thyme
• 1 clove finely chopped garlic

Chop all the vegetables, nuts and herbs. Saute onion in butter until golden; add apple, chestnuts, herbs and stock (I reserved a few chopped chestnuts for the garnish). Bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes, add kale and cook 4 more minutes. Cool enough to blend, and puree the soup, leaving flecks of kale and some texture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm, or if you're making it ahead, refrigerate up to 3 days at this point.

Before serving, saute the mushrooms and thyme with salt and pepper, stirring until tender and golden. Stir in garlic (and reserved chestnuts), cook for a minute, and remove from heat.

Ladle warm soup into 6 bowls and garnish with mushrooms and chestnuts.

Parsnip Soup with Curry Spices

from The Greens Cook Book, by Deborah Madison She starts by making vegetable stock from the clean peelings and extra bits (like celery and leek leaves) of the vegetables in the soup plus an extra carrot, cilantro stems, sliced ginger root (optional), and 7 cups water. The stock only needs to cook for about 25 minutes before being strained and used in the soup, so you can do it while you prepare the rest. This is the nicest way to get all the goodness out of your market veggies! I've added a couple of alternate choices to make this recipe vegan if desired.

• 1 bunch of slender parsnips, or 3 or 4 larger ones, peeled, any tough cores removed and added to the stock pot
• 4 Tbsp ghee (or oil)
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped in half-inch squares
• 1 Tbsp curry powder (Urban Harvest's Royal Curry is very good)
• 4 Tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped
• 2-3 leeks, white parts only, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 5-6 cups stock
• 1 cup light cream (or light coconut milk)
• whole cilantro leaves and thinly sliced radishes for garnish

Cook the onion in ghee or oil, stirring often, until golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in curry powder and half the cilantro, cook 1 minute, then add the other vegetables and stock. Bring to a boil, cover and cook until vegetables are soft.

Cool enough to blend, leaving some texture and flecks of colour. Stir in cream or coconut milk, check salt, and serve hot or cold with the rest of the chopped cilantro and other garnishes.

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