We are in the thick and throes of apple season in the Hudson Valley and, each week, Caradonna Farm will be bringing more and more crates of apple varieties to discover.
This week you can expect: Honeycrisp, Fuji, Summerset, Golden Supreme, Gala, Ruby Mac, Sansa, Ginger Gold and the beautiful Scarlet Crush.
Stark Scarlet Crush is a cross between a Honeycrisp and a Pink Lady. It has sweet and citrusy notes, and Honeycrisp’s characteristic snap and juice. And a monster crunch. It’s the perfect lunchbox apple and oh so pretty, especially when dipped into golden wildflower honey from Hudson River Apiaries at your Rosh Hashanah table.
If you need a little help deciding which apple variety is right for you, you can ask the Caradonna crew, of course, or check out this handy primer on New York’s wide range of apple varieties from Acey Macs to Zestars.
September is such a busy time for families you need to find weeknight dinners that are healthy, delicious, preferably locally-sourced, but also quick and easy. That’s a very tall order indeed.
Enter this easy lemony shrimp and bean stew. The beauty of this is that you can substitute the shrimp for plump sweet scallops, or a nice flaky white fish, whatever is looking particularly alluring at the Pura Vida Fishery tent.
Serve this dish with an Obercreek Farm salad and a side of steamed fennel bulbs, making a comeback this week at the Fresh Meadow Farm tent. They are so delicious with a drizzle of lemon-infused Arlotta Food Studio oil and some cracked black pepper and grated parmesan. Please don’t toss your fennel fronds away. Throw them instead in the stew for added flavor (discard before eating) or, boil fennel stalks in water for 10-15 minutes to create a perfumed poaching liquid for fish or chicken.
Do try and incorporate fennel, which tastes bitter raw, but very sweet when cooked, into your holiday table this weekend. Making brisket? Try this tangy brisket with aromatic fennel and herbs.
Baker Tim Topi of Wave Hill Breads assures me he is sending extra golden challah loaves to the Chappaqua Market this Saturday. Still, grab one early, just in case. Stars of the Meadow will have dazzling dahlias and other floral arrangements for your holiday table. There’s always something new and interesting at the CFM. This week, we bring you something slightly quirky: Mama Hu’s Caring Foods SushiBakes. That’s right, deconstructed sushi rolls that are then baked. Trust us — it’s a thing. Though the name and concept seem anathema to lovers of raw fish, it is becoming a popular way to weave more fish into the family diet. And, Mama Hu uses non-GMO rice, wild-caught fish and no oil. Give her entrees a try and let us know what you think!
Though the name and concept seem anathema to lovers of raw fish, it is becoming a popular way to weave more fish into the family diet. Give it a try and let us know what you think!
I am happy to report that the vegan chefs at Urban Bohemia, are rejoining our market with their toothsome entrees that will appeal to everyone in the family — not just those on a plant-based diet. They will be joining us twice a month through the end of the season.
Leila’s Crepe Truck is making a rare appearance at the market Saturday. Perhaps you try one of their breakfast crepes before moving on to paella on your second spin around the market?
Perhaps you make things really easy on yourself and plan your Saturday evening dinner around a rotisserie Cornish game hen from SMOK’D. Serve with smashed French fingerling potatoes from Fresh Meadow Farm.
You may have noticed the lack of carrots at the market last week. This incredibly rainy summer season has done a number on our famers. Fresh Meadow has lost three separate plantings of carrots to rot caused by excess rain. If you are disappointed about not getting carrots at the market, just imagine how our farmers feel after planting, weeding and tending these crops — all for naught.
We hope this weekend of renewal ushers in brighter, drier days ahead.
See you at the market!
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