This holiday weekend, focus on the things that bring you joy.
Gather close friends around your table for good conversation and delicious food. We can certainly help you with the latter.
Make sure your grill is primed because it's likely to be a workhorse this weekend. Farm EATS has the BEST grass-fed burger meat. And R&M Farm and SOVA Farm both offer flavorful and tender cuts of chicken for the grill. SOVA is bringing more spatchcocked birds this Saturday for quick and more even cooking on the grill, or in your favorite roasting pan.
They are also bringing ground lamb which is always a nice Mediterranean variation on burgers. You can pick up your herbs from your favorite produce vendor and your feta cheese at the SOVA tent. It may be untraditional on the Fourth of July, but consider picking up thick cuts of tuna or salmon from Pura Vida Fishery to make your own tuna or salmon burgers
Or for a burger with extra umami, try this Korean cheeseburger with sesame cucumber-pickles Serve with Forward Roots Kimchi to up the umami.
Whichever burger you decide to make, don't forget the buns from Wave Hill Breads. Their famous focaccia bread is also nice for burgers, especially when smothered with Tommy en Provence from Eltee's Goods, returning this week. The rosemary tomato jam would be particularly tasty with lamb burgers.
If you want to go the brats route, head straight to Goode & Local by Don Rodrigo. For serious pork lovers only.
If you've been invited to a bbq and have been asked to bring a side dish, consider making a big bowl of tabbouleh a bit of a throwback, but always a crowd-pleaser. On a hot day last week, I made this refreshing dish to the delight of my family. It was the perfect way to greet the new tomatoes coming to market and use all the fragrant parsley and mint at the market. One hint: use Arlotta Food Studio's lemon-infused oil for your dressing to make it extra bright and add more mint than you think you need. Also always opt for curly parsley instead of flat-leaf for this dish. It does make a difference here.
Need a wedding or anniversary gift? Or just something for your home that makes you smile? Charles Lazarus of The Misshapened Bowl returns this week with a whole new batch of hand-turned bowls, each one more beautiful than the next. All are made with salvaged wood from local fallen trees like ash and maple and cherry. Good luck choosing just one!
Have a lovely holiday weekend.
Thank you for your continued support of our food pantry donation efforts.
See you at the market!