Seneca Falls Farmer’s Market 7/21 Report

The arrival of fresh picked corn at the Farmer’s Market is a true sign of the peak season for the Market. All the fresh produce, baked goods, fresh fruits, farm fresh eggs and even the fresh plants are in full flower (yes, pun fully intended) and there’s never a better time to come to the market.I’m making Mom’s Vegetable Soup this week. I buy zucchini, peppers, potatoes, beans, broccoli, maybe some cabbage and fresh herbs like oregano and basil. Get it all into a pot and let it simmer together for an hour or so. Then I separate it into several servings and freeze it for a summer’s treat when Winter comes along. It is one of those dishes that brings all the veggies into play, that I never seem to make the same way twice and that requires the same amount of time and effort whether I am making a quart or gallons of the goodness of our farms and fields!Stop by the market today to sample a cucumber and harvest salad from our Extension nutritionist, Moira Tidball as she breaks out the variety of veggies in a cold dish that is guranteed to please!Since Mom won’t write down the recipe for her soup, here is a neat substitute for these warm summer days! FARMER’S MARKET CHICKEN SALAD1 lb (+/-) boneless chicken1 Tsp of Fresh chopped basil1 Tsp of dill1 Tsp of celery powder1 Tsp black pepper1 small (or half a large) red or sweet onion diced2 fine fresh tomatoes, chopped and the seeds removed1 sweet or bell pepper chopped1 head of your favorite lettuce1 cucumber, peeled, sliced and diced¼ cup olive oil1 Tbsp of wine vinegar (dry white wine will work in a pinch)1 Tbsp of grated parmesan cheeseCook chicken thoroughly and diced it up, place it in the refrigerator to cool while you prepare the veggies.Toss veggies and spices together, mixing well.In a small bowl, combine Olive Oil, Vinegar (or wine) and Parmesan cheese and mix well; pour over veggies and stir.Add the chicken, toss the whole thing together and serve or store in the fridge up to three hours if you wish.All this is done to taste and should be adjusted accordingly. Remember to slice and remove seeds from the tomatoes; this makes the salad less “watery” and decreases the acidity of the salad.Enjoy!Be well, see you at the marketBob