Summer Soups, Salads and Sweets
I like cold soup in hot weather. I’ve even been known to eat some traditional soups at room temperature, and in a recent market conversation, found a vendor who shares this same quirk. We won’t get any further into that right now, but I will offer you some great market cold soup options.
True Food, who is in process of changing their name to Wild Radish, has a few popular choices including super green, watermelon basil and heirloom tomato gazpacho. Nutmeg Bakery and Cafe makes wonderful vichyssoise, borscht, carrot ginger, and tomato and watermelon gazpacho. Escargot Voyageur has had a refreshing melon and strawberry soup too.
With corn and stone fruit starting to appear on market tables, these recipes for Chilled Corn Soup with Basil and Chilled Peach Soup with Fresh Goat Cheese may be something you decide to try.
Have you checked out Fairy Juice Bar? Shots of their Sun Chimes (pineapple, lemon, orange, pear, apple, ginger), Phoenix Rising (beet, apple, orange, carrot, ginger, lemon), Fire Dancer (carrot, orange, apple, turmeric, pineapple, lemon), Emerald Bliss (spinach, kale, apple, cucumber, lime, lemon, ginger), Mermaid Oasis (blue spirulina, apple, cucumber, kiwi, pear, lemon), and Astro Kiss (kiwi, pineapple, pear, beet, ginger, lemon), would also make a great amuse-bouche.
Moving on to salads. Current market produce lends itself well to this Easy Cucumber, Peach, and Basil Salad or a Sugar Snap Pea Salad.
Escargot Voyageur offers a weekly prepared salad, this week Mediterranean tabouli. (Thierry is also making sausage rougaille, a classic French Réunion Island stew consisting of a tomato-based sauce that is enriched with spices such as ginger, chilies, coriander, onions, or curry leaves. He’ll have his crepe maker at his tent too!)
Don’t forget the great Greek salad from Anthi’s Greek Specialties.
Nutmeg Cafe and Bakery’s salad choices include Orzo Arugula, Roasted Chickpea Cauliflower, Morrison Beets, Quinoa Kale Butternut and Corn Black Bean. Wild Radish’s organic salads are Long Life, Chickpea, Fancy Four Bean, Brussels Sprout and Kale, and Quinoa Lentil.
Are you hungry yet?
Never a shortage of sweets in the tents. Cynthia returns this week with her vegan Muscovado Sweets. You’ll be sold at a sample and her personality is as sweet as her baked goods. Be forewarned though, her morning buns, cookies and cake slices sell quickly!
Blondery now let’s you customize your own variety blondie box. They and her cake jars are both wickedly delicious takeaway treats.
Looking to make something yourself? There’s plenty of fresh raspberries available now for this Raspberry and Pistachio Semifreddo.
I’m enjoying my market neighbor Seed-on-Hudson. Katie’s garden is in Hastings and she brings young plants and cut bouquets weekly. I love how she incorporates fresh herbs and interesting blooms into her bunches; this week mine included dill and flowering tobacco, small white blooms that only smell at night. Stop by to say hi and you’re sure to learn something new.
See you on Sunday!
