Enjoy a (free) Taste of Endless Summer

Just when you think it’s over, there’s a last blast of summer! Come join the fun ON THE RINK this week!

The Sosnickis’ corn on the cob will put in its final appearance for 2018 on Thursday. They’re bringing us a nice pile to boil up at the market, to say thank you for your support, and to kick off the rink-market season. We’ll be giving away half cobs with assorted fixings for as long as supplies last!
Got nimble fingers? We sure could use a few more corn-huskers! If you can help out for a short while, it will be much appreciated–and  you’re guaranteed some delicious corn. At the bottom of this newsletter there are a couple of corn recipes to try at home, too.

Jenn Wall from Everdale (who sent that gorgeous sunrise shot) writes: “We will be bringing some turmeric and a small amount of ginger as well! We have about 8 types of squash coming (butternut, spaghetti, pie pumpkin, acorn, festival, delicata, kabocha), and we will have broccoli! Beautiful big heads. Also bok choy, tat soi, and nappa cabbage.”
Jenn tells me they harvest the turmeric with the leaves attached. Don’t throw them away! Also at the bottom of the news you’ll find information about some of the many uses for turmeric leaves.

Pine River and Urban Harvest will be absent, but otherwise we’ll have a VERY full house, with abundant produce, and lots of tasty things to eat on the spot or take home. A reminder to bring along bags and a cup. Parking is available on the streets east of the rinkhouse, all around the park.
See you at the market!
Anne Freeman

Vendors this week:
Ali Harris: rotis, fritters, sandwiches, drinks
All Sorts Acres: lamb, sheep dairy, wool
Annamaya Kosa: Ethiopian vegan cuisine
Bees Universe: honey, bee products, eggs
ChocoSol: chocolate. chocolate drinks, coffee
Country Meadows: olives, oil, eggs, cheese
Culture City: fermented condiments, tempeh, natto
DeFloured: savoury & sweet gluten-free baking
Dufferin Park Bakers: wood-fired oven breads, snacks
Earth & City: salads, snacks, beverages LAST DAY
Everdale: fresh organic produce
First Fish: frozen & smoked wild Arctic char
Forbes Wild Foods: wild mushrooms, maple syrup & more
Green Florin: Moldovan nuts, oils, dried fruits
Island Oysters: fresh-shucked oysters, shellfish dishes
Kind Organics: sprouts, salad mixes, teas, microgreens
Knuckle Down Farm: organic veggies
Marvellous Edibles: pastured  meats, organic veg. & more
Monforte Dairy: cheeses from many milks
Plan B: local and imported organic produce
Robinson Bread: sourdough baking from fresh-milled grains
Shared Harvest Community Farm: fresh organic produce
Sosnicki Organic Produce: organic vegetables
Southbrook: organic and local VQA wines
Spade & Spoon: preserves, maple syrup
Tapioca Toronto: Brazilian-style gluten-free crepes with market fillings
TC’s Momos: vegetarian and meat-filled Tibetan dumplings
Ted Thorpe: veggies and greens
Waymac: oyster, shiitake and lion’s mane mushrooms

Market Recipes:

Corn Chowder (vegan)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 potato, chopped
4 cobs of corn, husked
1 red pepper, diced
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cups vegetable stock
14 ounce can of light coconut milk
salt and pepper
chopped red pepper, chives and a few corn kernels for garnish

Warm the olive oil in a large pan. Add onion and a few pinches of salt.
Cook until soft, then add garlic, celery, and potatoes.
Slice the kernels off the corn, then use the back of your knife to scrape the juices off of the corn cob and add to the pot.
Add the red pepper, paprika, a pinch of salt, black pepper, and stir.
Cook until the potatoes are slightly softened, about 5 minutes, then add the vegetable stock and coconut milk.
Cover and simmer about 15 more minutes.
Let cool slightly, then put half the soup into a blender, blend until creamy and return it to the pot.
Mix, taste and add seasonings if needed. Serve with garnishes.

Maque Choux: Creole-Style Corn and Peppers (for omnivores)

•  a few spoonfuls of sesame oil
• 8 cobs of corn, husked
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 pound bacon, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large red pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 cup of  cream
• a bunch of green onions, diced

Heat the oven to 425. Brush the corn with sesame oil and season it with salt and pepper. Put it in a dish with a tight lid and roast for about half an hour, until tender.
Cook the bacon until crisp, remove from the pan and then fry the onions and red pepper for about 5 minutes in the same pan. Cut the corn off the cobs and add it, plus the bacon, garlic and cream. Cook about ten minutes, gently, until the cream has thickened and coated everything.  Stir in the green onions just before serving.

What to Do with Turmeric Leaves
(from SpecialtyProduce.com, with thanks to market friend Japneet Kaur)
Nutritional Value
Turmeric leaves contain curcumin, which is a powerful antioxidant.

Applications
Turmeric leaves are commonly used in curries, soups, chutneys, or prepared pickled. They are also used as a wrapper for steamed dishes. One famous Turmeric leaf dish in Goa, India is Patholi, which is a sweet dumpling dish using the leaves to wrap sweetened coconut, rice flour, and cardamom before steaming. Indonesian and Thai cuisines also feature dishes that are steamed in Turmeric leaf parcels as the heat intensifies the flavor of the leaf which imparts flavor to the dish. Turmeric leaves can also be ground or crushed to make a paste and then fried to be used in dishes such as beef or chicken rendang which is a dry curry meat dish. Turmeric leaves pair well with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, tamarind, chilies, garlic, onion, ginger, and coconut milk. Fresh leaves will keep up to one week when stored in the refrigerator. Dried Turmeric leaves will keep for several months when stored in an airtight container and kept in a cool, dry, and dark place.

Cultural Info
Turmeric leaves are used extensively in India with many cultural and medicinal uses that date back to ancient times. Turmeric leaves are used in Ayurvedic medicine and are believed to have antiseptic properties that help reduce symptoms of colds, jaundice, and even intestinal worms. Turmeric leaves are also believed to help improve digestion and can prevent bloating and abdominal discomfort. They are known as a cooling herb and can be pounded and made into a paste to be used externally to relieve swellings and sprains. The paste can also be used on the face as a beauty treatment to soothe the skin and remove blemishes. Turmeric leaves in India are also cooked in conjunction with religious months or festivals. They are considered to be a Sattvic food, which promotes clear thinking and calm thoughts.