It's hard to believe that our six months of farmers markets have come to a close for 2014 - it goes by so fast! I got to go through the Brighton and Howell Farmers Markets last weekend and say good bye and give hugs to my farmer friends until we meet again next May.
I also had my last Farm to Table class at Howell's MainStreet Winery last Sunday too - here's a few pics too. What was on the menu? How does.....Farmers Market Frittata....Maple Custard Creme Brulee French Toast....Lamb and Chicken Kofta...Syrian Bread....Tzatziki Sauce....Mediterranean Salsa....Butternut and Friends Soup....Carbonara Primavera....Michigan Lake Trout Tacos with Orange Marmalade Habanero Sauce....Spicy Sausage, Apple and Onion Fall Harvest Pizza...Savory Sage and Rosemary Squash....Rustic Apple Tarts....Dolci Momenti Moscato and Spiced Cider Sorbet....Whew!
Fortunately, it was a big group effort with a wonderful group of chefs!
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Selecting the butternut squash for our soup - we learned to look for light
green markings on the stem ends of the squash to ensure they are ripe. |
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A lesson from Renee, who owns and operates
Doc May's farm south of Howell. |
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Thank you, 1st National Bank! You
are a wonderful downtown business
partner! |
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| A perfect market morning! |
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Picking up fresh ground chicken for Kofta - Adam, form Great Lakes
is always entertaining and glad to have us stop by! GREAT meats
and....they have REAL LIVE BUTCHERS!!! |
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The class is hearing about some of the other things, including spices
and exotic meats that Great Lakes has to offer. |
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This cabbage made it's way into our
Michigan Lake Trout Fish Tacos! |
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| Brussels Sprouts - on the stalk = freakishly cool! |
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October is definitely squash season - GREAT offerings from Wilczewski
Farms - on Hughes Road in Howell - outstanding selection. |
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Giamongous rutabaga! There was one even bigger,
but I couldn't lift it!!! |
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| Kale umbrella - you know, just in case it rains balsamic vinaigrette!!! |
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Farmers markets aren't just for edibles - this time of
year the decorations are gorgeous too! |
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Todosciuk Farms, north of Howell, has a great selections of squash,
greens - these pumpkins made their way into our Butternut and Friends Soup.
Sooooo good. Todosciuk Farms also supplies the University of Michigan with
farm fresh produce from their farm - how cool and local is that??? |
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We got a lesson on lemongrass and kinchee - daikon and Chinese
cabbage - I had to admit, it was even better than mine. |
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Ben from Turk Farms is always an entertaining fixture at the market!
Here he's showing off the great selection of locally sourced cheeses
and dairy. Turk Farms is located at the corner of Clyde and Cullen Roads
at the Hartland/Fenton border and is open year round. |
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Big Will's produce stand is always a crowd favorite - he also
brings in Amish goods and the best hand churned butter - we
had the butter and his sweet potatoes in many
dishes today. |
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| Big Will's - we will miss you! |
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With 25 people in our Farm to Table class - EVERYBODY has
to pitch in and schlepp our goodies back to the winery! |
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| A pepper lesson from Lori and Ed - local farmer friends. |
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Lori is our resident pepper expert - from fake jalapenos to the scary Ghost
Pepper and everything in between - she will let you know what is the perfect
choice for your recipes. We chose her habaneros for our fish tacos. Look
closely at the sign - see the Fatali pepper? Hmmmmm....fatal???
We passed on that one! |
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This was the third year that Linda has joined us for
a Farm to Table class - which is a big deal since she's
from Boston!!! xoxoxo |
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There are LOTS of honeys in this picture!!! Those two
lovebirds just got engaged! |
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Miss Kim's orange marmalade - debuted at the market as a cottage
industry business - and she's going commercial in two weeks! Yay
to Michigan for supporting the cottage industries! |
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| Grainger's - a Howell tradition! |
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We also bought broccoli here - sooooooo good.
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And we're schlepping! The three blocks is longer on the way back to the winery
with heavy bags!!! |
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| Didn't I say it was a perfect day for the market? |
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| A great day for friends...... |
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| ....and family - thank you for joining us again! xoxo |
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| Our Rustic Apple Tart Goddesses! |
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| Somebody was back from the Disney Wine and Food Festival! |
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They can cook as good as they look too! So much fun
with this group - loved having you! |
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The Spicy Sausage, Apple and Onion Fall Harvest Pizza was a huge hit!
These lovely ladies are kitchen wizards - and dear friends to boot....xoxo |
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| Mike and Lori - keeping it all going - Mike had the best job - pouring the wine! |
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Our hostess - Sandy, who makes magic happen at Howell's
MainStreet Winery - the most beautiful, delicious and relaxing store.
But not on Farm to Table day - then it's Thanksgiving at Grandma's!! |
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Beautiful = and these two beauties loved the Moscato Sorbet - good thing
because we had to cleanse their palates good! |
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The Savory Sage and Rosemary squash was a huge hit - we used
delicata today, but this recipe can be made with any fall squash. |
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Mediterranean Salsa and Tzatziki sauce - perfect on
our lamb and chicken Kofta |
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| Indeed! So delicoius. |
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| Kimchee - daikon on the left, cabbage on the right. |
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| Amy blending.... |
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Judy too! Butternut and Friends -
definitely a crowd favorite! |
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| Fresh veggie carbonara with Turk Farms duck eggs. |
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| Delicata - savory style |
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| Kofta - mmmmm good@ |
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| Spicy sausage, apple and onion fall harvest pizza |
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| Finally! Time for our family supper - and perhaps a nap? |
What a wonderful finish to a wonderful market season - May can't come early enough for me!
In the meantime - see you at the Howell Opera House Indoor Market every other Sunday starting November 2 - see you there!
