Market News - June 15, 2010
From the Market Manager
Last week was a banner week. Several of our vendors said that it was the best week they’d ever had at our market. Our new location is sure a winner. We received 3 contributions last week and all of the contributors wrote how much they like it here. We were concerned about the lack of visibility from the street, but you have found us, and we are thriving. Thanks.Some of you have mentioned that parking is sometimes difficult. Some of you parked on both sides of the entrance driveway, but the park folks fixed that by putting up cones on one side for safety reasons. You always want an emergency vehicle to have access. Come a little farther into the area and you will find lots of parking. If it’s crowded, wait a few minutes and you’ll find something.
You know that expression “from cradle to grave”? Well, we won’t claim that because we can’t take care of you when you’re dead, but we surely can provide you with food from the beginning of your meals to the end. And, now you can purchase prepared food to either have for lunch, or take home, or both.
Here’s an easy appetizer—sauté lots of onions until they are soft and caramelized, set aside. Take two flour tortillas, put onions and smoked gouda cheese on one side, cover with the other tortilla, and put into a frying pan and “cook” until one side is a little brown and do the other side. Cut into wedges and you have a delicious appetizer. You can add prosciutto also.
Brassica Family
This isn’t a new family who moved into the neighborhood—it’s a “family” of vegetables that includes broccoli, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards, cabbage, bok choi, broccoli raab, kohlrabi, cress, mustard, turnips and a few more. They are also known as crucifers. They are loaded with vitamins.
Sometimes we don’t like something because we had it as a child and we didn’t like it. That’s understandable up to a point. I always encourage someone to try what he or she says they don’t like because our tastes change. And—there are so many terrific ways to cook vegetables.
I made an Asian salad last summer with red cabbage. I shredded it very thinly and added all sorts of seasonings to it including Asian chili sauce (the type you get with spring rolls which you can buy prepared at an Asian store). I topped it with steak and chopped peanuts and it was fabulous. You can find recipes for Asian salad online. And, as I always tell you, add or subtract ingredients that you like/don’t like to your taste.
This ‘n’ ThatUse your dehumidifier water for your plants; it doesn’t have any chemicals in it.
The Stanley Park Music Series in Westfield has started. Each Sunday evening at 6 o’clock in the Beveridge Pavilion, through September 5th, a free concert is held. It’s covered, so it’s a rain or shine concert. Bring a picnic.
They also have a free garden series on Saturday mornings from 10-12. The next one is July 10th and then two more after that. They have other programs as well. Website is: stanleypark.org.
This Saturday, June 19th is the last spring household hazardous waste collection in Springfield for homes only, no businesses. Call 787-7840 to make an appointment. The hours are from 8-noon.
Recycling one glass bottle saves enough electricity to light a 60 watt bulb for 4 hours.
Rachel’s Table
Rachel’s Table is a joint program between the Jewish Federation of Western Mass and Channel 22. They pick up surplus food from licensed facilities and deliver it to places that can use it. For example, if you have a party at a restaurant and you have leftover food, take note of what you have and call the RT donation line and tell them what you have and where the food is. They will take it from there. They can’t take food from your home. The donation line # is 733-9165.
Gifts from the Market
I know that I’m repeating myself, but a few folks have purchased tokens and/or market bags for teacher’s gifts this year, so my suggestions are working. When you purchase tokens the user can use them wherever they’d like and for whatever they’d like. The only exclusions are for EBT tokens which can only be used for food items (not prepared food), but you won’t be buying those for gifts anyhow.
From Sunday’s Boston GlobeYolanda Kodrzycki, director of the NE Public Policy Center, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston:
Q. Why hasn’t Springfield done better? It’s affordable, it’s near a cluster of colleges and universities. It has easy access to an international airport and it’s located in a major transportation corridor.
A. The key in cities that have succeeded is leadership and collaboration. They had people or institutions that stepped forward who said, “This is my city and I’m going to make it better.” Springfield has a history of being very fractured which one still sees today. I also think Springfield hasn’t advertised its benefits.
As a very involved resident of Springfield asks: “Given this feedback from someone with a regional perspective, what will or should each of us (citizen, public official, or business person)do to provide leadership and to collaborate in promoting what our city has to offer?”
Certainly food for thought.
A Little Night Music
Trinity Church will once again sponsor their music and supper series beginning the first Thursday in July at 6PM. Rain or shine. The concert is held indoors in their sanctuary, then supper is served for a free-will donation, and the carillon is played. Bring a lawn chair as the tables fill up quickly.
