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• Ain’t it awful? convenience food that is... Try the Recipe of the Week: Summer Vegetable Stir Fry with Pasta

  Ain’t it awful?   Something interesting with a disturbing purpose is going on with refrigerators.  Have you looked at new refrigerators lately?  Do so and you will see that all new refrigerators come with an expanded freezer section and a smaller refrigeration section.  Have you noticed that grocery stores are adding more freezer space?  Also, have you noticed that grocery stores are stocking less frozen produce like fruit and vegetables and are stocking more frozen ready-made meals and frozen meal packages?  Refrigerators are changing in order to hold stacks of frozen ready-made meals purchased from grocery stores that are expanding their inventory of frozen meals.   The Norman Rockwell scene of an All-American family having dinner together is all changed.  Mother, Father, Sister, Brother come into the kitchen, pick out what they want for supper from the freezer, microwave it, and sit down for their particularly selected meal, often straight from the package rather than from a plate.  I’m not making up some fantasy, it’s real.  The worst part of all this is what’s on the back of the packages from which they ...

• The Blue Zones 1. Eat fresh

  The Blue Zones A few years ago, in coordination with National Geographic, author Dan Buettner published a book that he titled The Blue Zones that was based on research he conducted among the peoples throughout the world that exhibited unusual longevity traits.  To do so, he found locations where living past 100 years old was normal and the average lifespan far exceeded the world average.  I won’t go into all his findings and conclusions but there are some items worth noting that he found in these peoples throughout the world: Intergenerational living arrangements (the delightful owners of Forland Family Market must on to something) Walking as the main means of transportation (love the construction of sidewalks everywhere) Lots of social contacts (something you can get at the Market) Learn something new often (I hope that this blog does that for you) Being active outdoors (i.e. gardening).  Also, the people tend to stay active late in life.  Continuing to work past 100 years old is not unusual.   Of course, the primary recommendations from his book relate to fresh foods.  Keep in mind, most ...

• Food As Medicine

  Earthly Bodies Recently, I typed the words, “food as medicine” in my search engine and sixteen books came up as well as several websites.  The whole notion of finding ways to get healthier and stay healthy is probably at its highest level of interest among people.  Baby boomers are getting older and looking at longevity issues as related to health and preventing diseases as well as ways to address current health issues that they are experiencing.  Millenniums seem obsessed with the topic and are often more knowledgeable than their parents regarding health issues and foods.  Any health issue you can name, you will find information about foods that can reportedly help you. Now, don’t go throwing away your prescription medications and I don’t have a 1-800 number for you to call as operators are not standing by, but there are some age-old notions as well as new research worth noting as the idea of food as medicine may be worthy of consideration and individual research.  A good place to start is with Johanna (pronounced Yo-hanna) Earthly Ramos and you can find ...

• Cooking Fresh Peas

  You toilers of the sea and fields and vineyards meet the weavers and the potters and gatherers of spices   Back in my college days, more years ago than I care to think about, like so many others of my generation, I became enamored with the writings of Kalhil Gibran and I still have several of his books and read them occasionally, particularly when I want a good quote or I want to find solace and quiet in the evening.  The Prophet, which was first published in 1923, is considered his masterpiece, translated into more than twenty languages, and has sold more than five million copies in the United States.  The Chicago Post wrote of The Prophet, “Cadenced and vibrant with feeling, the words of Kahlil Gibran bring to one’s ears (a) majestic rhythm.”  Relating to a Farmers’ Market, Gibran wrote, “To you the earth yields her fruit, and you shall not want if you but know how to fill your hands.  It is in exchanging the gifts of the earth that you shall find abundance and be satisfied. When in the market place you toilers ...

• More Than Food on Display

  

  Follow Me To The Market!   More Than Food on Display There is more to the Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market than a bounty of locally sourced fruit, vegetables, seafood, and baked goods.  Visit the market and take in what local artisans have to offer. ARTISAN:  A person skilled in an applied art; a craftsperson. A person or company that makes a high-quality or distinctive product in small quantities, usually by hand or using traditional methods. From Dictionary.com I think there is one word missing from that definition…Creativity.  I am amazed at the level of creativity displayed by the local artisans.  If you are looking for unique items to decorate your home, condo, beach house, or apartment or searching for unique gifts for someone special or even yourself, stop by the market and check it out.  You won’t be disappointed! You can make so many people happy when you buy local.   JJG

• Chicken Cacciatore

  Bob's kitchen boasts Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market as well as our onsite retail store Forland Family Market's fresh food. Dedicated customers like Bob fall in love with fresh and support local farms. Dedication of our customers is realized as local farm numbers rise. This week 7 new farms will be at the market. Summer season is ramping up quick as we see blueberries, blackberries, peaches, strawberries, squash, zucchini, beans, new potatoes, sweet corn, lettuce, vegetable transplants, flowers, herbs, and so much more that is new to the season. Gulf Seafood, especially fresh shrimp is always here as well as eggs, chicken, beef, pork and lamb. Fresh baked is a treat as well as locally roasted coffee. Food staples are plentiful! Include fresh to your kitchen this week! Here's Bob..    Recently I had the opportunity to meet an author online through Facebook and we friended each other. Her name is Sophie Patrick and she specializes in writing books about healthy living. One of her books is entitled, Healthy Eating Made Easy: 50 Simple Tips for Healthy Living Through Clean Eating.  A ...