Shopping the Owosso Farmers Market in JulyBy Denise Davidson, Owosso, Michigan Michigan’s sunny days and warm temperatures bring a wealth of fresh vegetables and fruits to the Owosso Farmers Market. Enjoy the pleasant atmosphere of shopping outdoors for your favorites. Aisles are lined with fresh garden peas, string beans, beets, mixed lettuce, Summer Squash, new potatoes and sweet Traverse City cherries. Sweet corn, cucumbers and shallots may also show up towards the end of the month. There are still a large variety of beautiful perennial flowers and nursery items for Summer planting as well. Sweet garden peas are available in July. Shell peas are most often eaten fresh or also a perfect candidate for freezing. They should be eaten as soon as possible after purchasing since natural sugars diminish quickly in peas. They may be stored short term, unwashed in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Sugar snap peas (which can be eaten whole with pods) may be stored the same way. Be sure to string both sides of the peas before eating. Green and Yellow wax beans generally show up at the Farmer’s Market after the middle of July. Look for firm beans, no larger than pencil size. These will be the most tender. Avoid thick, limp pods with huge seeds as they are clearly too old. Store fresh beans in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. You may steam or blanch fresh snap beans. Serve with butter, salt & pepper to taste. Roasting snap beans is my favorite way to prepare them. Simply place washed, trimmed green beans (3/4 pound) on a baking sheet. Toss with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, salt & pepper. Spread in an even layer. Roast at 450 degrees for about 12 minutes stirring midway until the beans are wrinkled, brown and tender. These are delicious served with any meat entrée. Sweet Summer beets are ready for harvest in July. Don’t forget to try a batch of beet greens as well. Beets store well in the refrigerator bin for 2-3 weeks. Beets are delicious when steamed, sliced thin and served in any of your favorite dishes. Beet greens may be sautéed in olive oil for 2-3 minutes until they wilt and become tender. Season with salt, pepper; drizzle vinegar over top. Canning is also a great way to preserve beets. Summer squash comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. The skin and seeds are edible. These include yellow crookneck, straight neck, green zucchini and patty pans. Summer Squash may be eaten raw, cooked, sautéed, stuffed or grilled. They are delicious and truly a special summer treat. Be sure to try the new potatoes from the Market. These small potatoes have sweet delicate flavor and thin edible skins, a very special treat after months of storage potatoes. Serve baked or steamed with sour cream, butter and fresh chopped chives, salt and pepper to taste.
NEW POTATOES & PEAS 1 pound new potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled Place potatoes and onions in a small saucepan; barely cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat 5-6 minutes just until tender. Add peas, cover and cook for 1 minute until tender. Drain, add butter, pepper and mint. Heat for 1 minute and toss gently. Serves 6 |
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