A trip to my local farmer's market always ends up with my inability to resist all the fresh produce. These gorgeous multicolored cherry tomatoes seem to call my name. I end up buying a few pints of them. Could you resist?
The small, piquant black and green olives sold by the Lebanese lady are also hard to pass by. She sells pita bread, baked fresh every morning. The pita is soft with a pleasant chewy texture. I always grab two bags. One to eat and one to freeze for later. I haven't tasted pita that good since I was a kid, spending summers with my grandmother, in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Everyday, we'd walk to get it warm from the bakery. My grandmother always had pita on her dinner table, even with spaghetti and meatballs. Weird, I know. But she couldn't help herself. It's part of her culture. The Lebanese lady has come to expect me at her market stand every Thursday. She sees me coming and says, "You can never go wrong with fresh baked pita and olives."
The market has an Italian vendor who makes tender, light fresh pasta and all kinds of stuffed pastas. On this visit, I scored some fettuccine. There are crusty baguettes, Vermont maple syrup, local honey, artisan cheeses, grass-fed beef, organic eggs, flowers, spices and more. Fishermen sell live lobsters and their catch of the day. No wonder my head spins with recipe ideas. These talented and hardworking, farmers, fishermen and bakers make it possible to create magical meals. It's so easy to cook well when you start with good ingredients.
The colorful produce and locally made products constantly inspire me. Ideas for new dishes pop in my head so fast, I can barely contain them. It's nice when people ask me what to do with Swiss Chard, pea tendrils or beets. I'm always happy to give them my suggestions.