Happy Saturday morning!
Last Saturday I went to my first summer farmer’s market at St. Lawrence in Toronto. Even at 9am the crowds were bustling by with strollers, dogs on leashes, large coffees in hand and tote bags filled with the market’s best produce. I wandered the aisles of the market, not sure what I was going to buy, but definitely sure my bag would be bursting by the end of it. I turned a corner and the largest row of bright red seasonal strawberries greeted me. A woman held out a basket and asked if I wanted a sample of the berries, to which, of course, I said yes. I bought two full pints for $7 from her. I made my way to fill the rest of my bag with cherries, purple kale, a French baguette, heirloom tomatoes, and the really good coffee. For me, this is the perfect kind of morning. The location is a bit of a hike for me to do every week but I do want to commit more of my grocery list to the farmer’s market.
Grocery store strawberries can lack that sweet strawberry flavour and its texture can a little bit spongy. With the long months of winter and ho-hum produce, I can forget just how good summer fruits and veggies can be. Thankfully, my palette has been re-awakened by all that summer has to offer. I plan to eat my fill.
eBook News: My eBook, Sprouts & Chocolate: Uncooked, is going to be released on July 16! Less than a week away! I am really nervous but excited about releasing my own ebook and it was one of my birthday goals for this year. To receive your free copy of this eBook, just subscribe to my site on the right side bar or below this post. You will also receive my weekly posts right into your inbox. Here is a little sneak peek!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
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- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 spring of thyme
- 1 small bunch purple or green kale, washed, destemmed and shredded.
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup pitted fresh cherries
- 3/4 cup hulled fresh strawberries
- 4 tablespoons slivered toasted almonds
- 5-6 purple or green basil leaves,cut into thin ribbons
- In a small sauce pot*, bring the balsamic vinegar to a boil over medium heat. Turn down heat to low, add the thyme, and simmer for 15-20 minutes to reduce until it is a thick glaze**. Add the oil, set aside to cool, and remove the thyme.
- While the balsamic vinegar is reducing, massage the kale in a large bowl with the remaining oil and set aside to soften for about 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients to the salad and drizzle with glaze.
- Serve and enjoy!
- *Preferably in a light coloured sauce pot so you can see how much the vinegar has reduced.
- **If it becomes too thick, add a splash of uncooked vinegar and stir until desired consistency.
What a refreshing sounding salad! I LOVE the farmer’s market. I am such a lucky duck that I live a very short walk to a Saturday market. It’s on the small side, but it’s perfect for me =)
Congrats on the e-book launch!
Thank you so much for subscribing! I am so jealous that your farmer’s market is so close. Mine is across town and I never buy just one or two things so my bags get heavy quick.
Wow, look at those lovely cherries! I can only dream of them – we are smack bang in the middle of winter. Luckily I am consoling myself with pumpkin soup.
Congratulations on the launch of your e-book – looks great! 😀
Thanks so much for the support! As much as I love pumpkin soup, I can wait for winter….hahaha!
First of all, congrats on the book! That’s very exciting! I’m also incredibly jealous of anyone who has a vibrant farmer’s market. While I live in a very fertile area (southeast Virginia), we’re still sadly a tobacco state. Local farms do their best, but I miss the big markets when I grew up in Wisconsin. And you’re right – fresh strawberries are the only way to go!
Thanks! I never thought of the farmer’s market that way before. It makes me more grateful to have access to local produce.