Category Archives: markets

New Year’s Dinner 2021 – Lucky and Local

2020 was so bad, even people who don’t believe in “lucky foods” made them this year. I’m not one of those people—I have a fair amount of Sicilian in me and so I respect the superstitions. Plus, I can’t resist an opportunity to do a local version of a holiday-appropriate meal. So this is my lucky local 2021 meal.

I made yellow-eyed peas (mostly) following this recipe from My Clean Kitchen.
The site says, “yellow eyed peas are thought to bring not just luck, but luck in the form of GOLD.” Additionally, pork is supposed to inspire progress in the new year.

I  scored the beans at Stone Gardens Farm. They sell them at their farm stand for a neighboring farmer they know. I used an onion from Wild Carrot Farm, carrots from The Farm, Woodbury, garlic from Maple Bank Farm, kale from Waldingfield Farm, and a smoked ham hock from Stuarts Family Farm.

I made cornbread muffins (following this recipe) using
Patti Popp’s renowned corn meal from Sport Hill Farm, flour from Farmer Ground, NY, and buttermilk from Hawthorne Valley.

The three foods are meant to be eaten together: black-eyed peas (or their heirloom yellow-eyed cousins) bring coins, greens (the kale) bring folding money (dollars), and the yellow-hued cornbread promises gold.

I made southern biscuits (following this recipe) with AP flour from Farmer Ground, NY, Arethusa butter, and Hawthorne Valley buttermilk. I also used Red Fife wheat from Anson Mills. They’re not local, but they’re deliberate about their grains and their growing practices and Red Fife wheat is delicious.

There are no promises of luck for eating the southern biscuits—I made them to use up the rest of the buttermilk! (They were delicious.)

So this is it 2021. You don’t have to be the bestest year evah. You just have to be better than 2020. That shouldn’t be too difficult.

Did I mention, I love my farmers!

Foraging for Thanksgiving – 2014

Because we are both hunters and gatherers…

Yes, I already have lots of things I’d preserved and stored from the summer. And I had a number of things I’d gotten last Saturday at the Westport Farmers Market. But one still needs MORE.

The Saturday before…

This year, I changed it up a bit and instead of the usual tradition of the New Haven market, I went up to Litchfield.

First stop, Arethusa Farm Dairy in Bantam, CT for cheese, butter, sour cream, egg nog, and as long as I was there, a dish of ice cream to keep me going.

arethusa

Since I was in Litchfield and so close, off to the Litchfield Hills Farmers Market. I scored spinach and arugula from Maple View Farm, some veggies from Wild Carrrot Farm, and some Cato Corner cheese for Thanksgiving and lots of other things for post-Thanksgiving real life.

litchfield

Then down to New Morning in Woodbury, CT for other things…like my milk…and an assortment of non-local, but essential, Thanksgiving items (olives, bell peppers, pistachios, rice, lemons and limes, and more things like that).

new_morning

Then to Maple Bank Farm in Roxbury, CT for yet more apples, Brussels sprouts, Lyman’s Cider. I already got my choice, hand-selected by Howie Bronson sugar pumpkin last week.

maple_bank

Then on to Ferris Acres Creamery in Newtown, CT to pick up my ice cream order.

ferris

This picture was taken at 4:30. The last of the crowd had just left. They were only supposed to be open until 3 PM!

The Tuesday before…

First stop, Quattro Farm Store in Pleasant Valley NY for the turkey, heavy cream, some more veggies from the Migliorelli’s, flour and corn meal from Wild Hive, and some NY beer (and some other stuff not for the holiday).

quattro

There’s Carmella (who I was delighted to finally meet) and her granddaughters.

Then on to Sport Hill Farm in Easton, CT, for cauliflower and whatever else one might find!

sport_hill

I think I have enough now.

A new New Morning

Nothing says bring your blog out of hibernation like a grand opening of one of your favorite stores!

New Morning Market opened in its new location in north Woodbury on Friday. My Saturday forage was my first occasion to see the new digs. What a way to celebrate Food Revolution Day!

There are much better photos of their whole journey on their Web site.

The first thing you notice is the space. There’s lots of it. We customers can pass each other in the aisles while someone else is still browsing! Next you notice they took advantage of the space by stocking a greater variety of products. (I’m obviously not the only one asking, “Hey John, do you think you guys could carry…?”) The decor is clean and natural. The cheese department has expanded. The provender has expanded. In fact, everything has expanded. You could actually spend a day here! You need to see it for yourself.

Map to the new location (129 Main Street North, Woodbury, CT 06798):

Drop in and check the place out!

Earth Day at New Morning

Earth Day at New Morning was a fabulous as ever—nearly everyone wss there! As you’ve no doubt discerned, I like to know my farmer and know my food. I’m willing to accept one hop between me and the producer as long as the “hop” knows the producer. John has a relationship with his vendors and  makes New Morning a one-hop shop.

John and a friend
The joint was jumping!
New Morning's own Chef Carole and Peter of Sepe Farm

Visit Sepe Farm.

Laurel Ridge grilling up samples

Visit Laurel Ridge.

Love the fermented Beet Ginger drink from <a href=
Love the fermented Beet Ginger drink from Zukay Live Foods!

Visit Zukay Live Foods.

Happy Earth Day-ers, enjoying the day!
Boxed Goodes serving up one delicious dish after another.

Visit Boxed Goodes.

New Morning has fiddleheads! Pictured sautéed with ramps from Holbrooks.

Visit Holbrook Farm.