The danger of the farmer’s market……

...is that I can never say “no.”
A recent trip to the farmer’s market was proved to be an (failed) exercise in restraint- there was so much that I wanted, no needed, that it was hard not to buy more than I could use. Under the bright blue skies and warm sunshine, everything looked amazing; there were giant piles of bulbous onions, heaps of fresh greens, mounds of new potatoes, berries of every type in every direction, shiny red cherries, tangy yellow cherries, carrots, herbs, flowers….
I finally settled on a pound of beautiful, bright cherries that proved to be as juicy and sweet as they looked. But then I saw the strawberries- delicate little Hood berries that I couldn’t resist. So we picked up a flat of those as well. And some blueberries. And new potatoes. And on the way out of the market, we passed the biggest, brightest, Beefsteak tomatoes I’ve ever seen. Those went into our (overstuffed) bag too. When I finally did arrive home, laden with wonderful, colorful farm delights, I was almost overwhelmed. Our groceries filled the refrigerator and counter, crowding out anything that was there already. (Somehow, I knew this would happen). It seems to be a tradition for me; I can’t resist the temptation of fresh, local, and organic produce. And the only thing I can do about it is to head to the kitchen and start cooking. The best part about summer’s bounty is that it needs very few additions. The cherries were gone in just a few days- they're the perfect snack on a warm day. In a classic ending for our family supper, the strawberries became shortcake; sweet cream scones, warmed and halved, topped with sliced berries and vanilla whipped cream. In just a few days, we had worked our way through almost everything from the market, and our fingers were happily stained pink to prove it.

For more ideas about cooking with farmer’s market bounty, join us at In Good Taste this month. At 6:30 PM on July 18, Ken Hoyt will be teaching “Summertime Revels.” His menu is packed with flavor and creative ideas. Or, sign up for our third farmer’s market class, Hands on Oregon Farmers Market III, will be held at 6:00 PM on August 20th. The Farmer's Market Class series has been a lot of fun and a great way to explore the bounty of Portland's produce.
Hope to see you there!
-Josie