Farmers’ Market Nerd

One Saturday morning recently when the weather was pleasant, I ate breakfast on my front porch.  During the week, I usually have oatmeal and eggs for breakfast fulfilling nutritional needs and doctor’s suggestions, but weekends are spent being more adventurous with my breakfast – still nutritious, but a little more variety.  On this particular morning as I was eating breakfast and making out a grocery list for purchases at the Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market and at Forland Family Farm, I stopped making notes and looked at my breakfast – two eggs (Farmers’ Market), a roasted new potato (Farmers’ Market) with rosemary (from a plant purchased at the Farmers’ Market), grilled zucchini (Farmers’ Market), and banana nut bread (Forland).  I thought, You’ve become a Farmers’ Market Nerd!  Of course, I can’t think of a downside to being such a nerd.

My oldest son lives in Memphis and when I go visit, one of our regular stops is the Memphis Farmers’ Market.  My youngest son lived in Denver for three years and I visited him three times and that meant three visits to the Denver Farmers’ Market.  Before that time, he was in graduate school at The University of Texas in Austin and we made a couple of trips to the Austin Farmers’ Market.  He moved to Dallas a year ago and is currently looking for a new apartment and is considering one particular apartment based on the fact that it’s close to the Dallas Farmers’ Market.  During a recent visit to see him, we went to the Dallas Farmers’ Market.  In addition, my mother lives in Tuscaloosa and whenever I visit her, we go to one of the Farmers’ Markets there. 

Healthy, locally produced food, nice people. Pretty good combination. If I’m a Farmers’ Market Nerd, so be it.

Recently, as I was telling Heather Pritchard about visiting the Dallas Farmers’ Market as well as the others I have visited she asked me, “What do they have that we don’t have?”  Good question from someone obviously devoted to her job and wanting to ever improve the quality of the Farmers’ Market experience for customers. 

I thought a moment and came up the fact that Austin, Texas being Austin, Texas, the Farmers’ Market had a stage with a music group entertaining the customers.  Memphis Farmers’ Market had food trucks – one for tacos and one for gyros – the times I’ve visited.  Those are the only two things I saw that Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market does not have.  Of course, three of these markets are in huge urban areas and our Market matches theirs. 

However, the one question Heather did not ask me was, “What do we have that they don’t have?”  I would have answered, “The nicest people you’ll meet anywhere.  The fairest prices you’ll find anywhere. Seafood.  Fresh brewed coffee.  And, a fantastic Market Director!”  Of course, having Forland’s nearby increases the options that other markets do not have.  Amazing for Coastal Alabama.

Recipe for this week is not really a recipe as it is something I like to put together for a weekend breakfast.  You’ll note that everything is from either the Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market or from Forland Family Farms.

Egg – Crab Cake – Grits Stack

Ingredients:

Bayou Cora Farms Heirloom Grits (vendor at the Market)

Crab Cake (J&K Farms)

Tejas salsa (if not a vendor at the Market, available from Forland)

Egg (available from several vendors)

Parsley (from a plant I purchased at the Market)

Butter (Forland)

Directions:

1. Heat a frozen crab cake at 375° for 40 minutes.  (This is almost the exact length of time it takes me to walk my dog in the morning, which I do while the crab cake cooks in the toaster oven.) 
2. Prepare grits according to package directions.  Add butter (optional).
3. Cook an egg according to preference – poached, over easy, or sunny side up work best.
4. Assemble on a plate:
   1. Ladle grits, flattening slightly
   2. Place a crab cake on top of the grits
   3. Place a cooked egg on top of the crab cake
   4. Dollop of salsa on top of the egg
   5. Sprinkle with parsley
   6. Enjoy

This recipe can be expanded, of course, to fit the number of people eating breakfast. 

See you at the Market.