As summer weather settles in, home gardeners can get impatient, waiting for tender young plants to grow and produce juicy tomatoes, sweet corn and other garden delights. Our whole family was sharing this impatience, so we decided to spend a fun Friday outing visiting a local farmer’s market.
Living in bountiful Berks County, we have lots of choices for farmer’s markets. The Leesport Farmers Market, located off Route 61, is open Wednesdays beginning at 7 a.m. (see leesportmarket.com for more info). In Hamburg, a local farmer’s market is held Saturdays (May through October) in the Municipal Parking Lot (corner of Union and Main) from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Since we had time to visit a market on a Friday, we opted to head about 20 miles east to the Allentown Farmer’s Market. Housed in a century-old building adjacent to the Allentown fairgrounds on 17th and Chew streets, this market is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and boasts 65 merchants.
As we climbed out of the car, I handed each of my two children a ten-dollar bill, advising them to spend this money wisely. They both took to the challenge, agreeing to explore the different stalls and stands before making a purchase; both also decided they wanted to try something different than our usual grocery-story fare. Note: this is a great learning experience for children. They learn to budget and spend wisely; they also practice great skills like talking politely to sales clerks as well as counting change.
We explored dozens of stands, finding lots of farm-fresh produce and refrigerated displays with juicy cuts of meat and creamy blocks of cheese. Deli-style counters offered sandwiches and salads, home-baked treats and even vegan desserts. Food wasn’t all that was on offer – visitors could purchase pet supplies, vitamins, craft-style furniture and household goods. My daughter was especially drawn to a large stuffed pony, part of a horse-rescue display. She eventually opted to give some of her money to this cause.
Of course, we found lots of delicious things to eat. The children decided to expand their food experiences with new-to-them offerings: celery knob, fennel bulb and shiitake mushrooms. My son, a lover of spicy foods, was thrilled to purchase a small jar of candied jalapenos. The woman at this stand makes the sweetly pickled treat herself and recommended he try them on sandwiches or on crackers spread with cream cheese. We all opted to purchase artisanal cookies to munch on during our shopping; my daughter also bought a small loaf of pistachio bread to try at home. Finally, the children succumbed to temptation and purchased a small bag each from an irresistible candy stand.
On the drive home, we discussed our unusual vegetable purchases, unsure of how exactly to prepare some of them. Fortunately, the internet gives us access to a wide range of recipes and suggestions, I also used social media to solicit suggestions from family and friends around the globe. We eventually focused on recipes that (1) did not call for additional odd ingredients or complex preparations and (2) find methods that highlighted the unusual ingredients instead of masking their flavors.
Celery knob, also known as celery root or celeriac, is literally the below-ground root of the familiar celery plant. A friend from Germany told me it is a common offering there. We learned to wash it and peel the rough outer layer, which filled the air with the rich smell of celery. Slicing the root into thin pieces, we tossed these with olive oil and salt before roasting in the oven to make “chips.” The fennel bulb received a similar treatment, with the addition of a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Both vegetables were delicious, if unusual, with pungent aromas and distinct flavors.
0ur whole family enjoys eating mushrooms, and the shiitakes were a big hit in a quickly-made broth and noodle soup. This surprisingly easy recipe will become part of our family’s regular rotation.
As we finished our meal of unusual farmer’s market offerings, we made plans to visit other markets and stalls soon. Summer doesn’t last forever, after all, and we want to enjoy the bounties of the season while they last.
