summer at the farmers market

colorful summer produce and the cooking they inspire

I’m a farmers market girlie through and through. Prone to the casual detour whenever there’s a farmers market nearby, whether in my home city or traveling. We love fresh produce and seeing what’s in season and reveling in the variety that Whole Foods just can’t measure up to.

On any given occasion I can’t resist a quick walk through, but often, at least once per produce season, I make it a point to go deliberately to a farmers market, specifically the Union Square Greenmarket, with a personal allowance to reap the treasures of the season. And summer is particularly, shall we say, fruitful, time of year to gather some organic bounty.

The season’s best comes in every color and shape and size. I hate the color purple but if a vegetable comes in purple I am interested. Or for that matter, any color that isn’t the default color. And if it’s a miniature version? Give it to me. Even with the sun beating down, and the slow moving shoppers shuffling around the market, I relish summer in the market, a chance to taste summer in all its freshness.

happiness is perusing the wonderful seasonal produce with an empty tote and plenty of cash

the haul

Self control was only really checked by the amount I could carry, the cash I had on hand, and the determination to not waste any food. I did my best, but I did eat everything with dill for a while.

plumcuts & apriums | heirloom tomatoes (i live for summer tomatoes & stone fruit)

the CREATIONS

fruit & friends

Ripe stone fruit need very little to dress it up. In fact, it feels sacrilegious to do anything but enjoy them in their natural glory. So the most that it needed to be a meal was thick bed of skyr (mixed with some vanilla paste), some orange blossom honey and some crumbly granola for texture.

french influence

Tiktok made me do it. But seriously any excuse to eat salted butter on a fresh baguette and I’m there. The radishes are so pretty, a little spicy which cut the richness of the salted dill butter. The perfect accompaniment to a perfectly baked baguette from Nick + Sons.

tomato & nectarine panzanella

Just because it’s salad season doesn’t mean we’re giving up on bread.

This juicy, summery dinner was fast to assemble and let the produce shine. Ripe yellow nectarine and heirloom tomato with arugula and basil for some added punch, mozzarella for some creaminess, and torn toasted french bread. Dressed simply with olive oil, balsamic glaze, salt and pepper.

homestyle chinese food, farmers market edition

Classic Chinese dishes made extra cute with cute produce.

— dry fried white string beans 乾扁四季豆

— spicy fairy eggplant tofu 茄子豆腐

— heirloom tomato eggs 番茄炒蛋

colorful cauliflower & courgettes

pan roasted cauliflower & baby courgettes, celery, toasted walnuts, lemon, dill, egg

grainless bowl

when there’s so much stuff u don’t need the base

— labneh with garlic, mint and dill

— pan roasted cauliflower

— marinated beets

— spiced roasted fairy eggplant

— avocado topped with dukkah

— beef meatballs

dream picnic spread

POV it’s the middle of summer, well over 80 degrees in your apartment even with the futile AC working overtime. The sun doesn’t set til close to 9 leaving ample time for sunlight to flood the room. The setting for a pretty picnic.

— lemon & dill salmon

— yogurt herb and radish salad

— toasted garlic baguette

— spiced carrots with tahini and aleppo pepper

— cucumber salad

lemon + dill + orzo

orzo with fresh squeezed lemon juice and salted dill butter stirred in, tolled with pan fried baby courgettes and chicken dill meatballs

i dream of tomatoes

I mean, just look at how beautiful. These tomatoes are perfect on their own. Only the best can afford to accompany such beauty. Thick slices of a crusty fermented pave loaf, a thin layer of kewpie mayo, a drizzle of fruity olive oil, delicate flakes of maldon salt. Perfection.

Sometimes we have a little more fun. Tomatoes accompanied by crunchy cucumbers, rich salty sheeps milk feta, basil, olive oil, fruity wine vinegar, fresh cracked pepper.