The Shift

Hello Market Friends:
We’ve come to the last market day in August, and a shift is in the air.

I am always shocked when corn season ends, but it has at Sosnicki Organic Produce, and soon other high summer favourites like peaches, basil and summer squash will make way for fall crops.

Marvellous Edibles has lowered their prices on tomatoes because Ayse says they have a bumper crop, there are flats of organic Romas on offer from Sosnickis, and better than candy cherry tomatoes from Thorpe’s Organic Produce. Crunchy cucumbers are abundant, too, but they won’t stick around!

Another hot tip: if you have always wanted to eat something bigger than your head, try one of  Kooner Farms gargantuan watermelons!

Have you noticed how noisy the squirrels are, as they stash their finds for winter? Things are at least as noisy (and about as rational) in our kitchen  these days! Every year, I feel a need to connect the past (through favourite recipes), the market bounty of the present, and the future, by stashing as much as possible for the months ahead. When we eat pesto, ratatouille, tomato sauce and jams, or make pies, crisps and smoothies from the berries and peaches in the freezer, we’ll taste summer in winter–and I swear we will be grateful for all the mess I am making.

Fortunately, we have dish scrubbies from Helen Mends and a great assortment of brooms  from Kawartha Broom Co to help with the cleanup!

If you would rather lounge your way through these lovely late August days, the vendors can help you achieve that goal. Minimal effort market meals include:

• Bruschetta or simple pizza using Alma Bakery‘s (organic, vegan) Herb and Garlic Flatbread, a few chopped tomatoes and a handful of basil
• Tapioca Toronto’s Vegetable Shepherd’s Pie or Lasagne
• Delicious empanadas or quiche from Marvellous Edibles
• Black Bean Burger Wraps from Earth & City
• Half & Half Momos from TC’s Tibetan Momos

The site is bursting at the seam with other choices too: we have lovely Qatayef kits from Newcomer Kitchen on offer again, wild blueberries brought to us by Reyes Farms, and refreshing Juns from Windswept Cider, to name just a few.

On Thursday, we will say goodbye to several members of our packing crew: Jackson Tarlin, Tristan Meyer-Odell, and Calla McInnes, and two of our cycle delivery team as well: Saul Freedman and Micah McCoy-Cooke. We are hugely grateful to each of them for working so hard through the long hot days of summer, and we wish happiness and success to them all.

Hope you have a lovely week!

Anne & the Market Crew