Farmer's Market

One of the most difficult things about living alone is cooking for one. Packaging of food in the markets is based upon purchasing larger volumes. Buy two and get one free; buy the family pack, or buy the large loaf of bread. It seems like nothing is packaged with the person who has had weight loss surgery in mind. So you have to buy two and get one free, or buy the big family pack of meat and split it up. These deals do save you money, but you must then figure out what to do with the extra food until you can get around to eating it. Recently the supermarket was having a big sale on high quality steaks, (New York cuts) very tender but you had to buy six of them. So I bought a pack and brought them home. Each steak was about 12-14 ounces so I sectioned each one into three or four pieces, wrapped each pieces in plastic wrap, and then put them in a freezer bag. I could take one out of the freezer and allow it to defrost for dinner and I had a tender 3-4 ounce serving. I grilled them quickly to rare in a grill. Dinner was served. Out of that package of steaks, I got 18 meals of high quality protein for approximately $10.

Yesterday I wanted some country style pork ribs, and a family package of four ribs was on sale for $7. So I bought a package. Last night I placed them in a roasting pan, seasoned them with salt and pepper and baked them at 350 degrees for about an hour. I then coated the meat with Hoisin sauce and let them finish. I had about a ½ of one rib for dinner and then put the others in a package for later. I will make a pork burrito with some of the meat for breakfast this morning. The rest will be in reserve for another time soon.

So why is this entry called Farmer’s Market? Here in Santa Rosa, California, there is a large organic foods Farmer’s Market at the Veteran’s Building on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Wednesday market has fewer vendors but is still a pleasant place to go. The Saturday market is a lot bigger with quite a few more vendors and therefore more possibilities. The folks in the booths are helpful, friendly and while the produce is not cheap it is of good quality and provides seasonally available fruits and vegetables. Right now peppers, citrus, potatoes and apples are dominating the stands. But you will still also find wonderful greens to braise, or unusual carrots.

Going to the market is really an experience in possibilities. I always make at least two circuits around the market. I don’t but anything on the first pass, just looking to see what is available. Then more slowly, I work my way around the market again. This time looking for those interesting possibilities. I may buy some mushrooms for dinner, or some citrus to make marmalade. Thinking ahead a few days, I might buy some interesting greens to cook and chop, then saute with garlic and olive oil and use to top a garlic-infused crostini, warm from the grill. Put a sprinkle of good Parmigiano Reggiano cheese on the top and serve with a glass of nice white wine. While it is not specifically designed to be a part of the Eight Bites diet, it is very tasty and a way of getting more vegetables into your diet. So go ahead and make some and enjoy it as an antipasti before you eat the protein portion of your meal.

Last Saturday at the market I was shopping with a friend, and found some great oranges, Granny Smith apples and some sweet peppers. I had to hold off on the wild mushrooms, but did order some wonderful butter from an artisan dairy in Petaluma. I also looked at some Muscovy duck breasts. Just thinking about a possible dinner party with grilled duck breast, peppers agrodolce, and apple Tarte Tatin.

At one stand, they were selling smoked olive oil. I spent a few minutes talking with the couple who owned the process and we talked about how we use olive oil and how these flavored ones might provide a different taste. They asked me to develop a recipe or two for them using their oils and I said I would. Before I walked away, they gave me a package containing small bottles of each of their three oils for me to experiment with. I will use the oranges to make some orange marmalade including some with vinegar and red pepper flakes to make it a bit more interesting. I also have some fig jam frozen and will use the Granny Smith apples and some raisins to make some jars of chutney.

So if you have a Farmer’s Market in your town, by all means go and see what is available. The vegetables and fruits are generally fresher and they are often organically raised. So wander around, talk to the vendors. They love to talk about their products and often about using them in your own kitchen. While the market might not provide the meat products we require as part of Eight Bites, they do provide a wonderful gathering of folks with a common outlook. That is the preparation of interesting food with good nutritional characteristics, seasonally and sustainable raised. Support them with your purchases or at least with your presence. Drink an espresso from the stand, buy some bread (even though you can’t eat much of it), and shake their hands. Enjoy the morning adventure and remember that having had bariatric surgery has given you a new life and good health. So celebrate it. Find some interesting foods and use them, even if it requires you to cook just for yourself, and you still have to purchase meats in those big packages.