The Stock Market

Are you ‘the shopping list type,’ orderly and strategic, or more of a ‘love at first sight’ market-goer who finds inspiration in the moment, loading up on beautiful ingredients without a clue what you will make out of them? Although I try to begin with a plan, one of the great pleasures of coming to the market is discovering new foods, and new ways to enjoy old favourites. It just means that sometimes I have a little homework to do later.

This week, I’ve been browsing through an old favourite, ‘The Greens Cook Book’ by Deborah Madison, which I like as much for its explanations of technique as for the recipes. Since it’s late November, what I want to  make is really wonderful soup stock, to chase away the chills and enjoy every bit of the fall produce I can’t resist bringing home. Here are a few of my favourite suggestions from the book if you feel like making stock or soup too:

The seeds of winter squashes and the stringy matter attached to them, as well as the skins, contain a lot of flavour.  
Make use of the outer leaves of lettuce that are too large or tough for salads.
Red chard and red beet greens will definitely produce a rose-coloured stock.
Celeriac is a wonderful vegetable. Dirt and sand fill its rough, gnarled crevices, but the vegetable underneath this exterior is white, sweet, and aromatic. Scrub the roots well with a vegetable brush and use the skins for a stock that is both earthy and sweet.
Parsley has a grounding effect for all the sweet, high tastes as its flavour is dark and deep….

You may also want to ask Jens from Marvellous Edibles about bones, and perhaps place an order ahead so you can make a big batch of bone broth. My daughter has a favourite ‘broth cafe’ in New York City which she goes to regularly because she says you feel so good afterwards. Seems like a good habit to me, and you can get absolutely everything you need to make it at the market!

 PEROGIES! CABBAGE ROLLS! Next week, December 7th, the Sosnickis are coming to Dufferin!!!

That’s a couple of extra exclamation marks in honour of the amazing, 8 months pregnant and going strong Jessie!!! A crew of expert women, led by 91 years young Anne (‘the ultimate kitchen boss’) have been working hard to prepare certified organic holiday foods using a delicious mix of traditional and contemporary recipes. Here’s what Jessie has to  order for pickup next week:

“Four kinds of perogies to choose from including a really, really good vegan one (that is actually cheaper to buy because it has no organic dairy or eggs!) The perogies are huge – twice the size of normal ones! ($20/dozen, or $16/dozen for vegan)
Cabbage rolls are all vegan, (no meat ones sorry) and loaded with kale, onions, brown rice and garlic smothered in tomato sauce.  They. Are. Awesome. If Ben doesn’t miss the beef – you won’t either! ($20/dozen)
Simply email Jessie at jb@sosnickiorganics.com and include your name, food item(s) and quantity you want (half dozens are fine, and half the price), along with a phone number I can call or text. I will email back a confirmation and put you on our list for pickup at Dufferin on the 7th.”

If you are thinking about gifts for your dear ones this holiday season, we have many lovely choices, in sizes bound to fit! Nobody needs more gadgets and gizmos, but who wouldn’t enjoy something special to eat, plant, or otherwise enjoy from our fine local producers?

The ‘shop small and local’ movement isn’t just about our ‘foodshed’. Jennifer Osborn of All Sorts Acre is an avid participant in ‘fibreshed’ events, too, and she just sent this note: “I was at an event last night that celebrates Canadian Design. Peggy Sue Collection won the Best Emerging Designer Award for 2018 from the Design Exchange. I was there because there is a large amount of my wool used in her collection.” Exciting news, Jennifer! Congratulations!

Waymac Mushrooms and Plan B are away but should be back next week. Sounds like Angelos from Country Meadows won’t be back until the following market, though. From Linda Kapelaris, “The olive harvest is winding down for another year, so it’s time to get the olive trees in shape for next growing season. Angelos is now doing some trimming and pruning of the trees. This tree seems a bit “bent out of shape” but consider this: that tree is over 200 years old, it was growing and producing olives more than half a century before Canada officially became a country.  As a child, Angelos’ grandfather played on the very trees that he is working on today.”

Let’s hope his grandchildren will, too.
See you at the market!
Anne Freeman

This week’s vendors:
Ali Harris: rotis, fish sandwiches, fritters, drinks
All Sorts Acre: lamb, wool, shepherd’s pies, sheep’s milk, yarn
Bees Universe: honey, eggs, bee products
Chocosol: chocolate, coffee, drinks
Culture City: fermented foods, condiments
DeFloured: gluten-free baking
Dufferin Park Bakers: wood-fired oven breads, salads, snacks
Everdale: fresh organic produce
Forbes Wild Foods: nuts, mushrooms & other wild foods
Kind Organics: sprouts, salad mixes, teas
Marvellous Edibles: pastured poultry, meats, organic vegetables
Monforte Dairy: cheeses of many kinds
Shared Harvest: fresh organic vegetables, herbs
Spade & Spoon: pickles, jams, maple syrup, soup
Ted Thorpe: fresh produce
Urban Harvest: body care, seeds

Don’t forget to bring your Loyal Eaters Card! If you haven’t got one yet it’s not too late!

We’re open every Thursday from 3 to 7pm year-round, except for the one between Christmas and New Year’s.