Community Corner
Try Something New This Weekend at the Farmers Market
The harvest is bountiful and vendors have a little something new for everyone.
At the Blackwood Farmers Market, the harvest is bountiful this time of year—tomatoes, zucchini, spaghetti squash, basil, peaches, blueberries, okra and eggplant.
We have a rule, my two little girls and I, that every Saturday they get to pick one item—something new that they have not cooked before—and then we try it as a family.
In the past, they've snagged foods like donut peaches (yummy, but similar to the typical Jersey peach), local honey (delicious, but honey is not so new) and various fresh herbs to sprinkle on grilled cheese.
But, this year, my two little loves have grown adventurous and inspiring.
One week, we grabbed okra. The farmer laughed and gave us a double order for the price of one. But, surprisingly, tempura-battered okra with a honey scallion dipping sauce (thanks to a great Paula Deen recipe) was quite tasty.
Last week, my oldest grabbed a spaghetti squash and refused to be deterred.
Spaghetti squash ($1 for a big one at the market) is a great way to get your pasta fix without actually eating pasta. The nutrition benefits are aplenty—only 42 calories in one cup and it has vitamins A and C.
The preparation is super easy. Cut it in half, bake it until it is fork tender. Then use a fork to scrape the inside flesh out and suddenly your bowl is filled with spaghetti-like strands of squash. Toss with olive oil and fresh herbs or topped with red sauce. It is a perfect light summer side.
Besides all the fabulous food, Blackwood Farmers Market offers amazing locally made goods.
Earth and Sky Candle Company, which has been a fixture at the market since it opened three years ago, has unique candles and soaps. Try combinations like Citrus Basil, Strawberry Wine, Honeysuckle or my favorite, Beer. The Beer scented soap is made with actual beer and is complete with a nice head of foam.
Earth and Sky owner Jaime Frampton offers more than 50 different fragrances. All candles are made with 100 percent soy wax (so they burn nice and clean) and are made right here in South Jersey. Candles range in price from $4 to $16. If you bring back your candle jar to be reused, Earth and Sky will give you a discount on your next purchase.
Be sure to also visit the other craft and jewelry vendors sprinkled through out the market, including wood signs, decorative items and handmade desserts.
The is held every Saturday, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the parking lot of the Gloucester Township-Blackwood Rotary Public Library on Black Horse Pike.
